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Our Mission, Our Method, Our Impact

Hey! We’re Counting Coral. We’re a small but mighty 501(c)(3) nonprofit, fully volunteer-based, entirely donation-driven, and built on nothing but passion and stubborn hope. What started as a “let’s just try” moment has turned into something we’re immensely proud of — a community of incredible humans, groundbreaking projects thriving in the water, and real, visible impact on our reefs. We’re glad you’re here, learning a little more, and we hope you’ll support the work we’re doing.

- Counting Coral Team xx

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Design Driven Restoration

Our approach to reef restoration is rooted in design, not just for beauty, but for long-term function and resilience. Each sculptural installation is engineered using marine-grade stainless steel, ensuring structural integrity, non-toxicity, and longevity that exceeds 500 years. These elegant, high-performance sculptures are carefully constructed to support coral growth, provide habitat for marine life, and withstand extreme ocean conditions. By merging art, material science, and ecological intent, we create restoration systems that are not only visually compelling but also more durable, efficient, and effective than many traditional methods.

Biodiversity & resilience

Effective reef restoration depends on genetic diversity. As ocean temperatures rise and conditions grow more extreme, restoring reefs with mono-cultured coral threatens long-term survival. Based on strong monitoring and research, we focus on propagating coral species that we deem rare, heat-tolerant, and genetically resilient. Their genetics are carefully tested within our gene banks, along with their ability to withstand stress and adapt to changing environments. By prioritizing biodiversity at the parent-animal level, we prepare to rebuild reef systems that are more stable, productive, and capable of supporting complex marine life well into the future. True reef recovery starts with genetics—and with protecting the corals most likely to survive the challenges ahead.

Beyond the reef

Our restoration work is designed to connect; not just coral to reef, but people to purpose. The beauty of our sculptures draws attention, creating a powerful entry point for education and awareness around the coral crisis. But beyond inspiration, our work builds real community impact. We train and employ local people in every project, transferring knowledge, creating jobs, and fostering local stewardship of the ocean. From fabrication to installation, storytelling to science, our process is collaborative - rooted in place, culture, and shared responsibility. Restoration isn’t just ecological; it’s human.

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Restoration you can see, science you can trust, impact you can feel.

The 3 Phases of Sculptural Reef Regeneration

The process, the steps and their functions.

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Sculptural Coral Gene Banks

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Secondary Coral Nurseries

  • Second-phase holding system where coral fragments grow before being out-planted to reefs

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  • The essential step to preserve parent coral genetics by allowing them to grow and produce fragments — effectively cloning resilient traits for future out-planting

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  • Uses advanced WPPS (wire prong propagation system) attachment methods to securely anchor small fragments to marine-grade steel structures

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  • Designed to follow natural water flow, offering protection for juvenile fish and attracting marine life

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  • Fully mapped and organized for efficient monitoring, data collection, and management

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  • Aesthetic and functional — visually aligned with the Gene Bank and designed to engage and inspire visitors

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  • From the Gene Bank, the focus is on replanting rare and resilient coral strains with proven tolerance to rising ocean temperatures

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  • Focused on restoring biodiversity — avoiding mono-cultured reefs by planting genetically diverse coral fragments

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  • The WPPS attachment used in secondary nurseries transitions seamlessly to reef out-planting, anchoring coral fragments directly to the substrate

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  • All materials used are marine-safe and built to remain underwater indefinitely with no environmental harm

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  • Enables restoration of degraded and vulnerable reef sites using high volumes of fragments cloned from carefully selected, climate-resilient parent corals​

Outplanting & Rehabilitation

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Gene Banks in Fiji

The Sculptural Coral Gene Banks

At the heart of our work are our Sculptural Coral Gene Banks— living underwater installations that are as beautiful as they are vital. These structures house the parent corals, the genetic pioneers who we test, monitor, and propagate to safeguard the future of the reefs. Think of them as both art and science in action: visually captivating, yet fundamentally the backbone of our reef restoration. As climate pressures push ecosystems toward monoculture, our goal is to preserve the genetic diversity that nature may not have time to protect on its own. This process of assisted adaptation strengthens reef resilience, giving these delicate ecosystems a better chance to survive and thrive for generations to come.

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This is where our approach differs. Instead of simply harvesting coral, growing it, and returning it to the reef, we prioritize systematic monitoring and assessment of the parent corals. We monitor their tolerance to environmental stressors, temperature fluctuations, and changing conditions, ensuring we understand which genotypes are most resilient. From there, we propagate and clone the strains with the greatest adaptive potential, providing the genetic foundation reefs will need to survive and thrive in the future. All while maintaining the coral stock in a controlled, continuous system.

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