There are many industries that are involved with mitigating artificial light at night and their decisions can have significant impacts on our nesting beaches. Members of the lighting industry, government agencies, utility companies, local property owners, and visitors are responsible for using the correct lighting practices in a community to promote a positive outcome for sea turtles and other wildlife. However, these groups can sometimes be isolated or unaware of how their lighting decisions impact their beaches.
Sea Turtle Conservancy (STC) works on multiple initiatives and offers workshops to help reduce the negative impact of artificial light on sea turtle nesting beaches. STC offers a variety of outreach tools, including training for code enforcement personnel and lighting professionals, expertise to assist local governments with lighting ordinance updates, resources for new coastal property owners, engagement with coastal hardware stores to carry wildlife friendly lights, and lighting displays that can be used to educate local communities about managing problematic lights.
Through these outreach efforts, STC aims to protect sea turtle populations by reducing disorientation caused by artificial light encroaching on nesting habitat. Each of these tools targets an audience that has the authority to make tangible, positive change when it comes to darkening beaches and recovering sea turtle populations.
STC recognizes that not all code enforcement officers and building professionals can attend our scheduled virtual or in-person training workshops. STC offers a condensed, online version of the workshop, which can be found on our YouTube channel.
If you would like STC to host a workshop for your area, please contact Emily Wooley at emily@conserveturtles.org.
2025 Training Workshops
TBD – March
9:00 am – 12:30 pm
Broward County (hybrid)
April 23, 2025
1:00 pm – 4:30 pm
Pinellas County (in-person)
TBD
Miami-Dade County (virtual)
TBD
Northeast Florida
TBD
Florida Panhandle
STC, National Wildlife Federation, and FWC launched an interactive online tool to help local governments understand how their sea turtle protections efforts (ordinance language and implementation) compare with ideal standards set in the State’s updated Model Lighting Ordinance for Sea Turtle Protection.
Please reach out to Stacey Gallagher at stacey@conserveturtles.org for more information and to be directed to a primary contact for your region.
If you would like to learn more about the real estate initiative or are a realtor interested in joining, please contact Casie Hain at casie@conserveturtles.org.
Real estate packets include information about where to find wildlife friendly lighting, the benefits of purchasing a sea turtle license plate, the importance of dunes, and steps a property owner can take to minimize predation. The packet also includes various educational materials and key a chain that can be attached to the property’s key at closing. All materials are provided in a folder with art designed by a local Florida artist.
If you represent a coastal hardware store or are a resident who is interested in your local store carrying wildlife friendly lighting products, please contact Madeleine Khoury at madeleine@conserveturtles.org.
STC offers a professional display to participating hardware stores which is available in two sizes.
Anyone can host a lighting display in a coastal community. We request you host the display for a minimum of three months. The display should be placed indoors and needs a nearby electrical outlet available. If you would like to learn more, please contact Casie Hain at casie@conserveturtles.org.