Turtle Fest

Blog Post By: Ashlyn, Sea Turtle Intern

​The anticipation of the morning had been building for weeks. But as the day arrived, there was a buzz of excitement that seemed to rush over the Park, as if being brought in by the morning tide. On Saturday morning, Turtle Fest brought hundreds of individuals to Edisto Beach State Park for food, games, and community building—all based upon a shared passion for the increased education of and conservation efforts towards sea turtles of South Carolina. Here are four outcomes I witnessed as a result of the exciting morning…

1. Engaging with children and families to answer questions about the lifestyles of sea turtles and terrestrial turtles of South Carolina—Booths such as “Loggerhead Living” facilitated by our sea turtle interns at EBSP and live turtle informational stations presented by the Turtle Survival Alliance provided interactive discussions rooted in the lifestyles and habits of turtles native to South Carolina. Families were able to have an open dialog with individuals in the field, and meet live turtles that had been rescued and rehabilitated.
2. Fueling the interest and education of individuals concerning conservation efforts surrounding sea turtle species found here in South Carolina—Groups such as the South Carolina Aquarium, South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, Botany Bay Wildlife Refuge, FRESPACE, among many others were able to provide educational materials and resources to those that visited their booths. The collection of passionate groups, organizations, and businesses that came together for Turtle Fest provided a glimpse into the larger picture of the increasing support in turtle conservation.
3. Providing an outlet for active involvement in the protection of sea turtles that specifically nest ashore Edisto Beach State Park—In addition to informational resources given to individuals to encourage protection and conservation of sea turtles on our beaches, many families chose to participate in our beach trash clean-up! Families who participated were able to demonstrate their excitement and desire for engagement in the turtle project at EBSP through their contribution.
4. Creating a community that encourages individuals to continue growing in their knowledge and sharing their passion for sea turtles with family and friends—Simply stated, we had a blast with craft and tie-dye stations, sea turtle-based games—such as “Survival Egg Toss” and “How Low can They Go” Limbo—as well as engaging activities that allowed individuals to try their hand at the turtle scene investigation process!