World Oceans Day: The Florida Keys' Coralpalooza™ goes digital

This Green Scene story spotlights an environmentally focused attraction, event, person or place that enriches the Florida Keys

The Florida Keys are home to the continental USA’s only living coral reef and protection of this natural asset has long been an important focus for the sub-tropical island chain. With World Oceans Day on the horizon (8 June), the Key Largo-based Coral Restoration Foundation™ (CRF) has announced that its annual Coralpalooza™ event – the world’s biggest for reef restoration – is going digital this year.

Set to be the world’s first online celebration of international efforts to save and restore reefs, Coralpalooza™ Digital 2020 will take place ahead of World Oceans Day on 6 June from 1-4pm EDT (6-9pm GMT) and will be free to exhibitors and attendees alike for the first time this year.

Coralpalooza™ is normally an adrenaline-fuelled day of actively restoring coral reefs. In 2019, around 300 people from 11 countries took part, and in the Florida Keys alone more than 250 divers helped to return over 1,700 critically endangered corals to the Florida Reef Tract. And this year, despite the COVID-19 pandemic, Coral Restoration Foundation™ is keeping the spirit of Coralpalooza™ alive.

On 6 June, a fully-interactive, state-of-the-art digital platform will give attendees opportunities to:

• Live chat with coral restoration and research experts from around the world at digital booths
• Watch an exclusive interview with Philippe Cousteau, grandson of celebrated explorer and film-maker, Jacques-Yves Cousteau, and founder of EarthEcho International
• Tune into live link ups to CRF staff out in Florida Keys waters outplanting corals to restore reefs
• See exclusive, never-before-seen videos, photos, interviews, and presentations
• Explore the CRF’s Kid’s Zone hosted by Captain Coral and take part in a treasure hunt with prizes up for grabs

Coralpalooza™ Digital 2020 will feature world-renowned coral biologists, national and international organisations including the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, PADI Project Aware, Coralive, and Raising Coral Costa Rica, a key note from Tom Moore the Coral Reef Restoration Program Manager at NOAA, and interviews with personalities including the famous artist Wyland and Richard Vevers of “Chasing Coral”.

Marine biologist Roxane Boonstra is leading the event for the CRF. She says: “Even though we can't get together in person this year, we are excited that it’s allowed us to open the event up to more people than ever before – anyone can register! This really is the spirit of Coralpalooza™ – showing that large-scale, massive action and collaboration is required if we are going to be able to save and restore our precious coral reefs. Coralpalooza™ Digital celebrates the fact that there is an army of people around the world working to do just that, that there is hope, and that everyone in the world can get involved!”

Register for Coralpalooza™ Digital 2020: https://coralrestorationfoundation.6connex.com/event/coralpalooza2020/login 

For more information on Coralpalooza™, visit: www.coralrestoration.org/coralpalooza-digital-2020