Accurate pollution monitoring is essential for protecting sensitive ecosystems and ensuring the survival of endangered species. The International Dark-Sky Association (IDA) utilizes Fulcrum to improve its monitoring of light pollution, especially in areas that impact sea turtle nesting along Florida’s coastline.
Before adopting Fulcrum, IDA relied on manual, paper-based methods to record light pollution data. This outdated process led to inconsistencies and difficulty in organizing GPS and pollution data. Fulcrum’s mobile platform allowed IDA’s team to capture data more efficiently, with GPS integration and geo-tagging. Using Fulcrum on mobile devices, IDA staff could collect, manage, and export data within minutes, significantly improving the accuracy and speed of their pollution monitoring efforts.
IDA uses Fulcrum to assess light pollution levels that disrupt sea turtle nesting along Florida’s beaches. Bright coastal lighting confuses hatchling sea turtles, leading them away from the ocean. By monitoring these areas with Fulcrum, IDA can gather precise data to help recommend lighting retrofits that reduce harmful light pollution. This data is crucial in driving decisions that help mitigate the negative effects of artificial lighting on vulnerable wildlife populations.
Fulcrum’s ease of use not only sped up data collection but also enabled IDA to export this information in various formats, making it easier to share with stakeholders. This seamless process helped IDA recommend solutions for coastal lighting retrofits. They plan to continue using Fulcrum to document the improvements resulting from their efforts.
Download the full case study to discover how Fulcrum supports IDA’s pollution monitoring and coastal conservation initiatives.
“With no steep learning curve, the IDA crew began collecting field data and geo-tagging records within minutes of installing Fulcrum.”
