In preparation for the 2024 Olympic surfing competition, a new judging tower is being constructed in the reef lagoon at Teahupo'o, Tahiti. That construction poses a threat to the reef and its ecosystem, according to researchers from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, UH Hilo, Arizona State University and community partners in Tahiti. The group published a study in Remote Sensing that assessed the importance of protecting the valuable reef—both as an integral part of the ecosystem and a resource for the local community.