Beaches Sea Turtle Patrol
Citizen Science
Oral Presentation
Prepared by K. Brown
Fletcher High School Accelerated marine science, 1833 kings court, jacksonville beach, Florida, 32250, United States
Contact Information: [email protected]; 904-708-3469
ABSTRACT
We are a nonprofit organization that is composed of 35 volunteers in the field of citizen science.
The program involves walking patrols on a daily basis from Hanna Park south to the Duval county line. There are 10 zones that are organized into 2 zones per volunteer (1-2,3-4,5-6,7-8,9-10). The patrols will be continual from May 1 to October 31. This is determined by the Florida Fish and Wildlife commission. The patrols will identify nesting sea turtle tracks, determine the species, secure the nesting site and monitor in till emergence. Upon the emergence of hatchlings, the patrol will evaluate and report the nest site by the number of hatched eggs, piped eggs, unhatched eggs and possible alive hatchlings. A report will be documented and sent to FWC for species data. Night patrols are assigned to monitor lighting problems that may hinder successful emergence and hatchling travel to the shoreline. BSTP has two ATV’s that are on call for damaged nesting sites, stranded turtles and emergency situations. BSTP has an outreach program that publicly educates the community by going into schools and displaying information at community events. BSTP has an internal program that repairs areas of the beach that hinder nesting female turtles by filling in holes, collapsing larger than normal sand castles and or mounds left behind by visitors to the area. BSTP remains on call to the public after the official FWC dates to transport stranded turtle to local rehabilitation clinics. All the volunteers will demonstrate knowledge of local turtle species tracking, nesting and emergence by participating in FWC permit workshops and BSTP internal training sessions. BSTP also participates in two to three organized beach clean-ups that supplements the public awareness of the importance of protecting a keystone species in Florida ecology.
Citizen Science
Oral Presentation
Prepared by K. Brown
Fletcher High School Accelerated marine science, 1833 kings court, jacksonville beach, Florida, 32250, United States
Contact Information: [email protected]; 904-708-3469
ABSTRACT
We are a nonprofit organization that is composed of 35 volunteers in the field of citizen science.
The program involves walking patrols on a daily basis from Hanna Park south to the Duval county line. There are 10 zones that are organized into 2 zones per volunteer (1-2,3-4,5-6,7-8,9-10). The patrols will be continual from May 1 to October 31. This is determined by the Florida Fish and Wildlife commission. The patrols will identify nesting sea turtle tracks, determine the species, secure the nesting site and monitor in till emergence. Upon the emergence of hatchlings, the patrol will evaluate and report the nest site by the number of hatched eggs, piped eggs, unhatched eggs and possible alive hatchlings. A report will be documented and sent to FWC for species data. Night patrols are assigned to monitor lighting problems that may hinder successful emergence and hatchling travel to the shoreline. BSTP has two ATV’s that are on call for damaged nesting sites, stranded turtles and emergency situations. BSTP has an outreach program that publicly educates the community by going into schools and displaying information at community events. BSTP has an internal program that repairs areas of the beach that hinder nesting female turtles by filling in holes, collapsing larger than normal sand castles and or mounds left behind by visitors to the area. BSTP remains on call to the public after the official FWC dates to transport stranded turtle to local rehabilitation clinics. All the volunteers will demonstrate knowledge of local turtle species tracking, nesting and emergence by participating in FWC permit workshops and BSTP internal training sessions. BSTP also participates in two to three organized beach clean-ups that supplements the public awareness of the importance of protecting a keystone species in Florida ecology.
