Ride the Wave of Eco-Tourism

Support sea turtle friendly certified establishments

Certification Administered by Coastal Connections, INC

Featured Business

We are thrilled to see hotels becoming energized to protect sea turtles. They work hard for this Certification and deserve applause for their efforts.

Kendra Cope – Coastal Connections

This certification is a great way to ensure visitors and locals alike that the hotels and businesses are doing their part to protect and serve their environment.

Kirk Funnel – Visit Indian River County

Sea Turtle Facts

• Sea turtle hatchlings rely on a natural horizon lit by the stars and moon to guide them to the ocean and safety, away from development.
• Around 90% of sea turtles in the United States make their nests on Florida’s beaches, and beaches in Indian River County are home to 8,000+ nests per year, making this place VERY special.
• 3 out of 7 species of sea turtles regularly use Indian River beaches for nesting and reproduction.
• On average, each nesting sea turtle lays 4-6 nests throughout the summer, with approximately 110 eggs in each nest. Current science estimates only 1 in 1,000 hatchlings will make it to adulthood due to human-made threats.
• EVERYONE can make an impact to help sea turtles recover. Choosing to keep beaches clean, recycling, turning off your lights after dark, refusing single-use plastic materials, and keeping a distance from wildlife are all things we can do daily to protect sea turtles and other critical wildlife.

Indian River makes up only 3% of Florida’s beaches, but these beaches produce up to 1,000,000 hatchlings per year

Environmental Requirements

THE RIGOROUS PROCESS OF CERTIFICATION REQUIRES ENTITIES TO MEET THE FOLLOWING STANDARDS:

For more details of these requirements click HERE or visit coastal-connections.org/programs

EDUCATION

Must provide educational materials about sea turtles on the property and on social media to spread information and knowledge to a broader audience.

LIGHTING

Must follow all local sea turtle lighting ordinances and State recommended guidelines to minimize harmful impacts to nesting moms and hatchlings on the beach.

SUSTAINABILITY

Must remove single-use plastic to-go containers, straws, cups, utensils, and bags or offer a plastic alternative on property.

Recycling is required and must be easily accessible and available to guests on property.

NATURAL BEACHES

Must keep beaches free from human-made debris year-round and host at least one beach cleanup.

Must remove all human-made objects like furniture and recreational equipment from the beach nightly to clear space for nesting moms.

For more information about the Sea Turtle Friendly Certification or Coastal Connections, Inc., please contact them directly.

coastal-connections.org

TurtleFriendlyCertification@coastal-connections.org