“Sea Turtles Dig the Dark!” — that’s the message found on the bumpers of the turtle patrol roving vehicles parked in the North Shores Improvement Association garage bays. The old firehouse facility on First Street and Meadow Avenue is also the satellite home to the St. Johns County Sheriff deputies who patrol the area. Scott Eastman, director of Eastman Environmental, oversees volunteers monitoring the turtle population’s well-being between April and October every year. Eastman Environmental was founded in 2010 as a nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting, restoring and conserving coastal and marine habitats through research, education and community involvement initiatives. The group works with international programs to monitor environmental concerns. Its focus in St. Johns County is protecting sea turtles in Mickler’s Beach, Guana Tolomato …show more content…
Rising seas threaten sea turtle populations. This project was supported by organizations such as the Surfrider Foundation, the Sea Turtle Conservancy, Oceana, Florida Wildlife Federation, the Florida Climate Institute, The Sea to Shore Alliance, and several others. Go to aheadofthetide.org to learn more. In some of the footage, many will recognize much of the beach and aerial footage in South Ponte Vedra and Vilano Beach. Melanie Cavanaugh (from South Ponte Vedra Turtle Patrol) and Scott make a brief cameo in Chapter 6. Public attitudes about the environment in the early days changed with the 1962 publication of “Silent Spring,” by Rachel Carsen. This best-selling book raised awareness and concern for living organisms, the environment and links between pollution and public health in America and in 24 countries. The founder of the movement, U.S. Sen. Gaylord Nelson, envisioned public awareness leading to public