REEF BALL FOUNDATION INC
890 HILL STREET, ATHENS, GA 30606 www.reefball.org

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Organizations Filed Purposes: TO REHABILITATE OUR WORLD'S OCEANREEF ECOSYSTEMS AND TO PROTECT OUR NATURAL REEF SYSTEMS USING REEF BALL ARTIFICIAL REEF TECHNOLOGIES. REEF BALLS ARE ARTIFICIAL REEF MODULES PLACED IN THE OCEAN TO FORM REEF HABITAT.

PROTECT NATURAL REEF SYSTEMS THROUGH EDUCATION AND COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT.PROVIDENCIALES, TURKS & CAICOS- COMMUNITY EDUCATION AND HABITAT RESTORATION PROJECT THE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT AND COASTAL RESOURCES (DECR) RECENTLY HOSTED STUDENTS FROM THE EDWARD C. GARTLAND YOUTH CENTRE FOR A HANDS-ON ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION PROGRAM. THE PROGRAM WAS DEVELOPED BY THE REEF BALL FOUNDATION, REEF INNOVATIONS AND LOCALLY BY THE MEMBERS OF THE TURKS AND CAICOS REEF FUND AND MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES. THE PARTICIPANTS LEARNED ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF THE OCEAN AND HOW REEF BALLS RESTORE MARINE HABITATS AS WELL AS BUILDING AND DEPLOYING REEF BALLS AT BIGHT PARK. A TOTAL OF 20 REEF BALLS WERE DEPLOYED AS PART OF THIS PROJECT. AT MALCOLM ROAD BEACH, THE STUDENTS SNORKELED THE REEF BALLS AND LEARNED ALL ABOUT REEF BALL'S CORAL TRANSPLANT TECHNOLOGY PROCESS. RESCUED CORALS FOUND IN THE SAND WERE DIVIDED TO CREATE A TOTAL OF 50 NEW CORAL FRAGMENTS FOR PLANTING. AMANYARA RESORT ALSO PROVIDED A BOAT AND CAPTAIN TO GIVE THE KIDS A RIDE AND SWIM. THIS PROJECT WAS MADE POSSIBLE BY A GRANT FROM THE ARGOSY FOUNDATION. COASTAL CONSERVATION ASSOCIATION IN MARYLANDBY WORKING WITH EDUCATORS, WE COLLECTIVELY PROVIDE A MEANINGFUL EXPERIENTIAL ENVIRONMENTAL LEARNING FOR STUDENTS. THE BUILDING CONCRETE REEF BALLS, WHICH ARE LATER SEEDED WITH OYSTER SPAT AND DEPLOYED IN THE CHESAPEAKE BAY TO CREATE NEW THREE DIMENSIONAL REEF STRUCTURES, PROVIDES A UNIQUE PERSPECTIVE FOR STUDENTS, TEACHERS AND PARENTS INTO THE IMPORTANCE OF THE OYSTER IN THE REGIONAL ECOSYSTEM.CONFEDERACY OF MAINLAND MI'KMAQ, NOVA SCOTIA, CANADATHE GOAL OF THEIR PROJECT IS TO RESTORE COASTAL HABITATS ALONG THE NORTHUMBERLAND STRAIT & THE BAY OF FUNDY. THE CUSTOM REEF BALL SYSTEM THAT WILL BE DEPLOYED TO PROVIDE SHELTER AND HABITAT FOR FISH AND LOBSTER. MEMBERS OF THE MI'KMAW CONSERVATION GROUP, A PROGRAM RUN BY THE CONFEDERACY OF MAINLAND MI'KMAQ, SPENT THE SUMMER BUILDING THE LARGE CONCRETE REEF BALLS, WHICH WEIGH BETWEEN 70 AND 90 KILOGRAMS. THE UNIQUE PROJECT HAS BEEN MET WITH ENTHUSIASM FROM MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY, MANY OF WHOM HAVE BEEN HIRED OVER THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS TO BE PART OF IT, SAID FRANCIS. IT'S BEEN REALLY GREAT FOR ME TO BE ABLE TO DO GOOD WORK LIKE THIS IN MY OWN HOME COMMUNITY," HE SAID. IN THE FUTURE, FRANCIS HOPES TO USE ARTIFICIAL REEFS TO OFFSET DAMAGE DONE BY DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS. COMPANIES WOULD PAY TO CREATE THE HABITAT IF THEIR PROJECTS ENCROACH ON SENSITIVE ECOSYSTEMS, HE SAID. TO MAKE SURE THE ARTIFICIAL REEFS ARE DOING WHAT THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO, A