Reef Ball Foundation Photos and Project Description Database

The Martin County 4-H Day camp teamed up with Martin County?s Artificial Reef program. Kathy FitzPatrick, P.E., Coastal Engineer, Baret Beal, Environmental Lands Field Tech, Jessica Meinardi, Administrative Assistant and Nicole D'antonio, Student Coastal Assistant helped us make ?Reef Balls? that would be used to create an artificial reef in the Indian River Lagoon. Our day camp youth all 26 of them, and 4 camp counselors worked hard at preparing the molds, mixing the cement and pouring the mixture into the molds to create the ?Reef Balls.? Ms. FitzPatrick and Ms. Beal arrived at the 4-H office with a power point to explain the loss of aquatic habitat due to human impact and how we could help with this problem by helping to create artificial reefs. They explained there were many different types of artificial reefs including, sunken ships, large concrete debris, and even decommissioned airplanes which were stripped and sunk to be utilized as artificial reefs. The youth first had to prepare the molds. Then they had to mix the cement and pour it into the mold. The cement structures had to set up overnight before they could be ?hatched? out of the molds. After they set and harden, about 6 months, they will be placed into the Indian River Lagoon to become a new habitat for our aquatic animals.