Upcoming Events

Evolution of Darwin Beach

Interested in a vegetation removal and beach cleanup?

Volunteers will help remove and document non-native and exotic plant species, as well as cleanup marine debris!

For more information on what we do, click HERE.

UM SCUBA Club Beach Cleanup (Private Event)

Sunday, April 28, 9 am - 12:00 pm

Virginia Key Beach

The University of Miami's SCUBA Club is conducting a dive clean-up along Virginia Key Beach in an effort to clean the shoreline for the start of sea turtle nesting season. Partners for this event include Diver's Paradise, HALEVAI Power, and MORAES.

MORAES will provide assistance from the shore and conduct a small beach clean-up for those participants that are not able to dive.

Southern Glazer’s Wine and Spirits' team of VolunCheers Ambassadors has teamed up with MORAES for a cleanup and planting day at Darwin Beach! As part of an annual experience, the team at SGWS elected to focus their efforts and passions toward environmental benefits here in South Florida. With a team of nearly 40 individuals, this group will learn about our coastline ecosystems, remove some invasive species, clean up up marine debris, and even plant some native species themselves!

Darwin Beach Event: Southern Glazer's Wine and Spirits VolunCheer's Ambassadors

Tuesday, April 16th, 2024 - Private Event

Darwin Beach (Virginia Key, FL)

We are excited to announce the return of Turtle Fest, hosted by the City of Miami Beach! Turtle Fest will provide a fun and educational experience for families and community members of all ages, with a goal to raise awareness about sea turtle conservation and encourage community members to take action to protect these magnificent creatures. MORAES will be tabling at this event, and we hope to see you there!

Miami Beach Turtle Fest

Saturday, April 20, 3-6 pm

Altos del Mar Park, 241 77 Street, Miami Beach FL, 33141

City Nature Challenge

Friday, April 26, 6:30-8:00 pm

Darwin Beach (Virginia Key, FL)

City Nature Challenge is back again! Join us on April 26th for a fun and interactive event for the whole family where we will explore the natural beauty of our coast and help put South Florida on the map, literally! City Nature Challenge at Darwin Beach will include a beach cleanup, native wildlife identification, nature Bingo, and more!

Sarah Beggerly and Analisa Duran during NEST program for sea turtle nesting survey, in collaboration with Frost

NEST Excavation for Sea Turtles (NEST) Program

2023 Virginia Key Sea Turtle Season Has Come to an End!

Check back in next season! (~May 2024)

NEST is a new, limited-edition program available during the summer in partnership with the Phillip and Patricia Frost Museum of Science (Frost Science).

Participants will learn about sea turtle conservation through a hands-on activity, nature walk on Virginia Key Beach and observing a nest excavation, an opportunity to look inside a sea turtle nest after it hatches.

Nest excavations take place three days after a sea turtle nest hatches and can only be completed by a person authorized by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission. The Frost Science Education Team will talk guests through the process and purpose of a nest excavation while we excavate the nest (under permit #153).