On October 24, marine turtle volunteer groups from across the Burnett Mary gathered at the BMRG office to participate in the inaugural Marine Turtle Volunteer Consortium. The meeting provided a valuable opportunity for our turtle conservationists to share experiences from decades of dedicated turtle monitoring and to discuss future challenges.
The event commenced with an opening presentation by Nest to Ocean program coordinator Mike Gregory from the Department of Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation (DETSI). Mike’s presentation highlighted how valuable data collected by marine turtle volunteers from across the State contributes to ongoing conservation efforts.
Following this, each volunteer group had the chance to share insights into the monitoring, nest protection and unique challenges they face, particularly in relation to changing beach conditions each season. The care and efforts provided by these volunteer groups ensures the vulnerable turtle hatchings have the best chance of survival when emerging from their nests.
For a ‘fresh’ change in topics, we were joined by Dr. Sydney Collett from BMRG who shared research updates for freshwater turtles. This was a fascinating presentation that examined the differences and similarities between freshwater and marine turtles. Sydney did her best job to rally volunteer support to protecting and promoting freshwater turtles too!
The event was an excellent opportunity to strengthen partnerships, share expertise, and celebrate the dedication of the volunteer groups who continue to play a vital role in turtle conservation across the Burnett Mary region.