Project Partner: Fragments of Hope and University of South Florida, Summer 2026

Project Summary:  Belize is losing coral reefs due to heat stress, bleaching events, and disease. These losses hurt coastal communities because they lose shoreline protection, tourism sites, and fish populations. Hybrid reefs represent a potential way to mitigate these problems by combining human-made structures like concrete, with natural coral growing on it. The goal is that hybrid reefs help expedite the return of robust ecosystem services and give reefs time to recover naturally. However, hybrid reefs are under-researched, and their potential benefits are not fully explored. Additionally, they may not be the right solution for all communities.

Cat worked with Fragments of Hope and University of South Florida to hold a workshop with community members in Caye Caulker, Belize, to find out whether they thought hybrid reefs would be an appropriate solution for them. They collected feedback from participants, including fishers, tour guides, and the Belize Fisheries Department, to gather what they hoped they could gain from a hybrid reef, as this would dictate the hybrid reef site. For example, a hybrid reef placed closer to shore may assist more with shoreline protection, whereas a hybrid reef further from shore may target tourism instead.

After the workshop, Cat and her collaborators visited the potential sites that participants indicated would be good for hybrid reefs. To narrow down the sites, Cat and team analyzed the workshop data, site feasibility and regulations provided by the Belize Fisheries Department. Cat is planning two follow-up workshops for September 2026 and October 2026. The first is to finalize one or two main sites, and the second is to finalize a hybrid reef design, as this is the second major component in producing a hybrid reef for a specific purpose. Cat and her collaborators plan to continue this project and study how a hybrid reef could benefit the Caye Caulker community.

Cat Hauser leading a stakeholder workshop in Caye Caulker, Belize.

Hybrid reef stakeholder workshop in Caye Caulker, Belize.

Cat and Strong Coasts team.

Cat exploring a hybrid reef structure.

 

Project Deliverables:

  • Organized and led a workshop in Caye Caulker, Belize on February 24-25, 2026, with the help of mentors Ali Cansino (Fragments of Hope) and Alex Webb (University of South Florida) and the NSF Strong Coasts project. This workshop engaged the community on the potential use of hybrid reefs in the area. This video shows a recap of the workshop.
  • Analyzed feedback results to create an accessible Story Map detailing the workshop and site visits.
  • Created a comprehensive public facing project report with Ali Cansino and Alex Webb from Fragments of Hope and University of South Florida. This report includes a workshop overview, the data analysis, and preliminary monitoring and safety plans.
  • Shared results with the Belize Fisheries Department and distributed to the Caye Caulker community.
  • Presented a summary of the work to the Belize Fisheries Department at the annual NSF Strong Coasts project meeting in June 2026.

 

Watch Cat’s URBAN internship lightning talk here.