Coral
Our Approach to Coral Conservation
We are tackling this challenge from some of the most bioculturally important regions in the world: WCS works in 64 countries and across all of the world’s oceans, in partnership with local communities, Indigenous Peoples, and governments to secure the future of the world’s reefs. We work across biodiversity hotspots in the Indian, Pacific and Atlantic Oceans that show resilience in the face of climate change.
90 percent
WCS helps protect 90% of the world’s coral species.
900 sites
Our scientists monitor the health of coral reefs at over 900 sites across the Caribbean, Western Indian Ocean, and Indo-Pacific.
This work won’t happen overnight, which is why we’re embedded on-the-ground for the long-term. We work hand in hand with local partners weaving together consensus-driven research and indigenous knowledge to co-create and advance shared conservation goals for coral reefs.
Coral reef conservation is complex work that crosses sectors, institutions, and borders. We work in four ways:
Achieving On-The-Ground Conservation
We forge trusting partnerships with governments and local communities to enable long-term, on-the-ground conservation interventions that are holistic and collaborative. Our science and monitoring work helps us continuously adapt and improve our work, keeping our programs grounded and locally relevant.
Driving Policy Change
We work closely with governments and other institutions to draft and advocate for science-based policies at the national and international levels. WCS is always at the table helping to amplify local voices and needs, as well as back out in the field when it’s time to do the hard work of turning policy into action.
Measuring Outcomes
WCS scientists conduct in-water monitoring to assess the health of reef ecosystems and the real-time impacts of conservation efforts. Using a suite of tools, we identify top threats to reefs and counter them with conservation interventions informed by our best science, turning our data into real-world impact.
Cutting-edge actionable science
WCS scientists are world leaders in coral reef ecology and conservation. We collaborate with on-the-ground partners to identify crucial scientific needs, lead research outputs and international working groups, and bring this information back to actionable policies. Our research is discovering new insights into the impacts of climate change, fishing, and water pollution on coral reefs, how governance is affected and supported by local communities, and the ecological thresholds of functioning coral reefs.
Special Projects and Partnerships
MACMON, Our Marine and Coastal Monitoring Framework
MACMON is a global monitoring framework for WCS that is one of the first applications of Nobel Prize Winner Elinor Ostrom’s social-ecological systems framework for management evaluation. MACMON’s indicators connect underwater surveys with social questionnaires to households and key experts involved in managing coastal areas to measure impacts of management for nature and people. MACMON is implemented in 7 countries across Africa, Asia and the Pacific, and is connected to academic and policy impact through a Science for Nature and People Partnership (SNAPP) working group on Coastal Outcomes.
An Ambitious Agenda for Coral Reef Conservation
In the Media
Rare Climate Refuge For Coral Found
Off the coast of Kenya and Tanzania, scientists discovered a rare ocean refuge for coral reefs where species large and small still thrive despite accelerating climate change.
Act NowWe Can Save Coral Reefs
WCS's Alfred DeGemmis, Stacy Jupiter, Simon Cripps, and Emily Darling for Scientific American
Members of the International Coral Reef Initiative have agreed on the steps we must take. Now governments have to act.
Rarest Corals are Not Currently Being Protected
A unique look at 27 years of data shows that uncommon coral types, important for reef biodiversity, have been insufficiently protected against climate change.
Act NowRare Bright Spot for Corals
Scientists discovered that a large area in the Indo-Pacific known as the “Coral Triangle” is surprisingly resistant to thermal stress from climate change
Act NowA MERMAID Can Help Save Coral Reefs
By Emily Darling for Scientific American
New upgrades to a collaborative technology can turn coral reef data into conservation action—just when it’s needed most.
Logging Tropical Forests Jeopardizes Fisheries
Logging activity in Solomon Islands is associated with lower coral cover and structural complexity on adjacent reefs.
Act NowStudy on Gender Inequality in Fisheries
Despite good intentions to make small-scale fisheries more equitable, current approaches are unlikely to ensure gender inclusion or address gender inequalities.
Act NowHow Global Coral Reef Conservation Is Adapting to COVID-19
Around the world, WCS field teams are adapting to the pandemic and changing the way that they work to better serve their communities.
Act NowStudy: Only 2.5% of the World’s Coral Reefs Are Protected
“A brewing crisis for tropical fisheries is emerging due to the lack of protection and the increasing impacts of climate change,” said WCS's Tim McClanahan.
Act NowAccess to Education and Markets Vital for Coastal Fishing Communities to Adapt
They can help mitigate acute vulnerabilities for communities struggling with poverty and reliant on ecosystems degraded by overfishing, a study shows.
Act NowMarine Protected Areas: Essential but Not Sufficient
Their placement is critical to achieving conservation goals and that can help scientists and managers determine where to focus efforts.
Act NowTracking Coral Health in Real Time
The world’s first open-source coral reef conservation platform, MERMAID, lets you dive deep into the status of reefs around the world.
Act NowRelated News
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June 20, 2023
Coral Triangle Day ‘OceansNeedActions’ 2023: CTI-CFF New Action Plan and Trust Fund to Strengthen Regional and Local Commitment
The Coral Triangle Initiative on Coral Reefs, Fisheries, and Food Security (CTI-CFF) is thrilled to announce the celebration of Coral Triangle Day 2023, marking the beginning of the long-term ‘OceansNeedActions’ campaign.
Read the story
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November 23, 2022
Government of Mozambique Approves National Strategy for the Management and Conservation of Coral Reefs (English and Portuguese)
The Government of Mozambique approved by Resolution of Council of Ministers, the National Strategy for the Management and Conservation of Coral Reefs.
Read the story
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November 11, 2022
At UN Climate COP27, WCS Urges Governments to Act For Coral Reefs
At the close of the first week of the UN Climate Conference in Egypt, WCS is sounding a global call to action for governments around the world planning for climate change mitigation and adaptation: put coral reefs front and center.
Read the story
View All News
Coral Triangle Day ‘OceansNeedActions’ 2023: CTI-CFF New Action Plan and Trust Fund to Strengthen Regional and Local Commitment
The Coral Triangle Initiative on Coral Reefs, Fisheries, and Food Security (CTI-CFF) is thrilled to announce the celebration of Coral Triangle Day 2023, marking the beginning of the long-term ‘OceansNeedActions’ campaign.
Read the storyGovernment of Mozambique Approves National Strategy for the Management and Conservation of Coral Reefs (English and Portuguese)
The Government of Mozambique approved by Resolution of Council of Ministers, the National Strategy for the Management and Conservation of Coral Reefs.
Read the storyAt UN Climate COP27, WCS Urges Governments to Act For Coral Reefs
At the close of the first week of the UN Climate Conference in Egypt, WCS is sounding a global call to action for governments around the world planning for climate change mitigation and adaptation: put coral reefs front and center.
Read the storySign Up for Email Updates
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