Three local organizations are teaming up to clean Miami Beach's shoreline and teach residents how to protect nesting sea turtles during the busiest stretch of nesting season.

Miami Beach Rising Above, MORAES of South Florida and 1 Hotel will host the "Flip the Switch" Sea Turtle Beach Cleanup on Wednesday, July 15, from 9 to 11 a.m. at 24th Street Beach, according to the City of Miami Beach events calendar. The morning includes a guided beach experience, education on sea turtle nesting behavior and nest protection, and a hands-on beach cleanup.

The event is part of a series. The city listing describes it as "one of many cleanups that will be scheduled throughout the sea turtle nesting season," though no additional dates have been announced.

Why Miami Beach Starts Nesting Season a Month Early

Miami Beach's nesting season runs from April 1 through Oct. 31, starting a full month earlier than the statewide May 1 date to account for leatherback turtles that arrive first. Three protected species nest along the city's more than 7 miles of beachfront: loggerhead, green and leatherback sea turtles.

Artificial lighting near the shore poses one of the biggest threats to hatchlings, which instinctively crawl toward bright lights instead of the ocean. In October 2024, the Miami Beach City Commission updated the city's 18-year-old Turtle Nesting Protection Ordinance to regulate interior lighting at hotels and commercial properties visible from the beach and to limit fireworks to barges.

The Flip the Switch campaign grew from that effort. In May 2025, the city received its second grant from the Florida Sea Turtle License Plate Grant Program to expand the initiative. Phase II targets 12 oceanfront properties and the city's beach concessionaires, according to Miami Beach Rising Above.

Nonprofit's Daily Beach Surveys Feed State Turtle Data

MORAES, which stands for Marine Order for Research and Action through Environmental Stewardship, is a Miami-based nonprofit that holds a state marine turtle permit and conducts daily morning beach surveys on Virginia Key throughout nesting season. The organization collects data for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission to track population trends.

MORAES also runs a public education program called NEST that introduces residents to local nesting activity. "NEST is sometimes the first time someone learns that sea turtles nest in Miami and it is usually the first time they are hearing about all the threats that nesting sea turtles face," said Analisa Duran, Frost Science assistant director of education and MORAES permit holder, in a Frost Science article about the organization's work. Scientists estimate only 1 in 1,000 hatchlings survive to adulthood, according to that same program.

1 Hotel South Beach, located on a 600-foot stretch of beach, was the first property in Miami Beach to earn the 5 Green Key rating for environmental responsibility. The hotel is also LEED certified silver.

No RSVP Listed Yet for Wednesday's Cleanup

No registration link or RSVP details were listed on the city's event page as of July 7. Residents can check events.miamibeachfl.gov for updates or contact Miami Beach Rising Above directly.

Upcoming Community Events

• Saturday, July 19 — MISO @ the Garden, featuring Miami Symphony Orchestra members. Miami Beach Botanical Garden, 5 p.m. Free.
• Saturday, July 26 — Ocean Drive Promenade Music Series. Ocean Drive between 14th Street and 14th Place, 5 to 6 p.m. Free.
• Thursday, July 30 — Miami Beach Resident Sustainability Committee virtual public meeting, 3 p.m.