Sea Turtle Nesting Panel to Discuss 2026 Season at MDC

Sea Turtle Nesting 2026: A Panel Discussion

The 2026 sea turtle nesting season was a record-breaking year in Volusia County and a panel of individuals involved in monitoring the nests will discuss this year’s activity in the October Discovery Lecture Series at Marine Discovery Center.

“Sea Turtle Nesting 2026: A Panel Discussion” will be held Thursday, Oct. 1, at 6 p.m., at Marine Discovery Center.

The panel will detail highlights from four different nesting districts: Canaveral National Seashore, New Smyrna Beach Turtle Trackers, Volusia County Environmental Management and Volusia Turtle Patrol (north of Ponce Inlet). Guests will be given an opportunity to ask questions about nesting on local beaches.

Meet the 2026 Sea Turtle Panelists

Panel discussion presenters will be: National Park Service Ranger Laura Henning of Canaveral National Seashore, Jennifer Winters of Volusia County Environmental Management, Abbey Appelt of Ecological Associates, Inc. (New Smyrna Beach Turtle Trackers) and a representative from Volusia Turtle Patrol.

Henning is the chief of interpretation & visitor services at Canaveral National Seashore. She began her career as a biological technician, monitoring sea turtles, before moving to interpretation in the park. She now manages Canaveral’s Interpretive Division, Recreational Fees and Public Affairs. Henning has been at Canaveral National Seashore for 32 years.

A Volusia County native, Winters has been working with the Volusia County Environmental Management division since 2002. She began her career working as the field manager for the Sea Turtle Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) Program, becoming the HCP Program Manager in 2004. In 2020, she became the county’s Protected Species Activity Manager, still overseeing the HCP program along with the county’s Manatee Protection Plan program. She has more than 25 years of experience along Volusia County beaches and coastal waterways.

Appelt has been a sea turtle field biologist for Ecological Associates, Inc., for 10 years and currently works in New Smyrna Beach. She has experience working in Georgia, South Carolina and Florida. Appelt works closely with the Volusia County Habitat Conservation Plan office, as well as with the New Smyrna Beach Turtle Trackers. She oversees the sea turtle nesting survey team and the stranding response team for the Turtle Trackers in New Smyrna Beach.

Pinholster is a member of the board of the Volusia Turtle Patrol. She has volunteered with the group since 2017, working for president Beth Libert, who established the “VTP” in 1983. Pinholster also volunteers with the Marine Science Center’s turtle hospital. Before retiring in 2024, she was a long-time science communicator, most recently as vice president for communications at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and is an elected fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

The Discovery Lecture Series is free, but donations to the center are always appreciated. Pre-registration is requested.

The Marine Discovery Center is located off the North Causeway at 520 Barracuda Blvd., in New Smyrna Beach.

For more information about the lecture, contact the Marine Discovery Center at 386-428-4828.