AMERICAN REEF COALITION





Creating Simple Solutions to solve Complex Problems

The Ocean
What do you think, should we stop destroying an environment that we really know nothing about?  95% of the ocean remains unexplored.  Over 5,000 new species were discovered last year alone.  About 15,000 naturally occurring chemicals have been isolated from coral reefs and the oceans depths with about 1,000 under active study for new anti-cancer drugs.

Coral reefs are the second most diverse and biologically complex ecosystems on earth.  They account for less than 1% of our oceans substrate and yet contain 25% of all it's life. 

Coral reefs have been dubbed “the rainforests of the sea” because of the abundance and diversity of marine life.  They are home to as many as 2 million species of plants and animals.  They provide food for millions of people and unique medicines.   In fact, more than half of all new cancer drug research focuses on marine organisms. 

Coral reefs provide economic goods and ecosystem services worth about $375 Billion each year.  They also protect shorelines.  Without coral reefs, much of the state of Florida would be submerged.    


Protected reef in the Northwest Hawaiian Islands

Today, coral reefs are vanishing faster than rainforests.  Globally, the coral reefs we have already lost would equal 240 million hectares of forest.  In comparison, that’s like losing half of the Amazon.  All of the worlds coral reefs are currently threatened, mainly through a variety of human activities.

But It's not too late!  The trend is reversible through education and proactive programs to protect, balance and clean-up the environment. 

The American Reef Coalition is involved in marine education, coral reef monitoring, protection, research, reef restoration invasive species and marine debris eradication in the Hawaiian Islands.  
                         
You're invited to help us in our efforts.  Nothing happens without your support.  Surf through our website, follow us on facebook, see if you can get behind our projects and help us save the planet!    



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Kipahulu in the Haleakala Wilderness Area, Maui, Hawaii

Wilderness and Natural Areas
Not much left.  40 years ago the world population was almost half of what it is today.  With the human population on the planet nearing 7 Billion, wilderness and natural areas are feeling the stress. 
  
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has calculated the percentage of endangered species as 40 percent of all organisms.  Think it's going to get better?  We think it will.  But it's going to take an effort.