Funded by a portion of revenues from Florida’s Sea Turtle Specialty License Plate, the Sea Turtle Grants Program distributes funds each year to support sea turtle research, conservation and education programs that benefit Florida sea turtles. In 2024, Sea Turtle Conservancy (STC) had two grants funded, Addressing Barriers to Lighting Compliance Through Targeted Outreach and Inspiring Sea Turtle Conservancy Action Ambassadors.
Sea Turtle Conservancy Big Bend Sea Turtle Education Initiative
Sea Turtle Conservancy (STC)will launch an educational outreach program targeting schools and residents within the Big Bend region of Florida. Compared to other, more populated areas of the state, there has been a lack of sea turtle outreach efforts in this part of the state, yet there are critically important populations of sea turtles that reside along this coast. STC has been conducting an in-water turtle research program in the region for the last 5 years and has observed a strong desire by members of the public to know more about the turtles along this coast and the threats they face. Meanwhile, there are many human-caused threats to sea turtles here, particularly associated with boat-based and shore-based recreational fishing, which could be reduced through targeted educational activities. This project will include conducting in-person presentations in schools, as well as presentations in local libraries and with civic organizations, expanding STC’s reach to local students through distance-learning presentations. This program will provide local students with high-quality, accurate presentations and age-appropriate lesson plans that make sea turtle education fun, informative, and engaging. We also will reach local adults, particularly boaters and fishermen who frequent these Gulf of Mexico waters, with information that can help reduce impacts to sea turtles. The STC Big Bend Sea Turtle Education Initiative will bridge the knowledge gap and allow students, parents, and other locals to learn about what is right in their backyard, and inspire them to play important stewardship roles.
Empowering Coastal Communities to Reduce Light Pollution
There is widespread consensus that poorly-managed artificial light on nesting beaches has a negative impact on adult and hatchling sea turtles. Many of Florida’s coastal local governments have lighting ordinances to manage the impacts of artificial light that require the use of fixtures that shield the source of light, keep the light low to the ground, and use long wavelengths (560 nm or longer). However, enforcing these lighting regulations and encouraging coastal stakeholders to make these changes in the real world requires a targeted outreach strategy. Sea Turtle Conservancy (STC) has been working to mitigate the impacts of artificial light on nesting beaches and build a foundation of conservation awareness through conducting statewide lighting workshops and outreach initiatives. The workshops are designed to educate code enforcement personnel and other stakeholders in the effort to reduce light pollution. STC works with local hardware stores to stock wildlife friendly lighting to provide coastal property owners with easier access to products. STC also partners with real estate agents to provide new property owners with educational packets that highlight the ways they can protect the natural resources they are inheriting. Through this project, STC will continue planning and conducting lighting workshops and further expand its home improvement store and real estate initiatives by engaging new active participants. STC will also conduct lighting workshops via Zoom and distribute educational packets to coastal real estate agents and educational displays to home improvement stores. Through this project, STC is will have the ability to target audiences that can make tangible, positive change when it comes to darkening nesting habitat and protecting sea turtles.
Inspiring Stewards and Action Ambassadors to Conserve the Archie Carr Refuge s
Sea Turtle Conservancy’s (STC) programs at the Barrier Island Sanctuary Management and Education Center (BIC), located in the heart of the Archie Carr National Wildlife Refuge, have a responsibility to train the next generation of stewards of sea turtles and their critical nesting habitat. Sea Turtle School (STS) field study education programs have reached up to 3,300 students in both Brevard and Indian River Counties. Most of these programs reach K-4 students. In 2022, STC also launched a new STS STEM Outreach program to provide additional opportunities for the STS attendees to be empowered to innovate solutions to sea turtle threats. To broaden the age range of our audience, in 2019, STC also built the Sea Turtle TECH STEM Mentorship and Conservation Career Training Program to reach middle school and teen audiences during the summer. All of these programs show strong learning outcomes and pro-sea turtles attitude and conservation behavior shifts. In 2024, STC successfully launched a new program during the school year, the STC Action Ambassadors (STCAA) to reach teens, ages 11-18 yrs. This project will support STS, STS STEM Outreach, and the STCAA program. The STCAA will train teens in the steps to succeed in collaborative projects that create systemic change to conserve sea turtles and their habitats. Issues the STCAA will address in the Carr Refuge include lighting hazards, trash removal, and dune stabilization. STC is seeking funding for the Community Stewardship Coordinator and a college intern to support the STS education program and bus scholarships, outreach programs, and to sustain the new STCAA program. All of these programs build the future stewards of the Archie Carr Refuge by training the next generation in the skills needed to conserve sea turtles and their habitats.
All three projects are funded in whole by a grant awarded from the Sea Turtle Grants Program. The Sea Turtle Grants Program is funded from proceeds from the sale of the Florida Sea Turtle License Plate. Learn more at www.helpingseaturtles.org.