MacArthur Beach State Park’s 2014 Environmental Champion of the year is Paul Davis. Mr. Davis recently retired as environmental director of Palm Beach County Environmental Resources Management (ERM), the park said in a news statement.
During and before his 35-year career, Mr. Davis worked to protect trees, manatees, sea grass, and the dunes, but it was in the 1970s that he began his passion for protecting sea turtles.
Mr. Davis is responsible for developing ordinances and regulations to protect sea turtle nests and hatchlings including the development of the sea turtle lighting ordinance, the regulation of trimming dune vegetation and managing of many dune restoration projects in Riviera and Lake Worth Municipal Beaches.
“The work of Mr. Davis and ERM has contributed to the health of our park lands and may be reflected in the recent increase in sea turtle nests” Art Carton, MacArthur Beach State Park Services specialist, said in a prepared statement, “and that is why we are proud to present him with the 2014 Environmental Champion Award.”
John D. MacArthur Beach State Park, Palm Beach County’s only state park, is situated on a barrier island between the Atlantic Ocean and the Lake Worth Lagoon. The park is made up of 438 acres of pristine coastal land and contains four different communities or habitats including seven species of plants and 22 species of animals on the endangered or threatened list. ¦