Sea Turtle Conservation Talk – Summary by Paris Organist

Thanks to everyone who came out to the sea turtle talk! For those who missed it, here’s a quick rundown:

Sea turtles are ancient marine reptiles that have existed for over 100 million years and play a critical role in maintaining healthy ocean ecosystems. Depending on the species, they help maintain seagrass beds, support coral reefs, and keep marine food webs in check.

I shared some of my own experiences working with the sea turtle conservation program in Mexico where we protect nesting beaches, monitor nests, and release hatchlings.

We also talked about the main threats sea turtles face today, including plastic pollution, climate change, and accidental capture in fisheries.

The work we do at lake Merritt truly helps save sea turtles off the California coast! We ran a quick calculation using the newly released wild life impact calculator. On a typical tuesday public clean up.  The trash we remove has the potential to impact 17 sea turtles if left to float out to sea! Check your impact here: http://wildlifeimpactcalculator.org/

A major takeaway is that small actions can have meaningful impacts. Reducing plastic use, supporting sustainable seafood choices, kitchen composting, and participating in local environmental stewardship—like the work being done at Lake Merritt—are all ways to contribute to healthier ecosystems both locally and globally.

If you would like to join a future Sea Turtle  Volunteer Vacation, you can! No experience necessary! It’s as easy as picking up trash 🙂

Thanks again for being part of the community and supporting environmental conservation.