NATURAL RESOURCES Repeated disruptions from people and pets can cause the birds to take flight and endanger the survival of the eggs and chicks. Protecting shorebirds and seabirds in Florida is no small task. Realizing that the conservation and management of these species is beyond the reach of any one agency or organization, Charlotte County staff and volunteers, along with local and regional partnerships, maintain collaborative efforts to educate the general public and protect nesting sites. Each year, February through September, a portion of our beaches, known as historical nesting sites, are roped and posted to promote successful nesting. Volunteer Shorebird Stewards monitor nesting activity and conduct educational outreach informing the general public about shorebird nesting activity.
Natural Resources helps to protect, restore, and conserve the environmental resources of Charlotte County, such as the valuable ecosystems, along with plant and animal species. Natural Resources reviews development activity proposed within Charlotte County for potential impacts state or federally listed wildlife. Natural Resources is also tasked with managing Charlotte County’s environmental lands. Charlotte County has been acquiring environmentally sensitive lands since the mid 1990s through direct purchases, grant funds and, in 2006, the voters approved Conservation Charlotte program. For more information about Natural Resources, their programs or becoming a volunteer, please call 941.613.3220.
CHARLOTTE COUNTY’S ARTIFICIAL REEF PROGRAM
Starting in the 1950s, local businesses and clubs were deploying materials to create artificial reefs in the Gulf of Mexico. In 1960, the first documented Charlotte County reef was deployed in the Gulf of Mexico, the Englewood Fish Haven, consisting of materials from a bridge in Englewood. In 1982, the State created the State’s Artificial Reef Program to assist local governments in building artificial reefs. From 1981 to 2008, the local Sea Grant Agents assisted Charlotte County government, local businesses, and fishing clubs in developing and implementing the County’s Artificial Reef Program. In 2009, the program was passed on to Charlotte County’s Parks & Natural Resources Division. Today, with the help of local dive groups, fishing clubs, and local businesses, the program continues to thrive. Several studies have shown that artificial reefs are extensively used and generate millions of dollars to the local economy. In 2009, a study of Charlotte County artificial reefs generated nearly $23 million dollars in net economic impacts annually that supports 306 full and part time jobs within the County. BEACH NESTING BIRDS Part of the Florida beach experience is enjoying the beautiful seabirds and shorebirds, from elegant white egrets to splendid black skimmers and graceful terns. Beachgoers are fortunate to observe a tremendous variety of birds along beaches which are critical to shorebird nesting. These stretches of beach provide a place where shorebirds can lay their eggs and raise their young, as they prefer isolated undisturbed areas. Florida coastline stretches nearly 1,200 statute miles with 13 million people living on or near the coast and another 50 million people visiting the beaches to vacation. With the coastline experiencing rapid growth and widespread coastal development, shorebirds and seabirds have few places left to go. Due to the decline in undisturbed beaches, nesting shorebirds utilize the same beaches as the public.
SEA TURTLE PROTECTION Sea turtles are reptiles in a shell; their bodies are covered by a thick, sturdy surface which provides protection for their soft, inner body and sensitive organs. Sea spend their entire lives in the ocean, only coming ashore to lay eggs and carry on a new generation. In Florida, their nesting season runs from May through October. The females make their way back to the very beach they were hatched from to lay their eggs. Sea turtles will lay a clutch of eggs, averaging 50-200 eggs, depending upon the species. Survival rates for hatchlings are extraordinarily low; it is said only 1 in 1,000 hatchlings will reach adulthood. Artificial lighting is reported as the #1 cause of hatchling mortality. Landward lights can disorient adults and hatchlings which depend upon the illuminated horizon for direction. Therefore, it is very important to turn off any unnecessary lights and leave your flashlights at home. Other threats to sea turtles include pollution, temporary structures left on the beach overnight, fishing line and other ocean debris, floating balloons or plastic bags which resemble jellyfish, and dogs running at-large on the beach. Charlotte County staff and sea turtle volunteers walk our beaches regularly to monitor nesting activities and ensure protection of these very important species.
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