Grant: 26-011E
Project Title: Educational Sea Turtle Materials for Beachfront Properties
Project Manager: Jessica Valek
Organization: Okaloosa County Board of County Commissioners (Florida Government)
Grant Amount: $10,000.00
Completion Date:
Summary: Destin-Fort Walton Beach beaches are home to four nesting sea turtle species: loggerhead, green, Kemp's ridley, and leatherback. Although nesting numbers in northwest Florida are lower than southern parts of the state, they are still important to the overall trend of nesting sea turtles in Florida. Destin-Fort Walton Beach is a popular tourist destination, and the tourist season coincides directly with the nesting season, resulting in millions of people staying and spending time on the beach each summer. High tourist traffic creates high activity on beaches during the day and the night. This project will create and distribute educational sea turtle nesting materials and resources to waterfront properties that have a direct impact on sea turtle nesting activity. Materials will consist of window clings, flyers, fridge magnets, tabletop tents, and coasters. Participating properties will display the items in every room and common areas. We have seen first-hand the effects that artificial lighting and heavy human activity has on our nesting beaches. The high number of tourists staying in Destin-Fort Walton Beach each week provides us with many opportunities to educate people on how to make our beaches safe for sea turtles. However, finding ways to reach each individual can be very difficult. By supplying properties near and on the beach with targeted sea turtle education and messaging, we hope to increase the reach and improve nesting beach conditions for our sea turtles. Materials will be provided to additional properties upon request.
Results: