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MARINE HABITAT
In 2000, NOAA planted 500 square meters of cordgrass and added oyster shell on Pivers Island; the living shoreline later weathered Hurricanes Irene and FlorenceIn North Carolina, a living shoreline project has proven effective in combating significant erosion, relying on natural materials like mars...
In 1993, Miami lowered a retired Boeing 727 called Spirit of Miami into the sea; a storm split it apart a year later, and coral, oysters, and fish moved inThe Spirit of Miami, a retired Boeing 727, now lies submerged beneath the waves, purposefully sunk to provide an ecological haven. The deva...
This coastal region in Costa Rica lost its mangrove forests. Now 12,000 seedlings and restored water channels are bringing them backCosta Rica's Golfo Dulce is witnessing a remarkable turnaround as residents rejuvenate mangrove forests that had previously been devastated...
In 2019, this California sea creature was heading toward extinction; scientists raised babies in captivity and returned them to the oceanWhite abalone faced extinction due to overfishing and sparse populations. Scientists initiated a captive-breeding program, producing millio...
12-year-old Connecticut student, Raji Doshi designed a system combining algae with natural calcium that blocks ocean acidification and protects marine ecosystemsA 12-year-old student from Connecticut has been named a finalist in the 2026 3M Young Scientist Challenge for a project combining algae wit...
In 2011, North Carolina scuttled the 180-foot Coast Guard buoy tender USCGC Spar off Morehead City; divers later documented sand tiger sharks using the wreckResting peacefully on the ocean floor off North Carolina, the USCGC Spar, once a buoy tender, has transformed into a vital habitat for sand...
In 2000, San Diego sank the 366-foot HMCS Yukon off Mission Beach; from 2015 to 2020, nine divers recorded 237 observations across 58 marine speciesThe HMCS Yukon, a Canadian warship, was intentionally sunk near Mission Beach to foster a new artificial reef. Initial research from 2004 i...
In 1997, HMCS Saskatchewan was sunk off Nanaimo; 448 days later divers recorded 46 taxa, including 9 molluscs and 7 echinodermsIn British Columbia, artificial reefs are transforming the marine landscape, demonstrating swift colonization by diverse marine species wit...
In 2009, Key West sank the 523-foot Vandenberg in 140 feet of water; one year later, REEF monitoring had documented 123 fish species on the former shipIn 2009, the retired missile ship Gen. Hoyt S. Vandenberg was deliberately sunk near Key West, giving rise to a significant artificial reef...
How a student turned waste glass into an ‘oyster home’ and won Rs 1.2 lakh awardA Florida high school student, Delaney Peterson, has explored an unusual way to support oyster reef restoration, by turning discarded glass...
In 2011, Andalusia mapped 27,022 hectares of Posidonia habitat. 5 years later, 41 low-impact moorings were installed across four sites to protect seagrass from anchoringThe legacy of the LIFE Posidonia project extends beyond the original 2011–2016 funding period. Its work established better information abou...
In 2001, NOAA launched a restoration program after a $64 million Montrose settlement. 24 years later, a rebuilt Palos Verdes reef in California had boosted fish biomass by over 150%Two decades after a $64 million settlement funded coastal recovery, California’s Palos Verdes reef is thriving. Engineers placed 70,000 ton...
Jeff Bezos’ wife Lauren Sánchez’s journey from a teenage job at a New Mexico water park to luxury expeditions across the world’s oceans has come into focus nearly four decades later, with her latest Galápagos trip drawing fresh attentionJeff Bezos’ wife Lauren Sanchez's conservation work in the Galápagos Islands contrasts sharply with her past. She previously worked at a Ne...
He spent 16 years alone on one of world’s most remote islands: With two cats, chickens, a radio and basic supplies, this New Zealand sailor built a life in complete solitudeTom Neale spent an incredible 16 years living alone on Suwarrow Atoll, growing his own food and repairing shelters with resources available...
Manatees are visiting Texas again but fossils suggest they may have been there thousands of years ago during the Ice AgeThis summer, Texan shores welcome an unusual sight: manatees. Historical fossils reveal that these gentle giants once swam in Texas waters ...
In 1996, NASA sank a 132-foot shuttle booster training device off Port Canaveral to become an artificial reef; marine life was expected to establish itself there within four monthsA retired NASA training device became an artificial reef in the Atlantic Ocean. This structure provided a new underwater habitat for marine...
Texas 7th-grader Caden Pohlkamp built an underwater robot to study 12 neighborhood ponds. His surprising discovery about fountains and healthier waterTexas seventh-grader Caden Pohlkamp built an underwater robot to study 12 neighborhood ponds and investigate what makes water healthier. Hi...
In 2006, volunteers lowered a stripped Boeing 737 into the Pacific; 20 years later, the jet has become a cold-water artificial reefA retired Boeing 737 now rests on the seafloor off Vancouver Island. This aircraft was transformed into an artificial reef by Canada. The X...
In 1986, Florida sank this 189-foot ship off the Florida Keys; decades later, its stripped superstructure is covered in sponges, corals and hydroidsThe Thunderbolt, a former military and research vessel, now serves as an artificial reef off Marathon in the Florida Keys. It was intention...
In 2014, Maine began developing a fish elevator to carry American shad past Milford Dam. 12 years later, the system could reopen 600 miles of river habitat to a fish whose migration has been blocked for decadesA Maine fish elevator could reopen 600 miles of river habitat for alewives, giving a small fish a much bigger chance to return upstream. Th...