ABOVE VIDEO:How to Retrofit Your Lights with Sea Turtle Conservancy
BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA – Sea Turtle Conservancy (STC), a Florida-based nonprofit organization and the oldest sea turtle conservation group in the world, recently received a multi-year grant from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) Gulf Environmental Benefit Fund to retrofit problematic lights on coastal properties in Brevard County and beyond with wildlife lighting.
Through this grant, STC has funding available to assist beachfront property owners in complying with local sea turtle lighting ordinances and enhancing the aesthetics of their homes.
Poorly managed coastal lighting is one of the leading human-caused threats to nesting and hatchling sea turtles. Bright, white, unshielded lights can confuse hatchlings, drawing them away from the ocean and putting them at risk of dehydration, exhaustion, and predation. Adult turtles are also deterred by problematic lights, resulting in fewer nests or even death.
Fixtures that use long-wavelength LEDs—such as amber, orange, or red lighting (560 nm or greater)—combined with proper shielding and lower mounting heights are not as easily detected by sea turtles.
“Florida hosts ninety percent of all sea turtle nesting in North America, and the Archie Carr National Wildlife Refuge in Brevard County hosts the largest population of nesting loggerhead sea turtles in the world,” said STC Lighting Program Manager Rachel Tighe. “The way we treat our sea turtles here in Florida greatly impacts sea turtles across the world.”
STC plans to work directly with owners of coastal single-family homes, condominiums, hotels, and small businesses in Brevard County to replace problematic lights with wildlife lighting alternatives. Since 2010, STC has retrofitted more than 360 beachfront properties across Florida with wildlife lighting. These improvements have contributed to measurable reductions in hatchling disorientation rates.
Property owners also report added benefits, including lower energy costs, improved compliance with local regulations, and enhanced nighttime aesthetics.
“This program removes the financial and technical barriers from property owners so they can more easily be part of the solution,” Tighe said.
STC can cover up to 100% of the cost to upgrade fixtures and bulbs that are visible from the beach. STC provides participating property owners start-to-finish expertise from a team of industry-certified lighting specialists.
If a property representative is interested in retrofitting their lights, STC will conduct an on-site property evaluation during the day and at night. STC will design a customized lighting plan for each property and coordinate with lighting suppliers and manufacturers. STC will assemble a grant agreement for the property owner to review.
Once signed, STC provides 70 percent of funding for the fixtures and bulbs up front. After the lights have been installed, STC completes a final evaluation and then sends the remaining grant funds to the property owner.
