ST. JOHNS COUNTY, Fla — Starting April 6, St. Johns County Coastal Management will be beach tilling to help sea turtle nesting habitats. The county is asking beachgoers to be cautious and considerate when going through the working areas.
St. Johns County says workers will be going to the following locations, with dates subject to change:
- Ponte Vedra (51 Ponte Vedra Blvd. to 1461 Ponte Vedra Blvd.): April 6–9
- Mobilizing via Mickler’s (no closure)
- Vilano (Serenata to 3200 Coastal Highway): April 10
- Mobilizing via Surfside Park (no closure)
- Equipment will be stored over the weekend next to the Surfside beach access.
- St. Augustine (Pope Road to A Street): April 13–15
- Mobilizing via Pope Road Access (temporary closure)
- The Pope Road Beach parking area will be temporarily closed for the drop-off and for the removal of equipment. These temporary closures are expected to occur early morning on April 13 and again in the evening of April 15.
- Pedestrian access will stay open while the equipment is being demobilized.
Beach tilling involves using heavy machinery to plow the sand to make it more compatible for successful sea turtle nesting to take place. The county adds that, "Tilling is part of the permit monitoring requirements following beach restoration projects. For each area, the tilling will begin at daybreak, and spotters will be utilized to ensure the safety of the public."
According to St. Johns County, 999 documented nests were found in the 2025 sea turtle nesting season. However, the hatch success rate was below average due to persistent high tides toward the end of the season.
▶ Listen to Jacksonville’s Morning News Interviews
[ Read more local news from WOKV ]
Click here to download our free news, weather and traffic app. And click here to subscribe to our daily 3 Big Things newsletter.