Osborne Reef photos show lasting harm from 1970s tire project

Photos and reports show the 1970s Osborne Reef tire project failed to create stable habitat and dispersed tires damaged coral; cleanup has removed nearly 650,000 tires by 2023 and will continue through at least February 2028.

The Osborne Reef is a man-made tire reef off Florida’s coast that was installed in the 1970s. A nonprofit placed about two million tires with the intent of creating new habitat, but the project did not work as intended. Over time, tires broke loose during storms, damaged nearby coral, and spread across the seafloor. State and federal groups later initiated removal efforts, and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection began a pilot project in 2007 to address the problem. Current status: - Nearly 650,000 tires had been removed by 2023 under the Florida DEP pilot project. - Divers and crews now prioritize relocating coral found on tires to give the coral a better chance of survival before tire removal. - The removal effort is scheduled to continue through at least February 2028. Summary: The Osborne Reef episode is an example of a well-intentioned project producing unintended environmental impacts and prompting long-term cleanup work. Officials report that tire removal and coral relocation efforts will continue through at least February 2028 as part of the ongoing pilot project.