After a brutally hot summer in 2023 that caused widespread bleaching and coral death, summer 2024 was more favorable for the state’s vulnerable reefs. Once vibrant and diverse, Florida’s coral reefs have dramatically declined, suffering from a 90% reduction in healthy coral cover since the 1970s due to factors like disease, pollution, and increasingly, heat stress. In response, innovative restoration initiatives like the Mission: Iconic Reefs program are underway, aiming to restore significant coral cover by 2040.