Grant: 25-036C
Project Title: Empowering Coastal Communities to Reduce Light Pollution
Project Manager: Rachel Tighe
Organization: Sea Turtle Conservancy (Non-Profit Organization)
Grant Amount: $25,000.00
Completion Date: 2026-06-10
Summary: 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.
Results: In total, STC hosted five workshops over the course of this grant, which educated 381 personnel. STC conducted one workshop in each of the five regions of Florida, including: (1) Northwest; (2) Southwest; (3) Northeast; (4) East Central; and (5) Southeast Florida. STC contacted local government representatives to schedule and host the two remaining regional wildlife lighting workshops for code enforcement, planners, builders, environmental specialists, architects, engineers, lighting professionals, property representatives, sea turtle monitors, and other applicable parties. Participants expressed that the workshops are very informative, provide a comprehensive approach to addressing all aspects involved with regulating wildlife lighting, the examples are applicable, and they like that they can use this information in real time during nesting season. Since the start of the grant, STC contacted 44 coastal hardware stores. Of those, two are currently participating in the initiative and 18 other stores have shown interest in carrying wildlife lighting products. During this reporting period, STC followed up with 13 previously-contacted stores through phone calls, emails, and in-person visits. STC also cold called seven new stores in Flagler, Franklin, and St. Johns counties, and collaborated with a conservation organization in St. Johns County, who visited an additional three stores. In addition to updating the displays, STC created a public map, available on STC's website, to assist property owners in locating stores carrying wildlife lighting. The map lists all participating stores and provides their addresses, a photo of the in-store display, and a link to the stores' websites. STC continued to identify and partner with new real estate companies throughout Florida during the reporting period to further educate new coastal residents about sea turtle conservation. STC assembled and distributed 320 educational real estate packets during this reporting period and sent out a total of 415 packets.