The National Save The Sea Turtle Foundation Supports Sea Turtle Conservation Programming
Larry Wood, Ph.D.
Public awareness is a key component of successful long-term sea turtle conservation. For many who have a curiosity about the natural world, especially children, sea turtles make excellent ambassadors from the marine environment. The National Save The Sea Turtle Foundation is proud to support programming around the State that enables talented educators to better reach their audiences.
Sea Turtle Adventures, Inc., located in southern Palm Beach County, includes a group of six volunteers who conduct nesting beach surveys and provide educational programs for local citizens who are eager to learn more about the importance of their beaches to the well-being of the nesting turtles and their offspring. The Foundation provided funding for updated audio-visual equipment for use during their outreach programs.
The Foundation renewed its long-term partnership with the Inwater Research Group (IRG) to continue and augment IRG’s outstanding educational programs, which have virtually exploded in popularity and spread Statewide and beyond. The demand exceeds the supply at this point, which represents a great challenge to meet! We’ll have much more in the next issue of Outreach.
“This is a very well-developed program. It was easy for me to use and
the students loved the activities. They felt like experts by the end and I
encouraged them to share their knowledge in an effort to help protect
turtles.”
-Susan Taubler, Science Teacher, Windmill Pointe Elementary
-Susan Taubler, Science Teacher, Windmill Pointe Elementary
The Foundation also made some new friends at the Gulf Specimen Marine Lab Aquarium in Panacea Florida, near Tallahassee. This wonderful facility rehabilitates injured sea turtles, hosts kids from schools and camps, runs a mobile marine education van (touch tanks with live animals included), and contributes to important research programs of all kinds that rely on marine organisms for their studies. The Foundation looks forward to helping with exhibit enhancements and upgrades as they continue to grow their capacity to care for turtles and educate the public.
