Reef Restoration is Your Coastal Protection: The Key to Your Coastal Home’s Resiliency

By Olivia Wogan

My final project centered around an issue I became first aware of while researching a long-term interest of mine, coral reefs. I, like many others, have been allured by coral reef ecosystems for many years and thereby have gained extensive knowledge about their multifaceted values and services. However, as I pursued attaining more information regarding this topic I came to the realization that a prominent gap exists within the knowledge present to the public eye. This omission occurs in the presentation of the services coral reefs provide and furthermore, the personal incentive coral restoration holds. Considering that intensified natural hazards such as hurricanes, tsunamis, etc., are consequential impacts involved in global climate change communities along the coast become increasingly more vulnerable to their detrimental implications. This causes mitigation strategies to become ever more important as these people face the threats of losses on a daily basis. Although the restoration of coral reefs is a multifaceted solvent to these impending issues people are rendered generally unaware of this truth as the various environmental benefits dominate their mainstream presence of information. 

Given this observed issue, the final communication assignment for this class provided me with the ideal opportunity to amend this flaw through publishing an educationally-based piece devoted to expressing this. This article and the accompanying message box aimed to highlight the personal aspects of coral reef restoration and inspire people living within coastal communities to become invested in the current efforts and actively engage in enhancing their effectiveness. Ultimately in the scheme of management and the wellbeing of the environment and people alike coral reef restoration is a crucial source of many ubiquitously applicable benefits that deserve to be acknowledged and seized. 

In order to execute this goal, I initially chose to utilize the course-derived technique of “Alert, Amplify, and Engage,” (Pezzullo & Cox, 2018, p. 232.) This technique identifies these three characteristics of a communication piece to be both the most crucial and effective components. In addition to this, I utilized the message box as both inspiration and a model for my article’s format construction (Baron, 2014). Drawing upon these two class concepts I composed both an article and a message box of my own to encapsulate my desired message. The technique of  “Alert, Amplify, and Engage,'' makes up the underlying objectives behind my piece. This article aims to firstly alert coastal communities of the potential protective properties coral reef restoration efforts contain. Secondly to amplify this underacknowledged personal benefit and connection by highlighting its prominence. Thirdly to encourage further engagement of coastal dwelling communities to invest in their future resiliency through this natural-based form of green infrastructure. By relating this underacknowledged asset of coral reefs and relating it to one's home security something all humans feel an immense personal connection to I hope to have evoked an emotional association between the two. This, therefore, places further emphasis on restoring these vital ecosystems as it directly pertains to people. The message box is designed to efficiently, concisely, and clearly deliver your message in an easily accessible way. The original layout consists of a series of four boxes labeled as problem?, solution?, benefits?, and so what? These boxes visually encircle and connect to the center box labeled issue which expresses the broader concern at hand. The message box placed at the top of my article is to catch people's attention and serve as a communication piece for those pressed for time. My article proceeds this opening and delves deeper into the points expressed within the message box’s content. The article while it still employs the same guidelines of the message box provides those who wish to learn more with a detailed explanation. 

Coral reef restoration is an effort and movement I perceive as being pertinent to not only the environment's future but our own. This is a cause I am personally passionate about and deeply connected to and so it is my hope that through reading my communicative piece this same drive is imparted onto others, specifically those within proximity to the coast. 

My Message box:

Link to Article:

https://www.coralisma.com/post/the-key-to-your-coastal-home-s-resilience

References for Blog Post: 

Baron, N. (2014). Escape from the Ivory Tower: A Guide to Making Your Science Matter. Washington DC: Island Press.

Pezzullo, P. and Cox, R. (2018). Environmental communication and the public sphere, 5th 

Edition. Sage Publications.