We are proud to announce that we will be donating 5% of each project to the Sea Turtle Conservancy to support the amazing research, protection and education around these beautiful creatures. We have been concerned about climate change and the health of our Oceans for years, and wanted our work to make a positive impact on the world. Given our love for the ocean, and this beautiful country we live in, the Sea Turtle Conservancy was the perfect organization to partner with. Sea Turtles are both a beautiful symbol for environmental stewardship and their presence is also vital to both the marine and dune ecosystems.
Starting on our last project – Skye & Mike’s wedding – and going forward, we will donate 5% of each project towards the conservancy, and our clients will be able to adopt and name, or adopt and track a sea turtle. Donations will support the conservancy in their continued efforts to research migrational patterns / behaviours, educate people about the fragile nature of our oceans and protect these gentle creatures.
About the Sea Turtle Conservancy
Sea Turtle Conservancy’s geographic focus is the Wider Caribbean and Atlantic because of the region’s unique importance to the world’s remaining sea turtle populations. The colonies of green turtles, loggerheads, hawksbills and leatherbacks that nest at Tortuguero in Costa Rica, Chiriqui Beach in Panama, and in Florida are among the largest remaining in the Western Hemisphere. In response, STC concentrates its efforts toward these critical nesting beaches. The highly migratory nature of sea turtles dictates that STC include the whole Caribbean basin within its geographic scope. Therefore, programs have been initiated in Bermuda and the eastern Caribbean because of the important roles these areas play in the life cycle of sea turtles.
Why Sea Turtles are important
Much can be learned about the condition of the state of the planet just by observing sea turtles. They have existed for more than 100 million years, and travel through the oceans around the world. Suddenly, however, they are facing difficulties to survive, mostly due to human actions in the oceans and beaches of the planet. But what does this mean for the human race? It is possible that a world where sea turtles can not survive, will soon become a world in which human beings have difficulties to live. If, on the other hand, we learn from our mistakes and start changing our behavior, there is still time to save sea turtles from extinction. In the same process, we will be saving one of the most mysterious and recognized creatures of all time. Possibly we will be saving ourselves too.
Ecological effects of the extinction of Sea Turtles
Sea turtles, especially the green turtle, are one of the few animals that eat seagrass. Like terrestrial grass, seagrasses need to be cut constantly to maintain good health conditions, thus helping their growth and dispersion instead of elongated pieces of grass. Sea turtles and manatees act as grazing animals, cutting these grasses and helping to maintain patches of healthy seagrass. During the past decades, there has been a decline in the number of seagrass patches. This decrease may be linked by the low numbers of sea turtles.
Seagrass patches are important because they provide areas of growth and development for many species of fish, jellyfish and crustaceans. Without these patches, many marine species that humans use would disappear, as would occur with lower levels of the food chain. The consequences could result in the disappearance of more marine species that would eventually affect humans. Therefore, if sea turtles become extinct, there would be a significant decline in all those species that depend on seagrass patches for their survival. All parts of an ecosystem are important, if one is lost, eventually the rest will follow.
The beaches and the dune systems do not receive too many nutrients during the year, so in these dunes little vegetation grows, and on the beach we do not find vegetation. This is because sand does not hold nutrients too well. Sea turtles use beaches and lower dunes to nest and lay their eggs. They put on average about 100 eggs in the same nest, nesting between 3 to 7 times on average during their nesting season. Along a stretch of 28 km of beach on the east coast of Florida, sea turtles lay more than 150,000 lb of eggs in the sand. Not all nests will hatch nor all the eggs will hatch, nor will all the hatchlings of a nest get out of it. All nests without hatching, eggs and hatched neonates are very good nutrient resources for dune vegetation; even the remains of shells of eggs hatched provide some nutrients.
The vegetation of the dunes can grow and become stronger with the presence of the nutrients of these eggs. As the vegetation grows, stronger and healthier, the conditions of the entire ecosystem will generally improve. Fierce vegetation with a good root system will help retain sand from the dunes and help protect the beach from possible erosion. As the number of turtles decreases, fewer eggs are deposited on the beaches, providing less nutrients. If the turtles become extinct, the vegetation of the dunes would lose an important source of nutrients and would not be as healthy or strong as to maintain the dune system, resulting in increased erosion. Once again, all parts of an ecosystem are important, and if one is lost, the others will follow.
Sea turtles are part of two ecosystems, the beach / dune system and the marine ecosystem. If they were extinguished, the two ecosystems would be negatively affected. And since humans use the marine ecosystem as a source of food, and the coastal ecosystem as a source of various activities, a negative impact on these places would logically affect humans negatively.
What is extinction?
A plant or animal is extinguished when the last of its kind dies, causing it to vanish from the earth forever.
Species have become extinct for millions of years; it is a natural part of the evolution process. For example, many of the species that existed during the time of the dinosaurs, have perished. Many of them probably became extinct due to sudden geological and climatic changes, possibly by large volcanic eruptions or perhaps by the collision in the Earth of a giant meteorite.
Today, however, species are becoming extinct due to abrupt changes brought about by humans. Destruction of habitat, pollution and excessive consumption, among others, are causing a decline in species at a rate never before seen in the history of the planet. This loss of species is eroding the diversity of life on earth, and a loss of that biodiversity can make all life vulnerable.
We all need to use our skills and abilities here on this planet to transform the world in a positive way, and businesses need to lead the way. If you want to support the conservancy and help the turtles yourself, you can visit their website and make a donation.
So happy to be partnering with such an incredible organization that is making such a profound impact here in Costa Rica.
Stephanie & JP