DIVE TEAM WILL CHECK ON THEM OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS. "WE'LL BE RECORDING SPECIES THAT HAVE COME IN AND COLONIZED [THE REEF BALLS] AND WHAT SORT OF CHANGES ARE GOING ON DOWN THERE," FRANCIS SAID.ST. MAARTINREEF-IT IS A WALK-IN SNORKEL PARK AND A CORAL REEF NURSERY IN POINT BLANCHE. AFTER HURRICANE IRMA IN 2017, "80-90% OF OUR CORAL REEFS WERE DESTROYED". IN COLLABORATION WITH ST MAARTEN NATURE FOUNDATION, THEY CAME UP WITH THE GREAT IDEA TO USE REEF BALLS TO REGENERATE A REEF HABITAT WHERE CORALS CAN GROW. "THESE PIECES OF CONCRETE ARE ALREADY DOING THEIR JOB AND PROVIDING SHELTER FOR MARINE LIFE IN THE AREA. "I WAS OVERWHELMED MYSELF OF HOW MANY FISH HAVE COME IN SUCH A SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME, THE REEF BALLS HAVE ONLY BEEN IN THE WATER ONE MONTH," SAYS HAMMOND. AS WELL AS HOPING TO WORK WITH THEM ON CORAL RESTORATION REEF-IT WILL BE DONATING TO THE FOUNDATION'S FUND WITH EACH GUEST THAT JOINS THE TOUR. "PART OF THE PROCEEDS THAT WE MAKE FROM THE TOURS WILL GO TO THE NATURE FOUNDATION SO THEY CAN CONTINUE WORKING ON THE REBUILDING. WE WILL ALSO BE SELLING THEIR RE-USABLE BAGS, T-SHIRTS, AND OTHER THINGS." PRESIDIO TRUST: SAN FRANCISCO BAY, CALIFORNIACONTINUING OUR PROJECT IN SAN, FRANCISCO. THIS PROJECT WAS INITIATED BY THE PRESIDIO TRUST IN PARTNERSHIP WITH OTHER LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS TO RESTORE THE OYSTER POPULATION AND HELP FORGE OUT THE WATER. ONE OF ITS KEY FUNCTIONS IS ITS ABILITY TO ACT AS A MINI-FILTER. ALTHOUGH SMALL, THE OYSTER CAN TAKE IN LARGE QUANTITIES OF SEA WATER - AS MUCH AS 20 TO 30 QUARTS AN HOUR - AND EXTRACT POLLUTANTS AND ALGAE-CAUSING PLANKTON.THE REEFS MAY ALSO SERVE TO PROTECT SHORELINES FROM WAVE ACTION AND EROSION, KEY AS THE REGION FACES SEA-LEVEL RISE. THE WORK IS PART OF A LARGER PROJECT TO CREATE A LIVING SHORELINE AND IMPROVE HABITAT FOR PACIFIC HERRING, SALMON, FISH, BIRDS, AND A VARIETY OF OTHER SPECIES IN THE SAN FRANCISCO BAY.ST. MARY'S WATERSHED ASSOCIATION IN MARYLAND:CONTINUATION OF SMWA'S WORK OF OYSTER RESTORATION IN THE CHESAPEAKE BAY THROUGH THEIR VARIOUS COMMUNITY PROJECTS.JAPAN: EXPERIMENTAL/RESEARCH PROJECT WITH REEF BALLS (TRANSLATED FROM JAPANESE)COMBINED US ARTIFICIAL REEF TECHNOLOGY TO PRESERVE CORALS AND JAPANESE SEAWEED BED CREATION TECHNOLOGY. DEMONSTRATION EXPERIMENTS AT OMURA BAY HAVE ALSO BEEN EFFECTIVE. 22 METERS DEEP IN THE COAST OF NISHIHIMACHI, SAIKAI CITY. A HEMISPHERICAL CONCRETE BLOCK WITH MULTIPLE HOLES AND LAYERS OF DEEP CUTS IS SINKING. A TOTAL OF 12 UNITS ARE 70 CM HIGH AND WEIGH 170 KG. ALGAE, WHICH HAS GROWN TO ABOUT 50 CM, HAS SHAKEN ON THE SURFACE THREE MONTHS AFTER INSTALLATION. THIS IS IN CONTRAST TO NOTHING BEING FOUND IN THE NEARBY WAVE-DISSIPATING BLOCK. ASAHI TEC (NAGASAKI CITY) PUT IT ON A TRIAL BASIS LAST NOVEMBER WITH THE COOPERATION OF NISHIHIKAMACHI FISHERY COOPERATIVE. ACCORDING TO THE COMPANY, THE UNIQUE SHAPE COMES FROM A REEF BALL, AN ARTIFICIAL REEF DEVELOPED IN THE UNITED STATES. IT IS USED FOR CORAL CONSERVATION IN OVER 70 COUNTRIES AROUND THE WORLD. WAVE-BREAKING BLOCKS NATIONWIDE HAVE STRONG ALKALINITY BECAUSE CALCIUM MELTS OUT