Florida Keys’ “Plant a Million Corals” Founder David Vaughan Honored with an Ocean Sentinel Statue on the Great Barrier Reef
SUMMERLAND KEY, Florida Keys – Dr. David Vaughan, founder of Plant a Million Corals Foundation on Summerland Key in the Florida Keys, was named one of eight Ocean Sentinels recognized with a larger-than-life sculpture of his likeness placed recently at the John Brewer Reef in Townsville, Australia. The designation comes through Australia’s Museum of Underwater Art, the first of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere.
Vaughan is the only American honored among eight Ocean Sentinel coral reef, conservation and marine science champions. Their likenesses are placed along the specific section of the Great Barrier Reef to provide an underwater experience that inspires reef conservation.
Created by international sculptor Jason deCaires Taylor, the eight sculptures were installed in May 2023 as a marine science snorkel trail adjacent to an existing Coral Greenhouse dive attraction.
Vaughan is known worldwide as the father of micro-fragmentation and for his “Eureka mistake,” leading to a revolutionary coral fragmentation technique that facilitates the rapid growth of coral.
“We are well on our way toward our goal of producing 100,000 corals by the end of this year — an important milestone to achieving our goal of producing 1 million corals per year for the Florida Keys,” Vaughan said. “We plan to begin planting corals once we have produced 1.1 million corals at our facility, to ensure that we will have a perpetual capability of 1 million corals each year.”
Vaughan is not only helping restore reefs in the Keys, but in French Polynesia and the Maldives as well.
“Environmental action in coral restoration will also trigger a reverence for the environment, and kids can see the kind of Florida Keys life that I’ve been able to experience and enjoy,” said Vaughan.
For more information, visit plantamillioncorals.org and moua.com.au.
Australia's Museum of Underwater Art debuted the MOUA Ocean Sentinels snorkel trail on John Brewer Reef on World Oceans Day, June 8, 2023.
David Vaughan with artist Jason deCaires Taylor as his Ocean Sentinel statue is prepared for lowering onto the MOUA section of the Great Barrier Reef.