Shining a Light on Sea Turtle Conservation: An Expert Talk on the Negative Effects of Light Pollution on Local Marine Life

Sophia Brown, the Lighting Program Lead and Interpretative Programs Attendant for the Miami-Dade County Sea Turtle Conservation Program, will be the featured speaker at this month’s Citizen Science project lunch and learn session. She will discuss the negative impact of light pollution on nesting sea turtles, sea turtle hatchlings, and other nocturnal animals in Key Biscayne. The event is catered by Milanezza and will take place at noon on Thursday in the Island Room at the Key Biscayne Community Center. It is free for KBCC members and $5 for nonmembers. RSVP is required at the front desk or by calling (305) 365-8900.

Brown has been with the Sea Turtle Conservation group since 2023, having started her journey in turtle conservation as a volunteer in Massachusetts, walking the beaches of Cape Cod and searching for stranded Kemp’s Ridley turtles. She holds a Master’s degree in Marine Conservation from the University of Miami and can often be found in the early mornings surveying Key Biscayne’s beaches, excavating nests, and marking new hatches.

The Citizen Science Program was established by the Key Biscayne Community Foundation to protect the area’s natural resources, provide education to the public, and create hands-on opportunities to safeguard local ecosystems.