The Reef Ball Foundation

The Reef Ball Foundation, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) publicly supported non-profit that functions as an international environmental NGO. The Foundation's mission is to restore our world's ocean ecosystems and to protect natural reef systems. The foundation uses Reef Ball artificial reef technology, combined with coral propagation and transplant technology, public education, and training communities to build, restore and protect reefs. The foundation currently has established Reef Ball reefs in 56+ countries with ongoing projects in 14+ additional countries giving a total global reach of 70+ countries. The foundation undertakes a wide range of projects including artificial reefs, estuary restoration, red mangrove plantings, oyster reef creation, coral propagation, advice for biological recovery from disasters, erosion control (often beach erosion), and education on preserving natural reefs.

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History

The Reef Ball Foundation was started in 1993 by Todd Barber, who founded the Reef Ball Development Group with a goal of helping to preserve and protect coral reefs for the benefit of future generations. An avid SCUBA diver, Barber witnessed his favorite reef on Grand Cayman destroyed by Hurricane Gilbert, and wanted to do something to help increase the resiliency of coral reefs. Barber and his father patented the idea of building artificial reef modules with a central inflatable bladder, so that the modules would be buoyant, thus making them easy to deploy by hand or with a small boat, rather than requiring heavy machinery.

Over the next few years, with the help of research colleagues at UGA, Nationwide Artificial Reef Coordinators and the Florida Institute of Technology, Barber and a small cohort of conservationist friends and business partners worked to perfect the design, permitting, deployment and monitoring of reef balls. At present, reef balls can be found in almost every coastal state in the US, and on every continent including Antarctica. The Reef Ball Foundation has expanded the scope of its projects to include coral rescue, propagation and transplant operations, mitigation projects, mangrove restoration and nursery development, and education/outreach regarding environmental stewardship and coral reefs.

The Reef Ball Foundation took control of the Reef Ball Development Group in 2001, and now operates all aspects of the business as a nonprofit organization. At present, the foundation has deployed over 500,000 reef balls worldwide.

Although some corals will grow on these structures, many will not. Fish often favor dying natural reefs to reefballs. Many avid divers agree that reef ball structures are unsightly and unappreciated by marine animals.

Technology & Research

  
The Reef Ball Foundation manufacturers reef balls for open ocean deployment in a range of sizes from about 0.3 meters (≈1 feet) in diameter and 15 kilograms (≈35 pounds), up to 2.5 meters (≈8 feet) and 3500 kilograms (≈8000 pounds). Reef balls are hollow, and typically have several convex-concave holes of varying sizes, to most closely approximate natural coral reef conditions by creating whirlpools. Reef balls are made from pH balanced microsilica concrete, and are specially treated to create a rough surface texture, in order to promote settling by marine organisms such as corals, algae, coralline algae, and sponges.
Over the last decade, a great deal of scientific research has been conducted with respect to the ability of artificial reefs to produce or attract biomass[1],[2], and the effectiveness of reef balls in replicating natural habitat(e.g. [3],[4]) and mitigating disasters[5]. The use of reef balls as breakwaters and for beach stabilization has also been extensively studied (e.g. [6],[7] ,[8])

Projects

• The world's largest coral propagation and planting project using artificial reefs was in Antigua

• In Malaysia, over 5000 Reef Balls were used around protected turtle nesting islands to deter netting and has successfully increased turtle nesting numbers.

• In Campeeche, Mexico, over 4000 Reef Balls have been deployed by local fishing communities to enhance fishery resources.

• In Tampa Bay, Reef Balls are used under docks, in front of sea walls, and as a submerged breakwater to create oyster reefs.

• In Thailand, Reef Balls planted with corals were used after the Tsunami to help restore tourism in Phuket.

• In Indonesia, P.T. Newmont empowered locals to restore thousands of coral heads using Reef Balls to mitigate damages from mining operations.

Designed Artificial Reefs

In recent years, the trend in artificial reef development has been toward the construction of designed artificial reefs, built from materials specifically designed to function as reefs. Designed systems (such as reef balls) can be modified to achieve a variety of end use goals. These include coral reef rehabilitation, fishery enhancement, snorkeling and diving trails, beach erosion protection, surfing enhancement, fish spawning sites, planters for mangrove replanting, enhancement of lobster fisheries, creation of oyster reefs, estuary rehabilitation, and even exotic uses such as deep water oculina coral replanting. Designed systems can overcome many of the problems associated with "materials of opportunity" such as stability in storms, durability, biological fit, lack of potential pollution problems, availability, and reduction in long term artificial reef costs.

Designed reefs have been developed specifically for coral reef rehabilitation, and can therefore be used in a more specific niche than materials of opportunity. Some examples of specialized adaptations which designed reefs can utilize include: specialized surface textures, coral planting attachment points, specialized pH neutral surfaces (such as neutralized concrete, ceramics or mineral accretion surfaces), holes to create currents for corals, and avoidance of materials such as iron, which may cause algae to overgrow coral. Other types of designed systems can create aquaculture opportunities for lobster, create oyster beds, or be used for a large variety of other specialized needs.

Links to more information about artificial reefs and Reef Balls

• Reef Ball Foundation

• Reef Ball Services Division (Reef Ball Molds)

• Reef Balls For Erosion Control & Beach Rehabilitation

• Reef Balls As Memorials

• Reef Ball Shared Resources (scientific literature, documentation, etc.)

• Designed Artificial Reefs

Links to more information about coral reef conservation

• Reef Ball Coral Team