OF CONCRETE, AND THERE IS NO ALGAE. LEAF BALLS, ON THE OTHER HAND, KNEAD SILICON, WHICH IS A NUTRIENT FOR PHYTOPLANKTON, INTO CONCRETE. MR. IKEDA ALSO ADOPTED JAPANESE TECHNOLOGY FOR SPRAYING AND NEUTRALIZING IRON ON THE SURFACE AND IMPROVED IT TO A JAPANESE-US HYBRID TYPE. WHEN A SEAWEED BED IS CREATED, FISH FEED IT OR MAKE IT A SPAWNING GROUND. HOLES AND CUTS IN THE LEAFBALL ITSELF ALSO BECOME FISH PITS. ALGAE CAPTURE CARBON DIOXIDE (CO2) THROUGH PHOTOSYNTHESIS AND SUPPLY OXYGEN. MR. IKEDA EMPHASIZED THE EFFECT, "IF PLACED NEXT TO A WAVE-DISSIPATING BLOCK, IT WILL RESURRECT THE UNDERNOURISHED AND OXYGEN-DEFICIENT OCEAN. IT WILL BE AN OFFSHORE RANCH."COASTAL CONSERVATION ASSOCIATION MARYLANDEXPANDING PROJECTS THROUGHOUT MARYLAND WITH CCA INCLUDING COMMUNITY GROUPS AND MANY SCHOOLS WITH THEIR LIVING REEF ACTION CAMPAIGN.CHESAPEAKE BAY FOUNDATIONCONTINUED LONG TERM PARTNERSHIP WITH CBF. PROJECTS FOR OYSTER HABITAT RESTORATION, SHORELINE RENEWAL, RESEARCH AND COMMUNITY EDUCATION. LATEST RESEARCH PROJECT IS FOR A LIVING SHORELINE FOR COASTAL EROSION AND DOUBLING ROLE FOR A VARIETY OF HABITAT ENHANCEMENT.PHILIPPINES: MASBATE REEF BALL PROJECT CONTINUATION AND EXPANSION OF OUR PHILIPPINES PROJECT. AFTER MANY DECADES OF WANTON DESTRUCTION OF THE LIVE CORAL COVER BECAUSE OF FLAGRANT HUMAN NEGLECT AND ABUSE, ONLY ABOUT 12 PERCENT OF LIVING CORAL COVER REMAINS IN THE AREAS OF THE COASTAL COMMUNITIES AROUND PORT BARRERA IN AROROY, MASBATE AS REVEALED IN RECENT STUDIES CONDUCTED IN THE AREA. THIS IS A PICTURE OF A DYING SITUATION OF THE 129-HECTARE MARINE ECOLOGY IN THAT COASTAL PART OF THE PROVINCE. A REPLICA OF ALMOST ALL COASTAL WATERS IN THE COUNTRY. RAYS OF HOPE DAWNED, HOWEVER, WHEN THE MASBATE GOLD PROJECT PARTNERED WITH THE MUNICIPALITY OF AROROY IN THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE COLORADO MARINE PROTECTED AREA (CMPA) IN SITIO COLORADO, BARANGAY TIGBAO, AROROY MASBATE.THE PARTNERSHIP INITIATED THE COMMUNITY-BASED REHABILITATION OF THE DELINEATED MARINE PROTECTED AREA WITH THE ADOPTION AND USE OF THE ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY AND SUSTAINABLE METHOD OF CORAL REEF REGENERATION CALLED THE REEF BALL PROJECT. THE REEF BALL THAT COULD WITHSTAND AGAINST ALL ODDS THROUGH TIME AND AN ARTIFICIAL REEF MODULE SIMILAR TO THAT OF THE NATURAL REEF. LAUNCHED IN 2017 WITH THE AWARENESS AND SUPPORT OF THE CONCERNED COASTAL RESIDENTS, THE PROJECT HAS SHOWN REMARKABLE SUCCESS THAT THE PARTNERSHIP EXPECTS TO PRODUCE WERE CORALS USING THE SAME TECHNOLOGY. THIS IS A CASE EVERYBODY INCLUDING THE MINES AND GEOSCIENCES BUREAU REGIONAL OFFICE NO. V SHOULD BE PROUD OF AS THIS PROJECT BEST EXEMPLIFIES THE PROMOTION OF RESPONSIBLE MINING TOWARDS SUSTAINABLE ENVIRONMENT. INDEED, A PUBLIC-PRIVATE PROJECT TO REPLICATE!CONFERENCES & OUTREACH: THE REEF BALL TEAM ATTENDED NUMEROUS CONFERENCES, COMMUNITY AND EDUCATIONAL EVENTS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR AND OUR WORKED APPEARED IN VARIOUS SCIENTIFIC PAPERS AND MEDIA OUTLETS.FOR MORE INFORMATION ON PROJECTS, PLEASE VISIT OUR WEBSITE AT:WWW.REEFBALLFOUNDATION.ORGHTTPS://REEFBALLFOUNDATION.ORG/IMPACT/

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