Our Story

Why We Exist

Restoring coral reef ecosystems across Florida and the Caribbean while empowering the next generation of ocean stewards.

Restore

Rebuild degraded coral reef ecosystems through hands-on nursery and out-planting programs.

Protect

Defend marine habitats through science, monitoring, and community-led stewardship.

Empower

Train the next generation of ocean stewards through education and opportunity.

Why it matters

Reefs support marine life, coastal resilience, and the communities that depend on healthy oceans.

Science-based restoration

Every initiative is grounded in marine science and built with researchers and institutions so the work produces measurable results.

Field leadership

Certified divers, instructors, and conservation partners support safe restoration, monitoring, training, and education work.

What Guides Our Work

Ocean Stewardship

We treat the ocean not as a resource to exploit, but as an ecosystem to protect, restore, and pass on to future generations.

Science-Based Restoration

Every initiative is grounded in marine science. We partner with researchers and institutions to ensure our work produces measurable results.

Community Participation

Conservation works when communities are at the center. We engage divers, volunteers, and local populations as active participants — not spectators.

Education & Opportunity

We create pathways for learning and professional growth, especially for youth and underserved communities historically excluded from ocean sciences.

Collaboration

No single organization can restore the ocean alone. We build partnerships across institutions, communities, and borders to amplify impact.

A Caribbean-Wide Network for Reef Restoration

DTI CARES is building toward something bigger than any single expedition. Our long-term vision is a Caribbean-wide network of coral restoration teams, research partnerships, and trained ocean stewards working together across borders and communities.

This vision includes:

Island Nation Labs

Regional research stations that combine marine science, coral restoration, and community training.

Basin-Wide Coral Monitoring

A connected network of citizen science teams tracking reef health across the Caribbean.

Marine Protected Areas

Supporting the creation and management of new marine protected areas through data and advocacy.

Underwater Research Habitats

Future facilities that support marine science, sustainable tourism, and pharmaceutical discovery from reef ecosystems.

This is not a short-term project. It is a generational commitment to rebuilding the ocean ecosystems that sustain life across the Caribbean and beyond.