A Prize Born in the Sand: Turtle Rescue Cahuita Wins the Ford Environmental Grant
Playa Grande, Cahuita | October 2025
From a small coastal community in Costa Rica’s Southern Caribbean, a story of commitment, science, and love for sea turtles is making waves across the region. Turtle Rescue Cahuita, led by local conservationist Chalton Obando Mullins, has been awarded the Ford Motor Company Fund Environmental Grant for Conservation—one of the most prestigious environmental recognitions in Central America and the Caribbean.
A Recognition That Strengthens the Mission
The award ceremony took place in Panama City, where Chalton Obando—president and project leader—received the prize with pride. The award not only honors years of dedicated work along the shores of Cahuita, but also provides key funding for the construction of an in-situ sea turtle hatchery at Playa Grande, a critical tool to ensure the safe hatching of thousands of turtles each nesting season.
“This award is not just for me. It belongs to our team of volunteers, to the community of Cahuita, and to every sea turtle that returns to our beach to nest. This hatchery means thousands more hatchlings will have a chance to reach the ocean,” said Chalton shortly after receiving the award.
Conservation Rooted in Science and Community
Turtle Rescue Cahuita operates on the frontlines of conservation, protecting critically endangered species such as the Leatherback (Baula), Green, and Hawksbill (Carey) sea turtles. Their approach is grounded in applied science and community empowerment, with ongoing activities that include:
- Nighttime beach monitoring
- Relocation of nests threatened by erosion or predation
- Environmental education in schools and local communities
- Involvement of youth, volunteers, and local leaders
The program is also guided by M.Sc. Claudio Quesada, a marine biologist specialized in sea turtles, who ensures that ethical and scientific standards are met in all monitoring and research protocols to generate reliable conservation data.
A Hatchery: Hope Incubating in the Sand
The newly funded hatchery will be built in Playa Grande and will offer numerous benefits for sea turtle conservation in the region:
- Protection of vulnerable nests from poachers and natural predators
- Environmental control of nest conditions (temperature and moisture), which influence both hatching success and sex ratios
- Increased hatching success rate reaching over 80% survival
- Boost in the number of hatchlings safely reaching the sea each season
This project is a fundamental step toward ensuring that Playa Grande remains a safe haven for sea turtles, especially in the face of growing threats from climate change and human activity.
Cahuita Proves Local Actions Can Create Global Impact
The Ford Environmental Grant not only acknowledges a conservation project—it highlights how a small community like Cahuita can generate real, measurable, and sustainable impact, fully aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) under Agenda 2030.
From the sands of Costa Rica’s Caribbean, Turtle Rescue Cahuita sends a message of hope: Every step in the sand counts. Every protected nest changes the future. And every turtle that reaches the sea symbolizes a battle worth fighting.
