The significant decline of Acropora corals throughout the Caribbean is well documented, prompting the development of Acropora propagation and restoration efforts to enhance the natural recovery of this threatened keystone component of coral reefs.

The purpose of this guide is to share the collective knowledge of a community of scientists and restoration practitioners who have been working both independently and collaboratively to restore populations of Acropora corals throughout the Caribbean. By sharing lessons learned from years of experience of in situ Acropora propagation and coral population enhancement in Florida and the Caribbean, we want to increase the success of others’ efforts and accelerate conservation and restoration at a regional scale.

The field of coral restoration is evolving rapidly, and the ideas and best practices described here should be considered guidelines
to be adapted for individual propagation or restoration projects based on local environments and project-specific goals. This guide
provides best current practices for nursery and outplanting design and methodology. We use case studies to illustrate how these
practices have been implemented in various projects throughout the Caribbean. While most of the information included in this guide is based on experience working with A. cervicornis, additional information and considerations have been included for A. palmata.

It is our hope that the information presented will provide a useful foundation to support the work of other scientists, practitioners,
managers and local communities who are working to enhance Acropora populations.

Photo credit: Tim Calver