TNC USVI Receives Coral Research Center Designation [Video]

The Nature Conservancy’s U.S. Virgin Islands Coral Innovation Hub, a laboratory dedicated to advancing coral restoration science in the Caribbean and across the planet, has been designated as a Coral Reef Research Center (CRRC) by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Coral Reef Conservation Program.

The CRCA, a landmark legislation enacted to address the urgent need for coral reef protection, designates certain institutions as qualifying entities, empowering them with resources and support to advance critical research, conservation and restoration efforts. The TNC USVI Coral Innovation Hub’s recognition as a qualifying institution underscores its pivotal role in the preservation and sustainable management of coral reefs in the United States Virgin Islands and beyond.

With the CRRC designation, the St Croix-based hub may participate in Federal and Non-Federal coral reef stewardship partnerships; is eligible to apply for coral conservation grants under the Ruth D. Gates Coral Reef Conservation Grant Program; and …