Archie Carr National Wildlife Refuge protects about 20 miles of Florida’s Atlantic shoreline from Melbourne Beach to Wabasso Beach. Established in 1991 as part of the United States National Wildlife Refuge System, it safeguards one of the nation’s most important sea turtle nesting areas. Roughly one-fourth of all sea turtles nesting in the United States nest here, with about 15,000 to 20,000 nests each year, mostly from loggerhead and green sea turtles, along with some leatherbacks. Named for pioneering conservationist Dr. Archie Carr, the refuge also supports other threatened and endangered species and serves as an important site for studying the effects of sea level rise on coastal wildlife.