Creating permanent sustainability for people and the planet

“**We believe** in a wholistic watershed management approach: it’s the social, technical, economic, and environmental. All these factors are important with islands and watersheds. It’s about fostering resilient communities that can deal with climate change and stressors.”

Ridge to Reefs (RTR) was formed in 2011 to help protect and restore coastal and coral reef ecosystems by reducing land-to-sea pollution with green infrastructure. We currently have projects in the Chesapeake Bay, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Palau, and American Samoa.

Action Areas

Sustainable Agriculture

improves food and economic security, community health and wellness, water quality, soil health, and carbon sequestration. Ridge to Reefs works with farmers to promote sustainable agriculture using both traditional methods and innovative technology. Read more.

Watershed Restoration

restores the original function of degraded ecosystems. Ridge to Reefs restores upstream ecosystems and wetlands in order to protect downstream ecosystems, such as coral reefs and mangroves, from toxics, nutrients and sediment loads. We also establish green infrastructure solutions such as constructed wetlands, rain gardens, and bioreactors to treat polluted storm and wastewater. Read more.

Clean Water

is an essential component of restoring environmental function. Pollution and lack of intact waste management structures creates a cascade of environmental problems, including threats to human health, stressors on native wildlife, and the degradation of downstream ecosystems. Ridge to Reefs works on cleaning water through local direct interventions. These interventions include development and implementation of water treatment systems that work with the natural landscape, organizing large-scale clean-up efforts, and supporting sustainable business and farming practices. Read more.

Building community resilience with rain barrels

Social Resilience

is an essential component of lasting environmental and economic sustainability. Protection of natural resources goes hand-in-hand with a sustainable local economy. Ridge to Reefs focuses on local partnerships to create longevity in all our program efforts. We establish collaborative partnerships to create mechanisms for maintenance and long-term sustainability of restoration sites and practices. We work with local policy makers and create engagement between governments, agencies, educational institutions, and stakeholders around restoration and environmental protection activities. We also support the establishment of local sustainable businesses and microentrepreneurship. Read more.