Coral reefs are beautiful places, and provide income from tourists to many otherwise poor countries around the world.
Reefs are very stable, and provide a protective barrier around many islands and coasts.
Without the reefs these islands and coasts will erode away into the ocean. It is important to protect the reefs we have today, because they can't be replaced. Each animal is tinier than your pinky nail, and grows very slowly, only about 1 centimeter a year. The reefs we have today were formed over 100s of thousands of years, and it would take just as long to grow back, if they grow back at all Oil drilling and erosion from developing coasts near reefs are big problems. Argonne National Laboratory, Division of Educational Programs, Harold Myron, Ph.D., Division Director.