The 38th Meeting of the United States Coral Reef Task Force (USCRTF) will offer a number of Site Visits, allowing meeting attendees to experience first-hand the local challenges and impacts that affect the management of our reefs in south Florida. Given that many of the USCRTF members are not located in south Florida, these visits will be useful opportunities for members to initiate discussions about local coral conservation initiatives, partnerships, management techniques and methods to tackle the tough issues facing Florida's reefs. Please check back often, as these details are not yet final.
Note that Site Visit seats are limited and priority seating is offered to USCRTF members and staff.
** indicates that a registration fee may be required upon site visit attendance
Note that Site Visit seats are limited and priority seating is offered to USCRTF members and staff.
** indicates that a registration fee may be required upon site visit attendance
Coral Disease and Marine Debris, Local Examples in Broward County**
Thursday, August 10th
12:00 -- 5:00 PM
12:00 -- 5:00 PM
Hosted by South Florida Diving Headquarters, attendees will be led by local experts to some of the best reefs that Broward County has to offer, with a focus on the current disease outbreak, and recurring issues with marine debris. Limited seats are available, so please register as soon as possible.
REGISTRATION CLOSED: South Florida Water Connections: Everglades to Reefs**
Thursday, August 10th
12:00 -- 5:00 PM (time subject to change)
12:00 -- 5:00 PM (time subject to change)
The U.S. Coral Reef Task Force Local Action Strategies developed in 2004 brought attention and focus to land-based sources of pollution (LBSP) affecting the southeast Florida coral reef ecosystem. Progress in reducing LBSP in this region of the Florida Reef Tract has been slow due to challenges including complexity of the south Florida water management system, high levels of development along the coast and inland, and the effects of coastal development, including port expansion projects on coral reef ecosystem resources.
Despite the fact that Everglades restoration has driven most of the ecosystem-scale environmental restoration activities for several decades in south Florida, conservation of the southeast Florida coral reef ecosystem has made significant progress. Challenges remain due to the spatial and financial magnitude of managing the quality, quantity, timing and distribution of water throughout south Florida. This Site Visit will take you through the extensive canal system in Broward, hitting the Hollywood Outfall, Port Everglades, and others.
Despite the fact that Everglades restoration has driven most of the ecosystem-scale environmental restoration activities for several decades in south Florida, conservation of the southeast Florida coral reef ecosystem has made significant progress. Challenges remain due to the spatial and financial magnitude of managing the quality, quantity, timing and distribution of water throughout south Florida. This Site Visit will take you through the extensive canal system in Broward, hitting the Hollywood Outfall, Port Everglades, and others.
Coral Disease, Local Examples in Miami-Dade County**
(Trip subject to change)
(Trip subject to change)
Thursday, August 10th
8:00 AM -- 5:00 PM
8:00 AM -- 5:00 PM
Hosted by a local dive shop, this site visit will take you to several dive locations in Miami-Dade County to observe the effects of disease and sedimentation on our local reefs. This will be a full-day trip, so please plan accordingly. Limited seats are available, so please register as soon as possible.
The Inter-connectivity between coral reefs and the natural resources at MacArthur Beach State Park and Blowing Rocks Preserve**
Thursday, August 10th
8:00 AM -- 5:30 PM
8:00 AM -- 5:30 PM
Located in Palm Beach County, John D. MacArthur Beach State Park will provide participants an opportunity to understand the connections between the different elements that form the fundamental land/sea boundaries. Participants will observe an estuarine lagoon, explore the Nature Center, and examine the beach and dune ecosystem that supports the largest number of nesting sea turtles in south Florida. Despite the impacts from an urban surrounding, the lagoon supports rare species, including Johnson’s sea grass and paddle grass, along with other floral and faunal species. The coral reef offshore of the park provides an important connection with the resources found in the park. These submerged resources are interconnected in many ways, including through water quality, species distribution of fish, crustaceans and invertebrates, and shoreline protection. The inshore sea grass beds and the estuarine lagoon in the park are critical to the health of the coral reef offshore. Natural resources of the park are impacted by both natural and man-made influences, including development, offshore water quality, and the pressures of nearby coastal construction. However, it is an important natural resource that is enjoyed by numerous visitors, and provides economic value to the community.
