Sea Turtle Survey @ Cayo Costa State Park, Lee County Project Dates: July 1, 2026, to September…

The Florida Department of Environmental Protection awarded contract C7812E to Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU) for $17,186.00 to conduct sea turtle nesting surveys at Cayo Costa State Park in Lee County, Florida. The contract period runs from July 1, 2026, through September 30, 2026. FGCU will perform daily monitoring surveys seven days per week across approximately six miles of beach, separated into north and south permit areas, in compliance with Florida Wildlife Conservation Commission guidelines and Florida Administrative Code Rule 68E-1.

The service delivery involves four student contractors who will conduct nesting surveys throughout the entire contract period, with two students continuing through the end date. Dr. Matt Ware of FGCU will oversee recruitment and personnel administration, while Jacob Wozny, the designated Project Manager and Park Biologist, will provide a minimum of four training days per student at the outset and conduct monthly field accompaniment during July through September. The contract includes quality assurance and quality control of collected data, with Jacob Wozny serving as the primary interface for surveyors and Karen Rogers (District Biologist) responsible for database quality control and rare species documentation coordination with the Florida Wildlife Conservation Commission.