Hatteras Island to host informational meeting on Reef Balls on August 18

CEO and owner of Reef Beach Shoreline Restoration, Todd Barber, will give a special presentation on reef balls at an upcoming meeting at the Fessenden Center in Buxton on Tuesday, August 18, at 2:00 p.m.

Per the parent company, https://reefballfoundation.org/, a reef ball is a designed artificial reef module that mimics the structure and function of a natural reef.

Originally developed with coral reef restoration in mind, reef ball technology is now applied for a multitude of purposes, which includes shoreline protection and combatting erosion. (Reef balls are also used for oyster habitats, estuaries, fisheries, mangrove restoration, and even art projects.)

Reef balls have been used all over the world, and have the potential to restore beaches while preventing both oceanside and soundside erosion. The meeting’s organizers hope that reef balls could be a viable solution to address prevalent erosion problems close to home on Hatteras Island, and note that local officials are planning to attend the upcoming presentation.

Reef balls are made with special concrete additives, (with a pH similar to seawater), which helps ensure compatibility with local marine environments, and which enhances their attractiveness to colonizing organisms. Reef balls are also the only artificial reef that can be floated and towed behind boats of any size, which aids in installation.

The meeting will consist of a presentation, with ample time for questions afterward. There will be limited seating, and attendees will be required to wear masks and socially distance, however, the meeting will also be live-streamed for folks who cannot attend in person, but who want to learn more.

Additional meeting details, including the live stream link, will be posted as soon as they become available.

For more information on reef balls and how they are used, visit http://www.reefbeach.com/.