Climate change is impacting our coastal communities and assets.
Coastal flood events, erosion, and storms are damaging coastal communities, infrastructure, and U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) assets. To effectively combat these challenges, we must look to new and innovative measures that will reduce these impacts.
Our coral reefs are in danger.
Coral reef ecosystems are critical for supporting biodiversity and protecting our coastlines from flooding and erosion by reducing wave energy. But warming oceans, coral diseases, and human impacts all threaten our reefs, reducing their ability to offer coastal protection and habitat benefits.
The X-REEFS project is part of the solution.
Led by the University of Miami, X-REEFS ("neXt generation Reef Engineering to Enhance Future Structures"), is on a mission is to develop hybrid reefs that combine the wave-protection benefits of artificial structures with the ecological benefits of coral reefs. By bringing together specialists in structural engineering, physical and chemical oceanography, reef ecology and restoration, and adaptive biology, X-REEFS will create structures to significantly reduce risk to coastal communities, promote ecosystem health, and strengthen DoD’s ability to maintain its infrastructure and military readiness.
