Sea turtle nesting season begins as Collier County finishes berm project
Gulf Coast News
[{'start': '0.533', 'end': '4.837', 'text': "OF THE UPDATED SHOTS BYBY    MONTHS.   >> FIRST AT FINISH, THE LAST   PHASE OF THE EMERGENCY BERM   RESTORATION PROJECT ALONG PORT   WHILE BEACH IN NAPLES. THEY'VE    BEEN MOVING A LOT OF SAND AND   THIS HAD TO BE DONE BY TODAY   BECAUSE IT'S THE START OF SEA   TURTLE NESTING SESEASON. GULF    COAST NEWS REPORTER ALEXA    VILLAS REPORTS.   >> JUST A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO,   THERE WAS A MASSIVE BERM   RESTORATION PROJECT GOING ON   HERE AT 30RD AVENUE SOUTH   TONIGHT. NOT A SINGLE    BULLDOZER INSIGHT JUST IN TIME   FOR ANY SEA TURTLE. MAMA'S   LOOKING FOR A COMFY PLACE TO   LAY THEIR EGGS. JEFF SCHMID,   ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH MANAGER   AT THE CONSERVANCY OF   SOUTHWEST FLORIDA SAYS TODAY   MARKS THE FIRST OFFICIAL DAY   OF SEA TURTLE NESTING SEASON.    HE SAYS SLOWLY, BUT SURELY THE    FEMALES ARE MAKING THEIR WAY   ONTO THE SAND. LAST WEEKEND WE   HAD A LOGGERHEAD COME ASHORE    NORTH KEEWATIN. THAT WAS THE    FIRST NEST THAT WE RECORDED.   >> FOR THE SEASON. AND THEN    TODAY WE HAD WELL, ACTUALLY   LAST NIGHT WE HAD ANOTHER   LOGGERHEAD COME ASHORE, A MORE   SOUTH ON WAY, BUT TO GIVE THEM   A CHANCE, HUMANS HAD TO HURRY   UP AND GET OUT OF THE WAY.    COLLIER COUNTY CREWS RECENTLY   HAULED IN 45,000 TONS OF SAND   TO RESTORE THE BERM ON PORT   ROYAL BEACH. IT WAS AN    EMERGENCY PROJECT TO    STRENGTHEN THE SHORE HEAD OF   HURRICANE SEASON. THE COUNTY    SAID THEY WANTED TO GET WORK   DONE BY TODAY.    >> TO KEEP FROM INTERFERING   WITH NESTING BEACH ACCESS AND    PARKING AT 30RD AVENUE SOUTH   IS NOW BACK OPEN, WHICH IS   MUSIC TO COREY GRIFFIN'S   YEARS. WE.    >> TOLD THAT THERE'S BEEN    PILES OF SAND HERE. SO WE   WEREN'T SURE IF WE'RE GONNA BE    ABLE TO PARK HERE THIS   WEEKEND. SO MY WIFE JUST SAID   BE DOWN HERE TO CHECK. AS WE   CAN SEE, IT'S READY TO GO. SO   WE'RE PUMPED ABOUT IT. HE'S    GLAD THE COUNTY IS THINKING   ABOUT THESE ENDANGERED ANIMALS   TO YOU'VE GOT PROTECT THE SEA   TURTLES, ESPECIALLY EVERYTHING   THAT HAPPENS HERE WITH    HURRICANES, KNOW, WITH THE    GULF HERE, WE YOU NEVER KNOW   WHATS BILLINGS OR WHATEVER WE    GET TO KEEP THEM SAFE. WE NEED    THEM.    >> AND THERE ARE LOTS OF WAYS    YOU CAN HELP. WE TRY TO   ENCOURAGE THE USE OF TURTLE   FRIENDLY LIGHTING, WHICH IS   THE MORE AMBER COLOR LIGHTNING    PICKING UP BEACH FURNITURE,    MAKING SURE THERE'S NOT BEACH   FURNITURE. THINGS LEFT ON THE   BEACHES FOR FOR TURTLES TO   ENCOUNTER WHEN THEY COME   ASHORE. DONETSK. HE ALSO    MENTIONED REFILLING ANY HOLES   YOU DIG IN THE SAND. STAY AWAY    FROM MARKED MASKS.    >> AND IF YOU GOT LUCKY ENOUGH   TO SEE HATCHLINGS, DON'T FEEL    NUMB WITH FLASH AND"}]