Added: Feb 9, 2012

From: SeaTurtleOP

Duration: 3:38

October 9th 2011 at 1850 S Ocean Ln - Mayan Beach Ft. Lauderdale FL. To The Department of Environmental Protection, Sea Turtle Oversight Protection (STOP) is opposed to the Mayan Beach Club dune modification project as proposed in DEP permit application BO-612, as it is likely to cause harm to protected nesting adult sea turtles, and could prove deadly to numerous sea turtle hatchlings, in addition to harming other protected species. The dune and its native vegetation were established through natural processes, and are an important habitat for native protected flora and fauna. We have the following concerns: Endangered green sea turtles strongly prefer dune vegetation in which to nest. Consequently, green turtles crawl very far in search of this preferred nesting habitat which in great part has been eradicated from this area's beach system. This dune, being only about 150 feet from the high tide line is an ideal nesting habitat for green turtles, and almost every year there is at least one nest on this dune. Lowering the dune height would disrupt the vegetation and harm their habitat. Nesting turtles should be able to lay eggs on higher sand, where nests will be less subject to storm surge damage. Reducing the height of the sand dune will result in a greater loss of sea turtle nests during storm events such as the recent hurricane Irene. Even though Hurricane Irene did not hit Florida, its storm surge and wave action caused significant damage to low lying turtle nests. Green turtles favor laying eggs on sand dunes, even if they must crawl across wide beaches to reach the dune. Therefore, a reduction in its height or quality could result in green turtles having to crawl even further westward toward the buildings. The beach is already unnaturally wide at this location; increasing the distance the turtles must travel to lay their eggs is considered a "take;" it increases the exhaustion of the turtle, and increases the time and locations where it is vulnerable on land and has limited locomotion. This dune area has better hatchling orientation as westward lights are blocked by the dune. Reducing the height of the dune will result in more turtle hatchlings disorienting westward to their likely death. Additionally, if a nesting sea turtle sees these lights, it may be deterred from nesting in that area, causing a take known as a "false crawl." The dune vegetation contributes to shading the sand from direct sunlight. Lately many sea turtles nests have been damaged by excess solar heating, causing vast amounts of turtle hatchlings to cook in the sand before they could leave their nests. Shading from dune vegetation reduces the sand temperature and decreases the likelihood of overheating the nests. Nesting turtles have been observed crawling long distances to lay eggs in partially shaded locations. There must be no loss of dune vegetation. If the dune is reduced or its vegetation removed or degraded, nesting turtles are more likely to nest under beach furniture or next to other unnatural features for their nests, which will result in increased turtle strandings. It is common for nesting turtles to seek beach furniture when they cannot find vegetation or dunes. Sea turtles return to nest on the same beach where they were born. If any off-site mitigation is allowed, turtles who crawl across the beach seeking the current Mayan Beach Club dune would not be able to locate its mitigation bank or off-site mitigation location. Moreover, mitigation seldom accounts for the temporal loss of habitat quality that occurs during projects. STOP objects to any off-site mitigation, and to temporal habitat degradation that exists while the modified ecosystem quality is reestablished.

Channel: Nonprofit

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