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Edwin’s Turtle Lake Marine Reserve

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Project Description

Edwins Turtle Lake Marine Preserve, LLC is a Bahamian family-owned conservation and ecotourism enterprise centered on a 43-acre inland saltwater blue hole in Eleuthera. Established in 2014 and doing business as Edwin's Turtle Lake Marine Reserve, it protects a mangrove-fringed lake that supports up to 50 green and loggerhead sea turtles. The Reserve generates income through kayaking, canoeing, wildlife viewing, environmental education, and locally rooted visitor experiences.

The project will strengthen ETL’s commercial resilience while financing measurable conservation outcomes. It will improve visitor infrastructure and interpretation, install solar power and reliable communications, expand marketing, establish ecological monitoring, assess surrounding land-development risks, and develop new revenue opportunities. It will also complete the scientific, regulatory, and operational foundation for a sea turtle nesting-beach rewilding pilot using eggs laid at Turtle Lake to help restore nesting on suitable Eleuthera beaches.

The investment will support the Burrows family, local contractors and tourism partners while demonstrating that protecting native coastal ecosystems can generate durable local economic value. ETL and Cresta Coastal Network will document the business and conservation model for potential replication at other blue holes, wetlands, and nature-based attractions in The Bahamas and the wider Caribbean.

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Project Sector

• Coastal and Marine Tourism
• Coastal Protection and Restoration
• Marine Conservation and Biodiversity
• Research and Development

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Target Beneficiaries

• Coastal Households and Vulnerable Populations
• Youth and Early-Career Professionals
• Tourism Operators and Coastal Entrepreneurs
• Conservation and Restoration Organizations

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Project Location

• The Bahamas

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Project Partners

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Native Language

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Context / Problem Description

The Burrows family has stewarded Turtle Lake since the 1950s. The lake is one of Eleuthera's largest inland blue holes and one of The Bahamas' most unusual marine environments. Developers previously proposed clearing much of its surrounding mangrove habitat, which would have damaged water quality, bird habitat, and the lake's resident sea turtles. The family responded by creating a nature-based tourism business that demonstrates the economic value of keeping the ecosystem intact. Tourism to Eleuthera increased 54% between 2024 and 2025 and local tourism enterprises are lacking in the face of major hotel development.

The Reserve closed in 2022 following the COVID-19 pandemic, aging infrastructure, and a serious injury to its long-time manager. Private support subsequently financed new decking, a floating dock, equipment, and reopening preparations. ETL reopened to the public in July 2026. The current challenge is to move from reopening to a financially resilient operation with stronger marketing, visitor amenities, reliable energy and communications, scientific monitoring, and diversified revenue.

Eleuthera is experiencing rapid tourism and real-estate growth. New cruise and resort developments create market opportunities but also increase pressure on mangroves, wetlands, undeveloped coastlines, housing, energy, and water. ETL needs investment now to capture growing visitor demand while protecting the ecological asset on which the business depends. The lake also offers a rare conservation opportunity: 20–30 turtle nests are observed annually on its constructed nesting beach, while nearby Atlantic-facing beaches have little or no documented nesting. A scientifically designed and permitted rewilding pilot could reconnect ETL’s tourism business with broader species recovery.

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Project Approach

The project integrates enterprise development, habitat stewardship, and applied science. ETL will improve its visitor business through conservation signage, upgraded safety and on-water infrastructure, solar power, internet connectivity, stronger branding, and partnerships with hotels, excursion providers, schools, and scientific organizations. A floating viewing and research platform will improve the visitor experience while supporting continuous water-quality and weather monitoring.

ETL and Cresta will undertake a land-ownership and development-risk assessment for Turtle Lake and adjacent blue holes, establish baseline ecological monitoring, and complete the design of a sea turtle nesting-beach rewilding pilot. The latter will address genetics, population health, candidate-beach suitability, permitting, animal welfare, transport, release, and post-release monitoring before any translocation occurs.

The project will also test complementary revenue opportunities, including refreshments and events, mangrove honey, and the feasibility of sterile-oyster aquaculture. Admissions, guided experiences, educational visits, rentals, products, and tourism partnerships will progressively support operations and conservation stewardship. Private co-financing and impact capital will fund the initial expansion, while ETL documents lessons for replication.

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Project Objective

To strengthen Edwin's Turtle Lake as a financially sustainable, locally owned conservation-tourism enterprise that protects a unique blue-hole and mangrove ecosystem, supports the Burrows family and local livelihoods, and finances measurable biodiversity outcomes including ecological monitoring and a scientifically rigorous sea turtle nesting-beach rewilding program.

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Anticipated Outcome

Edwin’s Turtle Lake will become a financially resilient, locally owned model for conservation-led tourism in The Bahamas. Investment will improve visitor infrastructure and interpretation, strengthen marketing and partnerships, expand scientific monitoring, and complete the design and permitting pathway for a sea turtle nesting-beach rewilding pilot. The latter will relocated sea turtle eggs currently located inside this blue hole to windward beaches on Eleuthera that historically hosted nesting beaches. We envision hotels hosting nesting populations on their beach properties to ensure protection and enhance their visitor interaction with nature. Increased earned revenue will support the Burrows family, create opportunities for local guides and service providers, and finance long-term stewardship of the lake’s mangroves, blue-hole ecosystem, and resident green and loggerhead turtles. The resulting operating model will demonstrate how privately stewarded coastal sites can combine non-extractive tourism, biodiversity recovery, applied science, and community livelihoods, with potential replication at other blue holes and nature-based attractions across the Caribbean.