A Caye in a Day — Strong Coasts
Placencia Reef, Belize  ·  NSF CoPe Grant #2209284

A Caye in a Day
Science Initiative

Community-driven surveys across 19 reef cayes — tracking coral health, seagrass cover, mangrove structure, and the oral histories that make this reef system irreplaceable.

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19
Survey Cayes
200+
Colonies Surveyed
6
Data Layers
Our Mission

Equitable Solutions with Nature and People

Strong Coasts partners with coastal communities to face climate hazards together. By listening to those most affected when seeking Nature-Based Solutions, we build resilient coasts that protect both ecosystems and livelihoods.

Community-Centered Solutions

Research starts and ends with community collaboration — co-designing policies that address climate challenges.

Quantifying Nature's Benefits

Measuring the true value of corals and mangroves: risk reduction, livelihoods, and cultural preservation.

Piloting Designs

Testing mangrove and coral restoration alongside hybrid green-gray infrastructure across diverse contexts.

Data Layers

Six Windows into Reef Health

Each dashboard draws from field surveys across the Placencia reef system. Click to explore the data.

🪸
Live Data

Coral Health

Bleaching rates, disease prevalence, old mortality, and species composition across surveyed cayes.

● Live — Abigail Caye →
🌿
In Progress

Seagrass

Quadrat transect data measuring seagrass density, species composition, and cover across caye shallows.

◦ Coming Soon →
🌳
In Progress

Mangroves

Structure, extent, and condition assessments tracking mangrove health as coastal protection infrastructure.

◦ Coming Soon →
🗺️
In Progress

Bathymetry

Depth mapping of the Placencia reef system — visualising underwater topography and channel structure.

◦ Coming Soon →
🎙️
Community

Oral Histories

Voices from fishing communities, elders, and local leaders documenting ecological memory and change.

◦ Coming Soon →
📖
Narrative

Story Map

An immersive narrative weaving together science, community, and place across the Placencia Reef System.

◦ Coming Soon →
Interactive Map

Explore the Reef System

Navigate all 19 survey cayes across the Placencia reef. Blue markers indicate processed data; grey markers are sites where surveys are complete and data is being processed.

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19
Survey Sites
All Survey Cayes — Placencia Reef System
Abigail ✓
Bugle
Dickary
Jeremy
South of Dolphin
South Saddle
Mosquito
Kanu
Cat
Dolphin
Frigate
Colson
Little Bugle
Coral
Ivans
Loggerhead
Scipio
Whipray
Bird Island
Funding & Partnerships

NSF Coastlines and People

This initiative is part of a large-scale CoPe project reducing climate risks with equitable nature-based solutions, engaging communities on reef-lined coasts. Partners include USF, University of Miami, UC Santa Cruz, Stanford, Boston University, ECU, WWF, and Fragments of Hope.

Supported By
National Science Foundation
CoPe Grant #2209284