Coral Reef Restoration

Coral reef restoration has shifted from trying to recreate poorly documented historical baselines to building reefs that can survive ongoing climate change. Modern efforts now focus on boosting resilience, supporting recovery, and preserving essential ecosystem functions and services. Strategies vary by reef condition, but all emphasize sustaining long-term reef health and biodiversity in a rapidly changing environment.

Honduras Reef Brigades working in Roatan. Photo © Andrea Izaguirre

As of 2025, there are over 850 coral reef restoration projects led by more than 300 organizations globally (see CRC searchable map). In the wake of the fourth mass coral bleaching event and associated catastrophic declines in coral cover, diversity and health, restoration is increasingly advocated as a strategy to combat the coral crisis.   

This Coral Reef Restoration Toolkit compiles the latest scientific guidance and tools to help managers, researchers, and practitioners learn about the basics of coral reef restoration and how it can be used to support effective coral reef management and conservation. 

It includes the following topics:

• An introduction to restoration and its role in coral reef management
• Key considerations to be made when planning and designing a restoration project or program
• Enhancing coral populations through coral propagation
• Restoring reef structures for coastal resilience
• Concepts of rapid response and emergency restoration
• Restoring the associated ecosystem, including connected habitats such as seagrass beds and mangroves
• Guidelines for monitoring coral reef restoration

This Toolkit was developed through a partnership with experts from the Coral Restoration Consortium. We encourage you to enroll in the self-paced Coral Reef Restoration Online Course which is available in English, Spanish, French, and Arabic. You can also explore our case studies, article summaries, and webinar recordings.