Just what is a Coral Reef?

Coral reefs are one of the most complex and colorful tropical ecosystems, rivaling rainforests in their richness of life. Coral reef organisms build massive & intricate physical structures that are home to some of the most fascinating plants and animals in the world. Their extraordinary beauty captivates visitors and their productivity provides a wealth of resources for local communities and the world.

Coral reefs are massive structures made of limestone that is deposited by living things. Although thousands of species inhabit coral reefs, only a fraction produce the limestone that builds the reef.

The most important reef building organisms are corals.

Coral reefs support over twenty-five percent of all known marine species. As one of the most complex ecosystems on the planet, coral reefs are home to over 4,000 different species of fish, 700 species of coral and thousands of other plants and animals. A good way to imagine a coral reef is to think of it as a bustling city or community, with the buildings made of coral, and thousands of inhabitants coming and going, carrying out their business.

In this sense, a coral reef is like a metropolis under the sea.

CUSO

Those of you who know me, know that I've spent much of my life diving and creating web sites, direct mail, advertising and marketing materials. And as I have gotten older, I've turned my attention to creating materials which are fund raising oriented in nature.

This piece I created for CUSO addresses issues affecting our oceans in Thailand but brings the idea home to our shores by introducing the oceanic global conveyor belt to constituents and allowing them to understand how what affects the oceans on the other side of the world will soon affect us here at home.

Since the ocean is one of my true interests in life, I wrote and conceptualized this piece with considerable interest.

CUSO finds outstanding organizations working in the global South who are making real and lasting changes in their own communities… and partners with them. CUSO’s aim is to bring the expertise of those in the global South and Canada together—through volunteer placements, mutual collaboration, training, programming, exchanges, and resource sharing—so both can continue to enhance and grow vital social justice programs for the long-term.

For more information on CUSO, visit www.cuso.org