AI-Powered Coral Reef Restoration
Community-driven research combining AI and marine biology to protect our oceans
Why This Matters
Our oceans are the lungs of our planet, yet coral reefs—home to 25% of marine species—are disappearing at an alarming rate. Traditional conservation methods can’t scale fast enough. That’s where our community comes in.
The Challenge
Climate change and human activities are bleaching coral reefs faster than they can recover. Marine biologists need tools to:
- Monitor reef health at scale
- Predict bleaching events before they occur
- Guide restoration efforts with data-driven precision
- Engage local communities in conservation
Our Approach
We’re building an AI system that combines:
Computer Vision Analysis
- Underwater camera networks capturing reef health in real-time
- Machine learning models trained on thousands of coral images
- Automated detection of bleaching, disease, and recovery patterns
Community Data Collection
- Mobile apps for citizen scientists and local divers
- Integration with existing marine monitoring programs
- Training workshops for coastal communities
Predictive Modeling
- Environmental data fusion (temperature, pH, currents)
- Early warning systems for bleaching events
- Restoration site optimization algorithms
Current Progress
- Phase 1 Complete: Computer vision model achieving 94% accuracy in coral health classification
- Phase 2 Active: Deploying camera networks in 3 reef systems across the Pacific
- Phase 3 Planning: Community engagement platform launch in Q4 2024
How You Can Contribute
Whether you’re a marine biologist, AI researcher, coastal community member, or just passionate about ocean conservation:
- Data Scientists: Help improve our ML models
- Marine Biologists: Validate our findings and guide research priorities
- Community Members: Participate in data collection and reef monitoring
- Developers: Contribute to our open-source platform
Impact Metrics
- Reefs Monitored: 12 sites across 3 ocean regions
- Data Points Collected: 50,000+ coral health assessments
- Community Volunteers: 200+ active contributors
- Early Warnings Issued: 8 successful bleaching predictions
Resources
This project embodies our mission: combining cutting-edge technology with community wisdom to create solutions that scale. Every data point collected by a local diver, every algorithm improvement by a volunteer developer, brings us closer to healthier oceans.