Grant: 23-004C
Project Title: Miami-Dade County Sea Turtle Conservation Program Mobile Conservation Unit
Project Manager: Laura Dell
Organization: Miami-Dade County Parks & Rec Dept (Florida Government)
Grant Amount: $16,000.00
Completion Date: 2025-10-31
Summary: This project will expand our conservation and outreach for Miami-Dade County through funding trailers for our Mobile Conservation Unit. We have identified a need to support the growing Sea Turtle Conservation Program (STCP), in providing an appropriate work and storage space for staff biologist to complete daily data management and store field work equipment during season and off season at a location close to the survey areas. With the increased number of sea turtle activity being documented in Miami Dade County, the STCP needs to be able to increase their staff efforts. Introducing additional staff will require additional survey equipment and office space. Additionally, a mobile unit will be useful for ever changing survey routes and the ability to move it to best accommodate the program’s conservation goals for that season. Due to monitoring approximately 19 miles of nesting beaches, countless intercostal waterways, and the urbanized setting of Miami-Dade, timeliness is a challenge for all staff. Strategically located mobile units would enable biologist to perform at the highest level of quality for our community.
Results: We were able to acquire one of the two trailers due to a price increase in the cost of the trailers. Trailer was wrapped in graphics promoting the project and the Sea Turtle License Plate as the funding source. The trailer was utilized to transport equipment needed for sea turtle surveys and nest marking by staff biologists. The trailer was staged at the monitoring site for the summer sea turtle season. Monitoring included day-time nesting surveys and night-time lighting compliance. Since the price of the trailer increased, not all approved funds were spent, and unspent funds were returned to the grants program.