Loggerhead Marinelife Center

Loggerhead Marinelife Center, located in Loggerhead Park, is a sea turtle research, rehabilitation, education and conservation center. The center manages the Juno Beach fishing pier, across the street from the park.^[1] The park is adjacent to Juno Dunes Natural Area off U.S. Highway 1.^[2] Loggerhead Marinelife Center is a non-profit education and ocean conservation facility located in Juno Beach, Florida. The facility houses a variety of exhibits, live sea turtles and other coastal creatures.^[3] Exhibits include a massive prehistoric Archelon sea turtle replica, salt water aquaria and displays of local wildlife, as well as educational displays about South Florida’s marine environment. Loggerhead Marinelife Center seeks to promote conservation of ocean ecosystems with a special focus on threatened and endangered sea turtles.^[4]

Location: Juno Beach, Florida, United States

Nearest City: West Palm Beach, Florida

Coordinates: 26.8847 N 80.0562 W

Established: 1983

Address: Loggerhead Marinelife Center

14200 U.S. Highway 1

Juno Beach, FL 33408

History

Over 30 years ago, long-time Juno Beach resident Eleanor Fletcher started what is now Loggerhead Marinelife Center. Eleanor and her husband Robert had a real estate business in Juno Beach.^[5] Eleanor began to notice the abundance of sea turtles nesting on our shore in spring and summer. She was curious about why so many hatchlings headed landward after hatching, rather than back to sea, and as a result, began some of the earliest research on sea turtles in our area. Juno Beach is now recognized as one of the most active nesting beaches in the world!^[6] Eleanor became known as “The Turtle Lady” throughout the area.^[7]

As Eleanor Fletcher learned more and more about the sea turtles, she began to see that the turtles were threatened by the encroachment of man as he moved and built closer and closer to the shoreline. She decided that educating children about the sea turtles and the need for conservation and protection was the best hope for the sea turtles to survive over the long term. She began giving classes, first in her home, then above the real estate office as more and more children enjoyed her programs.

In 1983 the Children’s Museum of Juno Beach was incorporated, moving into what had been an old home in Loggerhead Park, thanks to the County’s Department of Parks and Recreation. Reflecting an expanded mission, the name was changed to The Marinelife Center of Juno Beach in 1990.^[8]

The center now hosts thousands of school children each year through field trips, outreach programs, summer camp and other educational experiences. In addition, more than 200,000 visitors come to the center each year to see the exhibits and the sea turtle hospital^[9] – the only sea turtle hospital between Orlando and the Florida Keys!

In April 2007, the organization relocated to a new 12,000 square foot certified “green” facility and changed its name to Loggerhead Marinelife Center. The new facility includes a state-of-the-art full service veterinary hospital, exhibit hall, outdoor classroom, research lab, and resource center.^[10] A visit is not complete without a stop in the marine-themed gift store, featuring an excellent selection of children’s educational books and unique gift and craft items. Park amenities include a guarded beach, nature trail, playground and picnic pavilions.

Board of Directors

Officers: Brian K. Waxman, Chair; Raymond E. Graziotto, Vice-Chair; Robert Chlebek, Treasurer; Ann Miller, Secretary

Members: Bruce Beal, Carrie Hanna, Cressman Bronson, Dan Jennings, Dawn Hoffman, Diana Wilkin, Ed Lunsford, Gordon Gray, James F. Mullen IV, CPA, Jeanette Wyneken, Ph.D., Jodie Gless, John Couris, Joel Paige, Karen Marcus, Kim Edward Koger, M.D., Leanna Landsmann, Lynne Wells, Morgan R. Poncy, M.D., Robert Weisman, Roe Green, Roger Amidon, Susan Johnson, Thomas Bean and Todd Hutchison

Emeritus Members: Emmy S. Rayne, Frank W. Harris, Gail Nelson and Nancy DiMarco, D.V.M.

Conservation Initiatives

In 2014, Loggerhead Marinelife Center staff began partnering with other sea turtle organizations to rescue turtles accidentally hooked on fishing piers.^[11] After spending time in critical sea turtle habitat around the world, staff realized that many of the issues faced by partners are greater than incidental capture alone.

Project SHIELD is a multi-faceted program that provides conservation solutions to fishing piers, recreational boaters, beach-side hotels, snorkel and SCUBA operators, fishing charter operators, and beach access points as well as pollution prevention projects. Conservation Initiatives under Project SHIELD include, Balloon Ban,^[12] Campus Sustainability Initiative, Monofilament Recycling, Responsible Pier Initiative^[13] and Trash Free Seas.

LMC’s conservation initiatives have reached Florida, Hawaii, North Carolina, Virginia, Texas,^[14] Greece, Turkey and Puerto Rico.

Programs and Activities

Astronomy Nights,^[15] Birthday Parties, Biologist Beach Walks,^[16] Boy Scout Program, Coastal Explorers, Dr. Logger Show, Eco Tours (SWIM),^[17] Evening Turtle Walks, Fishing Feeding, Fish I.D. Program, Girl Scout Program, Guides Tours, Hammock Hikes,^[18] Hatchling Releases,^[19] Hatchling Tales, Jr. Marine Biologist Summer Camp,^[20] Jr. Vet Lab, Living Beaches, Mommy and Me Paint, Outreach Programs, Private Guided Tours, Private Evening Guided Tours, Public Outreaches, School Field Trips, Science for Seniors, Sea Turtle Releases,^[21] Turtles to Go, Virtual Field Trips, Water Quality Monitoring^[22] and Wet Lab

Events

Go Blue Awards,^[23] Lights Out,^[24] Golf Invitational,^[25] #LMCFashBash,^[26] Marinelife Day,^[27] Run 4 the Sea,^[28] TurtleWeen^[29] and Turtle Fest^[30]

Blue Friends Society

The Blue Friends Society of the Loggerhead Marinelife Center is an active social group of ocean conservation enthusiasts and LMC supporters who meet to network, educate, plan and promote conservation efforts.^[31]

Juno Beach Pier

Loggerhead Marinelife Center manages the Juno Beach Pier.^[32] The Juno Beach Pier is a 900-foot fishing pier located in Juno Beach, Florida. The pier participates in the Responsible Pier Initiative and promotes responsible fishing and conservation. In 1999, the town of Juno Beach opened the Juno Beach Pier as a pedestrian pier.^[33] Activities on the pier conducted through Loggerhead Marinelife Center include, Kids’ Pier Fishing Program, Pier Field Trips and Private Fishing Lessons.^[34]

In Popular Culture:

Boston Globe - Shell-shocked Florida Refugees: https://www.bostonglobe.com/lifestyle/travel/2015/10/24/where-turtles-escape-new-england-cold/rGDNcJ3SVQ3Cz7H1oKABLI/story.html

National Geographic - Florida by Water: See Sea Turtles in the Wild: http://travel.nationalgeographic.com/travel/florida-land-and-sea/wild-sea-turtles/

The Washington Post – At a South Florida hospital, heroes for the half-shell: https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/travel/sea-turtle-egg-drop-on-floridas-beaches/2015/07/09/f0ff6758-20d4-11e5-aeb9-a411a84c9d55_story.html

External Links:

www.facebook.com/loggerheadmarinelifecenter

http://www.twitter.com/loggerheadmc

www.instagram.com/loggerheadmarinelifecenter

https://www.marinelife.org/conservation/pier/

https://conservationlmc.wordpress.com/

https://www.marinelife.org/connect/blog/

References