Become a volunteer turtler on St. George Island

Volunteer Turtler

Volunteer Opportunity

Submitted: 2012-01-27 11:43:03
Contact: Bruce Drye bdrye1@gmail.com
WWW Link:
Period
May through September 2012
Location
St. George Island, Florida, U.S.A.
Background Information
Located off the Florida Panhandle, St. George Island is one of three barrier islands near the mouth of the Apalachicola River, and often hosts the highest concentration of Loggerhead nests in the northern Gulf of Mexico.
Since 2001, the ANERR St. George Island Volunteer Turtlers have monitored and protected sea turtle nests between May and October. The SGIVT monitors a 12 mile length of beach between St. George Island State Park and Bob Sikes Cut.
St. George Island is a vacation destination and there are numerous rental homes with some houses occupied by full time residents. Nesting along the 12 miles has ranged between 60 and 160 nests.
Largely comprised of island residents, the group�s activities have been coordinated by Bruce Drye, a Florida Marine Turtle Permit Holder and OPS Marine Science Technician with the Apalachicola National Estuarine Research Reserve.

Duties
Volunteers will become familiar with Florida�s Sea Turtle Conservation Guidelines, conduct morning nest surveys, locate, mark, and screen egg clutches, record relevant data, assist in stranding documentation, observe hatching nests and record disorientation data, develop and present a sea turtle program for visitors at the ANERR Nature Center, and assist ANERR staff with their activities.
Requirements
Volunteers must have transportation and a valid driver�s license, must be able to participate for a minimum of two months, but preferably for three months or more through the summer, must be knowledgeable and able to communicate factual information about sea turtles, must be physically fit enough to be able to walk on the beach at first light, every day, sometimes for long distances in hot weather. Volunteers must be enrolled in an accredited university or college. Volunteers must attend weekly briefings for activity coordination.
Benefits/Costs
Housing with kitchen and laundry provided, volunteers must provide bed linens, pillows and towels. No internet available at housing, but available at the Nature Center. Volunteers must use own transportation (or carpool with other volunteers) from housing located in Eastpoint, to survey beaches located on St. George Island (a distance of about 8 miles).
No stipend is available at this time.
Additional Contact Information
Bruce Drye
ANERR St. George Island Volunteer Turtlers
564 W. Pine Ave.
St. George Island, Fl. 32328
850-927-2103
bdrye1@gmail.com


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