Fantastic flight path out of Costa Rica, past volcanoes, over Lake Nicaragua, Honduras, then the awe-inspiring barrier reef off Belize. Even though I am more at home in terrestrial forest landscapes, it is fantastic to see this extensive formation of coral islets…to imagine the wild colors, the calm water on the inside of the barrier versus the open ocean side. Belize has just one World Heritage site, and there it is 3000 ft down below. Why this UNESCO status is explained by the broader question of “What are reefs good for?” This reef is one of the biggest, the richest, and most poorly known. Many species remain to be described. Coral reefs are home to so many species, support local fisheries. are the heart of huge ecotourism revenues. They also reduce wave impacts, reducing their energy by about 80% and so reducing coastal erosion. This fundamental effect intensifies the need to protect reefs as climate change might drive bigger storms, larger waves, and ocean-level rise.
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