Volunteer Spotlight: Nancy Johnson
Nancy Johnson
Devoted STPS Volunteer & Traveler
By Sarah Tolson
By Sarah Tolson
Nancy Johnson has been a dedicated Sea Turtle Preservation Society volunteer for the past 6 years. A Brevard County resident since 1979, she is a retired special education teacher and elementary counselor. She is involved with Turtle Walks, Transport, Sea Turtle Emergency Response Program (STERP), and has been Lead Volunteer trained. Nancy’s favorite memory from volunteering with STPS was when she had trays of post-washback hatchlings in trays all over her car after a STERP emergency last fall. She was able to transport them to the Brevard Zoo to see the Sea Turtle Healing Center. (The STHC is closed to the public and does not offer tours. You may learn about their turtles at the link above.)
Nancy enjoys volunteering along with her husband, Oli, who participates in STERP and transport with her. Nancy and Oli also love traveling! Nancy has visited 48 of the United States, but says she “somehow managed to miss Nebraska and North Dakota!” Nancy traveled to the Galapagos islands, where green sea turtles nest all year long and at any time of day, due to a lack of predators. She’s also been to Aruba, where she hoped to see a leatherback nesting. For her next trip, she would love to see the pyramids in Egypt or go on an African safari!
Nancy’s advice to anyone who is interested in turtles walks is that “it’s good exercise because you walk the beach at night when it’s not 90 degrees and it NEVER gets old watching the turtle lay eggs.”
Nancy enjoys volunteering along with her husband, Oli, who participates in STERP and transport with her. Nancy and Oli also love traveling! Nancy has visited 48 of the United States, but says she “somehow managed to miss Nebraska and North Dakota!” Nancy traveled to the Galapagos islands, where green sea turtles nest all year long and at any time of day, due to a lack of predators. She’s also been to Aruba, where she hoped to see a leatherback nesting. For her next trip, she would love to see the pyramids in Egypt or go on an African safari!
Nancy’s advice to anyone who is interested in turtles walks is that “it’s good exercise because you walk the beach at night when it’s not 90 degrees and it NEVER gets old watching the turtle lay eggs.”
Remember, STPS holds a turtle walk permit through FWC, and Nancy is on the walk permit.
No one should attempt a turtle walk on their own.
Nancy in Aruba with a leatherback nest, April 2016
