Boomers Abroad

Description

Volunteers will engage in daily morning surveys to record nesting activity and protect turtle nests against inundation by sea water and predation by mammals. Volunteers will also help provide conservation information to the local community and overseas visitors. Lakonikos Bay, situated in the Peloponnese, is an important nesting area for loggerhead sea turtles in the Mediterranean. Having been inhabited since the Neolithic period, this area on the southern most tip of mainland Greece is rich in history and culture and owing to its location near the River Evrotas the area is also rich in bird life and other flora and fauna.

How this program makes a difference?

The Bay of Lakonikos in the Peloponnese hosts important nesting sites for loggerhead sea turtles. The research in this area has been running since 1983 and is one of the oldest conservation projects in the Mediterranean. The main threats for these nesting sites are predation of nests by mammals, destruction of nests through inundation by sea water and the destruction of the natural dune systems. Volunteers work in co-operation with the local authorities and the local community, promoting a model of sustainable development that will be beneficial to the local economy. Protection of nests against predation by mammals and/or inundation by sea water ensures that as many hatchlings as possible are added to the population each year, while public awareness activities help people adopt friendlier attitudes towards the natural environment and possibly reduce their environmental footprint in the area.