100 Yards of Hope Team Outplants 1100 Corals

Key Biscayne, FL) – Last week, veterans from FORCE BLUE, working alongside scientific partners from the University of Miami Rosenstiel School’s Rescue A Reef Program, the Phillip and Patricia Frost Museum of Science, The Florida Aquarium and Secore International, successfully harvested and out-planted 1,000+ staghorn coral (a threatened species), thousands of mountainous star coral larvae and 100 genetically unique, 2-year-old staghorn coral colonies on to the 100 Yards of Hope coral reef restoration site in the waters just south of Miami.

The team also conducted a 20,000 square meter reconnaissance sweep of the surrounding area looking for evidence of Stony Coral Tissue Disease (none detected!)

While additional out-plantings of threatened elkhorn and boulder corals remain to be completed prior to Super Bowl LV in Tampa, the effort marked a major milestone for the team and the now 18-month old project, which began in June 2019 with the out-planting of 100 corals in celebration of the NFL’s centennial season and Super Bowl LIV in Miami.

The team was honored to be joined by Tervis CEO Rogan Donelly, FORCE BLUE’s newest Board member, Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Tom Mullikin and his son, Tom Jr.