Publix has donated more than $200,000 in the past two years to protect coral reefs, which are vital for ocean health and provide a nursery for juvenile fish and crustaceans.
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, around 25 percent of the fish in the ocean depend on coral reefs to survive.
“At Publix, we’re doing good for the environment, and that includes donating to organizations like National Park Foundation, which facilitates work to remove marine debris and improve the health of coral reefs in the Florida Reef Tract,” said Michael Hewett, Publix’s director of environmental and sustainability programs.
“Through this funding, local projects in Biscayne National Park and Dry Tortugas National Park will have resources to expand and enhance restoration of these important ecosystems.”
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Publix funding boosts Biscayne National Park restoration
A significant portion of Florida’s coral reefs lie within Biscayne National Park. Recent years have seen these reefs ravaged by heat waves, hurricanes and coral disease. Publix’s donations to NPF are directly impacting restoration efforts in Biscayne National Park, including:
- Ongoing protection, research and monitoring of 25 coral species;
- Locating, collecting and transplanting 78 storm-damaged corals;
- Conducting vital coral disease surveys;
- Completing two coral rescues in response to a 2023 marine heat wave and mass bleaching event;
- Growing more than 1,200 coral larvae of protected species; and
- Restoring reef habitat through the removal of submerged marine debris.
Supporting an all-women veterans group
Since 2022, Publix has provided funding to an all-women military veteran scuba program through its support of NPF. The Submerged Resources All-Women Service Corps’ Wounded American Veterans Experience Scuba (WAVES) teams complete marine debris cleanups and coral habitat restoration work at Biscayne National Park and Dry Tortugas National Park.
Divers work in high-traffic recreational fishing areas to remove derelict lobster traps, fishing line and other potentially harmful debris. Over the last two years, this group has removed more than 8,000 pounds of marine debris from the water.
Publix’s commitment
Publix’s commitment to environmental stewardship extends beyond coral reefs. Its April 2024 “Good Together” campaign supported tree planting with the Arbor Day Foundation and coastal conservation efforts with NPF and FORCE BLUE, an organization that retrains and redeploys former Special Operations veterans and military-trained combat divers for marine conservation missions.
In addition, Publix has teamed up with the military veterans at FORCE BLUE to be the first company to fund their Quick Reaction Force (QRF). The QRF is a team that is helping Florida’s marine scientific community and environmental agencies respond quickly to coastal and environmental emergencies.
