JUNE 2017
For more than 25 years, the Friends of Canaveral have supported the National Park Service in its mission to preserve, protect and interpret the 57,000 acres of pristine shoreline, dunes and wilderness that are Canaveral National Seashore. 

Canaveral Logo

JUNE 2017 ~ In this issue

Laura Henning

TURTLE
SEA TURTLE NUMBERS MAY 30, 2017


Apollo Playalinda
Loggerhead
320 472
Green Turtle
0 1
Leatherback
2 10
Kemps Ridley
0 0

TOTAL: 805
 
member
FREE MEMBER ONLY TURTLE WATCH
Tuesday, July 18, 2017 - 7:30 PM
 
We will be holding our annual members only turtle watch on Tuesday, July 18th. 
 
Please be through the gates at Canaveral National Seashore no later
Green eggs in nest
 than 7:30 pm. We will meet at the Visitor's Center and have light refreshments while we await the chance to see a nesting turtle.
 
No children under the age of 8. Members can bring up to two guests. Please call Laura Henning to save a spot (321) 229-3766.



TURTLE WATCH RESERVATIONS FOR JUNE
watchCanaveral National Seashore
 
Journey with a National Park Ranger and visit the undisturbed beaches of Canaveral National  Seashore to watch a loggerhead sea turtle nesting. Turtle Watch Programs give park visitors an  opportunity to learn about sea turtles and the role that the National Park Service plays in their  conservation.

The program will take place at Apollo Beach and Playalinda Beach. The fee for  this program is $14.00 per person, ages 16 and above. Ages 15 and under will be free. Children  must be 8 years old or older to participate. We will have this program on the following dates, of  which they are all on a Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday; 7, 8, 9, 10, 14, 15 16, 17,  21, 22, 23, 24, 28, 29, and 30. RESERVATIONS ARE REQUIRED and SPACE IS LIMITED TO 30 VISITORS. To make a reservation for June, Please Call (386) 428-3384  Ext -223
titusville
7th Annual Titusville
Sea Turtle Festival June 9 & 10, 2017
Fri: 6pm - 9pm
Sat: 10am - 4pm

Downtown Titusville, Florida & Canaveral National Seashore 

Saturday Morning At The Beach Canaveral National Seashore- Playalinda Beach 8:00 am - 11:00 am
Beach Cleanup, Kayak Demo & Junior Ranger Program

Sponsored by the merchants of Titusville, this is a two day Street Party Event in Downtown Titusville.

This event includes: Children's art competition, local art and photography, Canaveral National Sea Shore educational activities, Turtle watch at Playalinda Beach (reservations must be made) and The popular Turtle Crawl! Downtown shops, restaurants, art galleries, boutiques and breweries open their doors to welcome all Sea Turtle lovers. This event also includes a beach clean up to protect our natural habitats!
 Learn more...
garden
VERTICAL GARDEN AT 
CANAVERAL NATIONAL SEASHORE

Ranger Joseph Byrd
Ranger Joseph Byrd

What does marine debris, coastal cleanup, a National Seashore, bees & butterflies all have in common?  Read how Canaveral Ranger Joseph Byrd and his Master Naturalist classmates bring them all together in a unique and creative project! Read More...





APOLLO PROGRAM - TUESDAY 6th - 11:00 AM "TRASH 2 TREASURE: VERTICAL GARDEN" Join a ranger and learn about repurposing marine debris, while utilizing rain water and solar power to grow native plants. Learn about the benefits of vertical gardens and why native plant gardens are important. Meet at the Visitor Information Center. (1 hour)

sea
SEA TURTLE NESTING SEASON
Becoming a Turtle-Friendly Beachgoer!

Clear the Way at the End of the Day.
Nesting mothers and hatchling sea turtles can get trapped, confused or impeded by gear left on the beach at night. Remove items such as boats, beach chairs, umbrellas, buckets and tents at the end of the day, and fill in holes or level piles of sand before nightfall. Also, avoid burying umbrella poles in the sand; use pole-holders or sleeves instead. Properly dispose of any trash, food or other litter in covered trash cans to avoid attracting predators to the nests.

Choose Turtle-Friendly Activities.
Remember less beach driving means more sea turtles surviving! While driving carts, cars or trucks are allowed on some beaches, vehicles can crush sea turtle nests, killing hatchlings and nesting turtles so be sure to watch out for roped off nesting areas . Lighting bonfires on the beach is also hazardous to sea turtles. In addition to the danger of a fire on the sand, the bright light can confuse hatchlings making their way to the ocean. Also remember that it is illegal to disturb or harm sea turtles and their nests, eggs and hatchlings.

Illegal Fireworks
Fireworks are illegal on the beach and often frighten turtles returning to the beach to nest. Refrain from using fireworks on the beach. 



shirts
CANAVERAL NATIONAL SEASHORE

PLEIN AIR PAINT-OUT COMMERATIVE
*2016 T-SHIRTS FOR SALE  Only $5.00

We only have 47 shirts left - if you are interested in purchasing one, please contact Jane at 428-4082.

*(T-Shirt features painting by Kathleen Denis "Morning at Eldora")
EVENTS
Canaveral National Seashore
THINGS TO DO
(click to download event details)  

"JUNIOR RANGER PROGRAM"
Please join us on these days for the programs listed below. Completing one set of programs and picking up a bag of litter will allow you to complete Canaveral National Seashore's Junior Ranger Program. Junior Ranger patch and certificate will be awarded when the assigned activities are completed.
All programs will be one hour in length unless otherwise mentioned.

DID YOU KNOW?
LEAST TURNS -  Imperiled Species

  The least tern faces many threats as the human population increases along the coasts.  The main threat to the least tern population is habitat loss.  Loss of habitat is often attributed to coastal development.  Coastal development causes damage to least tern habitat because of the building on the coasts, human traffic on the beaches, and recreational activities.

Increased numbers of predators due to the larger amounts of available food and trash for scavenging are also a threat to the least tern.  Predators can cause destruction to breeding colonies while they are nesting by destroying nests and eating chicks and eggs.  Also, global climate change is an impending threat to the least tern.  Rising sea levels and more frequent strong storms may damage and destroy least tern nests, as well as habitat.  

As this writer witnessed, least terns often land in flocks on the beach and rest. A group of us witnessed a car on New Smyrna Beach speeding through an entire flock, killing many of these birds. 


To report abuse or harm to endangered species phone the Wildlife Alert Hotline at: (888) 404-3922 or text to [email protected]. Be sure to get details of the incident including photos, license plate or other identifying information.

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Email Prepared by  Elaine Morin, Dale Smith
New Smyrna Beach, FL ~ 386.424.6931