Wounded US veterans are embarking on a new mission to help heal coral reefs off the coast of Florida. These veterans, who were injured during combat, have joined forces with the Mote Marine Laboratory and the nonprofit Combat Wounded Veteran Challenge (CWVC) to plant coral in the endangered reef ecosystem.
The project serves two important purposes: saving threatened coral from disease and rising sea temperatures, and aiding in the healing process for the veterans, both physically and emotionally. This joint effort between the lab and CWVC has been ongoing since 2011 and has proven to be beneficial for both veterans and the marine environment.
On a recent July morning, 31 veterans, accompanied by six divers from Mote Marine Laboratory, gathered near Key West, Florida to carry out their mission. The chosen location for coral planting was Higgs Head, a reef that desperately needed restoration. Billy Costello, a 41-year-old former diver for the Army’s 3rd Special Forces Group, was excited to participate. While serving in Afghanistan in 2011, Costello lost his right leg to a bomb explosion. After discovering CWVC, he became involved in their activities and found solace and purpose in their mission to restore coral reefs.
The partnership between CWVC and Mote Marine Laboratory places wounded veterans in challenging environments, offering them an opportunity to heal while contributing to scientific research. The veterans participate in activities such as mountain climbing and deep-sea diving, while researchers monitor and gather data to better understand conditions like post-traumatic stress disorder and head trauma.
During the dive, the veterans receive instructions from a Mote lab employee who dives ahead of them, carrying a map to guide them to the designated planting spots. The process begins with the divers using wire brushes to clean algae and debris from the reef, followed by applying epoxy resin to prepare the surface for coral attachment. The divers then carefully glue the lab-grown coral fragments onto the reef. In just over an hour, the team managed to plant 1,040 stony corals from six different species.
The significance of this method lies in its ability to repopulate the reef with coral microfragments of the same genotype in a small space. As these fragments grow, their tissues fuse, forming a colony that can expand up to 40 times faster than normal coral. In a few years, these coral colonies will be able to spawn on their own, creating a sustainable ecosystem.
Michael Crosby, the President of Mote Marine Laboratory, expressed his pride in this partnership and his gratitude towards the veterans. He acknowledged their sacrifices for the country and called this collaboration a new mission with the laboratory to restore the rainforests of the sea.
For Costello, participating in this dive was a blessing. Despite the challenges posed by his prosthetic leg underwater, he found joy and fulfillment in being able to contribute to reef restoration. Being surrounded by fellow veterans who had overcome similar struggles and emerged stronger added to the experience’s positive impact.
This initiative exemplifies the resilience of wounded veterans and their commitment to serving a greater cause. By combining their skills and determination with scientific expertise, they are actively contributing to coral reef conservation. Through their efforts, the coral reefs off the coast of Florida are getting a chance to heal and thrive once again.
