Coral reefs are the canary in the coal mine for ocean health. A delicate, slow-growing, and symbiotic organism, coral can become damaged or "bleach"-- turning stark white.
More than half of our coral systems have been pronounced dead in recent years. It was thought that these effects were irreversible. Coral restoration has the potential to help reefs recover naturally from bleaching and devastation events.
With simple tools, Kate Slaughter demonstrates it is possible to actively revive these ecosystems one reef at a time. Restoring these habitats sustains a vast amount of ocean life and restores hope that we can turn the tide for degraded marine habitats.
Kate Slaughter is a California-raised marine biologist living in Australia. Her work on the Great Barrier Reef centers on an innovative program that pairs tourism with research. She is replanting coral reefs using a device called a CoralClip that reattaches broken coral pieces to reef structures to also them to regrow, propagate, and thrive. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at www.ted.com/tedx