Beaches Energy Services, the City of Jacksonville Beach and the Beaches Sea Turtle Patrol have concluded their annual public awareness campaign to protect sea turtles during nesting season on local beaches.
For the second year, the local agencies have collaborated to raise awareness about how to best protect sea turtles nesting in the area and raise funds to donate to the Beach Sea Turtle Patrol. This year, $7,500 was donated.
Part of the campaign included specially designed mugs that were sold at local coffee shops with the proceeds contributing to the cause.
The mugs were sold out in less than six weeks. In addition, monetary donations were accepted at the participating coffee shops and at the Beaches Energy Services office at Jacksonville Beach City Hall.
The mug sales are a part of a larger awareness campaign called #CleanDarkFlat. The hashtag is an easy way to remember and share on social media what people can do to help the threatened species.
For sea turtles to successfully build nests, hatch and return to the ocean, their nesting grounds need to remain:
Clean: free of litter, including trash, chairs, umbrellas, and other debris
Dark: free of artificial light
Flat: free of holes or sandcastles that trap turtles
“It has been a pleasure to witness residents and local business owners coming together to protect the sea turtles,” said Jen Burns, executive director of Beaches Sea Turtle Patrol. “Without the enthusiasm of the community around the campaign and the local coffee shop owners support, our campaign could not be as successful. When we come together, we can make a difference in protecting our natural resources and the animals that inhabit them.”
The awareness campaign builds on a longstanding collaboration of Beaches Energy Services and the Beaches Sea Turtle Patrol to be good stewards of local natural resources.
Residents who are served by Beaches Energy Services have received information about #CleanDarkFlat as a friendly reminder and encouragement to practice good beach stewardship. Beachgoers may also notice some unlit streetlamps through October, which is the end of nesting season. That’s because Beaches Energy works with the Beaches Sea Turtle Patrol to dim or darken streetlamps that are near an active nest.
“Our goal as a local utility company is to ensure we are doing what we can to protect our sea turtles and our charge has been looking at ways to keep the areas of the beaches where there are nests dark,” Beaches Energy Services Director Allen Putnam said. “We plan to install new lighting and have been studying other beach communities to ensure that we are in line with the best practices. We know it takes the entire community to make a difference.”
For more details about the #CleanDarkFlat initiative and the local efforts to protect the sea turtles, visit www.BeachesEnergy.com/CleanDarkFlat.
