Dick Dodge NCRI Seminar Series:

The Dick Dodge NCRI Seminar Series features presentations from leading researchers dedicated to the future of coral reefs and ocean ecosystems. In this session, we welcome Dr. Curt Storlazzi, professor from the University of California, Santa Cruz to discuss the role coral reefs play in coastal hazard reduction. 

Assessing the Role of Coral Reefs in Coastal Hazard Risk Reduction

Coral reefs are effective natural barriers that protect adjacent coastal communities from hazards such as erosion and storm-induced flooding. However, the degradation of coral reefs compromises their efficacy to protect against these hazards, making degraded reefs a target for restoration. At present, there is little guidance on how and where to restore coral reefs for coastal hazard risk reduction. 

This seminar covers physics-based numerical modeling across a range of spatial scale, from kilometers down to centimeters, to identify how and where coral reef restoration could potentially reduce risk and enhance the resiliency of coastal communities. It also explores how the optimization and quantification of coral reef restoration efforts aimed at reducing coastal flooding have influenced government and private sector policies, resulting in the allocation of hazard risk reduction funding for coral reef restoration initiatives.

Learn more about the role of coral reefs in coastal hazard risk reduction:

Coral reef restoration can reduce coastal contamination and pollution hazards 

Rottmueller, M.E., Storlazzi, C.D., Frick, F., 2025. “Coral reef restoration can reduce coastal contamination and pollution hazards” Nature-Communications Earth & Environment, 6(50), doi: 10.1038/s43247-025-02019-4

Hybrid coral reef restoration can be a cost-effective solution to provide protection to vulnerable coastal populations 

Storlazzi, C.D., Reguero, B.G., Alkins, K.C., Shope, J.B., Cole, A.D., Gaido-Lasserre, C., Viehman, T.S., and Beck, M.W., 2025. “Hybrid coral reef restoration can be a cost-effective solution to provide protection to vulnerable coastal populations” Science Advances, 11(3), eadn4004, doi: 10.1126/sciadv.adn4004

The effectiveness of coral reefs for coastal hazard risk reduction and adaptation 

Ferrario, F., Beck, M. W., Storlazzi, C. D., Micheli, F., Shepard, C. C., & Airoldi, L. (2014). The effectiveness of coral reefs for coastal hazard risk reduction and adaptation. Nature Communications, 5(1), 3794. doi: 10.1038/ncomms4794

The potential for coral reef restoration to mitigate coastal flooding as sea levels rise 

Toth, L.T., Storlazzi, C.D., Whitcher, E.M., Kuffner, I.B., Stathakopoulos, A., Quataert, E., Reyns, J., McCall, R.T., Hillis-Starr, Z., Holloway, N.H., Ewen, K.A., Pollock, C.G., Code, T., Hubbard, D.K., and Aronson, R.B., 2023. “The potential for coral reef restoration to mitigate coastal flooding as sea levels rise" Nature-Communications 14:2313, doi: 10.1038/s41467-023-37858-2 

The Value of U.S. Coral Reefs for Risk Reduction Report Summary 

Includes one-pagers, maps, and statistics for all seven US jurisdictions on the value of coral reef in coastal hazard risk reduction

Coral Reefs Recognized as National Natural Infrastructure 

History of US Coral Reef Task Force Resolution 47.2 which designates US coral reefs as national, natural infrastructure