Photo credit: Reef Renewal USA
In this episode, we begin our journey focusing on coral reef restoration. As coral reefs face around the world are facing rapid declines, people are taking matters in to their own hands with coral restoration. Coral restoration includes multiple practices, including genetic preservation, cryopreservation, and predator removal. The most common practice is coral gardening – regrowing corals from small fragments. While restoration garners a lot of support and attention, some critics claim that this can be distracting, and take away from other important coral science. In this episode, we meet with Ken Nedimyer from Reef Renewal USA to hear about their work growing corals in the Florida Keys, and Dr. Robert Streit, an coral ecologist working on the Great Barrier Reef who discusses the limitations of restoration, and how it can be detrimental to other sciences.
Ken Nedimyer
Ken Nedimyer is the founder and technical director of Reef Renewal USA. He has worked in coral reef restoration for 20 years, making significant advances in technology and practices, and developing methods which are being used now throughout the Florida Keys. He first became inspired to restore coral reefs when staghorn coral began to settle on his live rock nursery. Ken went on to found the Coral Restoration Foundation, and later, Reef Renewal USA.
Dr. Robert Streit
Dr Robert Streit is an interdisciplinary marine ecologist who studies how ecological change, power dynamics, and societal values intersect in climate-impacted oceans. His research explores how ocean interventions gain momentum under conditions of urgency and how ambition can outpace evidence or definitions of success. He is particularly interested in how well-intentioned interventions may legitimise delays in more transformative climate action. Increasingly, his work examines the questions behind technical decisions: not only what we restore and how, but what kind of future we are restoring toward. You can read Roberts papers on coral reef restoration practices below:
Reconciling urgency and restraint in the coral climate crisis: A philosophy of practice
Coral reefs deserve evidence-based management not heroic interference
Reef Renewal USA
You can find out more about Reef Renewal USA at their website, or follow them on youtube and instagram
Cat Among the Penguins 
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