The visit to Blowing Rocks will begin at the Hawley Education Center where participants will learn about The Nature Conservancy’s coral reef work in Florida and throughout the world. Participants will then have a guided walking tour of the Preserve, beginning on the Indian River Lagoon shoreline, continuing through the paths of restored mangrove and hardwood habitats, and concluding on the beach side with a view of the unique rocky Anastasia outcroppings and sabellarid worm reef. Participants should wear comfortable walking shoes and a hat, sunscreen, and water bottle are recommended.
Blowing Rocks Preserve is a unique private barrier island sanctuary with shorelines on the Atlantic Ocean and Indian River Lagoon. The Preserve was named for its unique beach, which is home to the largest outcropping of rocky Anastasia limestone on the U.S. Atlantic coast. This 73 acre preserve was the site of a large-scale, 20 year native coastal habitat restoration that saw more than 4,000 Australian pines and other non-native species cleared to make way for native habitats including beach dune, coastal strand, mangrove swamp, and tropical hardwood hammock. The preserve is also a very heavily used sea turtle nesting beach, and sits at the northern edge of the Florida Coral Reef Tract.
The visit to Blowing Rocks will begin at the Hawley Education Center where participants will learn about The Nature Conservancy’s coral reef work in Florida and throughout the world. Participants will then have a guided walking tour of the Preserve, beginning on the Indian River Lagoon shoreline, continuing through the paths of restored mangrove and hardwood habitats, and concluding on the beach side with a view of the unique rocky Anastasia outcroppings and sabellarid worm reef. Participants should wear comfortable walking shoes and a hat, sunscreen, and water bottle are recommended.
Blowing Rocks Preserve is a unique private barrier island sanctuary with shorelines on the Atlantic Ocean and Indian River Lagoon. The Preserve was named for its unique beach, which is home to the largest outcropping of rocky Anastasia limestone on the U.S. Atlantic coast. This 73 acre preserve was the site of a large-scale, 20 year native coastal habitat restoration that saw more than 4,000 Australian pines and other non-native species cleared to make way for native habitats including beach dune, coastal strand, mangrove swamp, and tropical hardwood hammock. The preserve is also a very heavily used sea turtle nesting beach, and sits at the northern edge of the Florida Coral Reef Tract.
REGISTRATION CLOSED : Coral Disease and the Restoration of the Florida Reef Tract in the Florida Keys**
Saturday, August 12th
8:00 AM -- 7:30 PM
8:00 AM -- 7:30 PM
From tourist activities to ecosystem services, the Florida Reef Tract provides an economic value of $8.5 billion annually. In recent years it has experienced a large-scale disease event that has significantly affected the abundance and distribution of reef-building corals, especially in southeast Florida and the upper Florida Keys. Wide-scale coral mortality events like this one can result in reef degradation and thus may affect the economic value of the resource over time. Luckily, restoration efforts are already underway at many of these reefs, through the outplanting of coral species and genotypes that appear more resistant to the current disease outbreak!
Come see firsthand the reefs of the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, paying particular attention to the affects of the disease event, and the reefs outplanted with the endangered Acropora cervicornis. Catering to both snorkelers and divers, this site visit starts in John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park and moves to sites such as Molasses Reef, Grecian Rocks and Dry Rocks (exact locations to be determined based on current active coral disease in August). On board and underway, your expert guides will be coral biologists from the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission, Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, Florida Department of Environmental Protection and the Coral Restoration Foundation (the non-profit responsible for outplanting Acropora cervicornis in the Upper Keys).
Come see firsthand the reefs of the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, paying particular attention to the affects of the disease event, and the reefs outplanted with the endangered Acropora cervicornis. Catering to both snorkelers and divers, this site visit starts in John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park and moves to sites such as Molasses Reef, Grecian Rocks and Dry Rocks (exact locations to be determined based on current active coral disease in August). On board and underway, your expert guides will be coral biologists from the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission, Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, Florida Department of Environmental Protection and the Coral Restoration Foundation (the non-profit responsible for outplanting Acropora cervicornis in the Upper Keys).
The History of South Florida Reefs Through Windley Key Fossil Reef** (Inclement Weather back-up option)
Saturday, August 12th
8:00 AM -- 7:30 PM
8:00 AM -- 7:30 PM
This ancient coral reef accumulated into the limestone foundation of the Florida Keys, from Soldier Key to Big Pine Key. Cross sections of ancient coral colonies can still be observed in the quarries that were mined to construct Flagler's railroad in the early 1900's. This field trip will cover Florida Keys geology, early Florida Keys history, and the relevance of the tropical hardwood hammock!