Great Lakes increases support for coral reef work

OAK BROOK - Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Corp. has increased its investment in coral conservation and restoration work at the Florida Aquarium in Tampa, Florida, the company said.

Since 2014, The Florida Aquarium has focused on protecting and restoring North America's threatened coral population along Florida's Coral Reef. In 2019, the Aquarium's coral restoration efforts supported the largest out planting of genetically diverse staghorn coral in Florida's history.

Recognizing the impactful work the Florida Aquarium was doing to save coral reefs, last year Oak Brook-based Great Lakes made a multiyear investment in the aquarium's coral conservation work by underwriting several coral scientists and their associated operating expenses. This year, due to COVID-19 impacts, the aquarium faced some unforeseen challenges that could have impacted the expansion of its coral complex located at the Center for Conservation. Understanding that coral solutions are vital to the health of our oceans and environment, Great Lakes increased its financial commitment to the aquarium to ensure this important expansion continued to move forward, the company said.

Great Lakes is the largest provider of dredging services in the United States.