Originally founded in 1994 to galvanize the dive community for conservation, CORAL has grown from a small, grassroots alliance into the only international nonprofit organization that works exclusively to protect our planet's coral reefs. We provide tools, education, and inspiration to residents of coral reef destinations to support local projects that benefit both reefs and people. We currently work in Hawaii [1], Mexico [2], Belize [3], Honduras [4], Fiji [5], Papua New Guinea [6], and Indonesia [7]. 

We believe in the majesty and mystery of coral reefs, in their ability to teach, sustain, inspire, and give life.

We are their students and their protectors; we hold the knowing that if reefs die, we all die—plain and simple. And the reefs are dying, every day. [8] They are being overheated by the rising temperatures of climate change, overfished by commercial fisherman, and overlooked by ambitious developers and tourism operators. But we can change this—together.

We hold the hope for reversing this crisis and believe in the power of community to make change, to find common ground, and to heal.

Coral reefs are the oldest biological communities on the planet. And to save this community, we must awaken others [9] and remind them that we are all connected—to the reefs and to each other. We must build alliances and forge connections; we must unite to protect this precious resource.

We recognize that there is no one-size-fits-all solution to the problems affecting the reefs of the world.

Instead, we work within the communities that surround each reef to create solutions that benefit reefs as well as the people who depend on them. Our programs are born out of necessity [10], out of the local community, and out of what makes sense on the ground right now.

We believe that wonder lives at the heart of science.

Our demand for the effective and the practical does not diminish our awe for the magnificent. It is often the adaptability and elegance of the reef systems themselves that inspire the creative and flexible solutions [11] we seek.

We're on a mission and we're in a hurry.

We cannot save the reefs without considering the people who live by them and depend on them directly. Our work takes us to the front lines [12]—to the reefs and the reef communities to provide education, motivation, and inspiration to make changes that will make a difference right now—not in twenty years.

The oldest biological community on the planet has inspired us to build a worldwide community to save it.

We are CORAL. Please join us. [13]

Welcome to CORAL

"Thank you for visiting the CORAL website and for your interest in protecting the planet's precious coral reefs. I'd like to welcome you to the CORAL community and invite you to join our global fight to save these valuable ecosystems. Threats to coral reefs are mounting, but we can turn back the tide of destruction if we decide to work together. And that's where CORAL comes in—our mission is to unite communities to save coral reefs. Please take a look around our website; there are lots of ways for you to get involved in our work to save coral reefs."

—Brian Huse
Executive Director

 

Learn about our mission » [14]

Make a donation » [15]

Get involved in our work » [16]

Become a volunteer » [17]