Our Story
Protecting the Ocean, Empowering Communities, Defending Nature’s Rights
Strengthened by science.
Showcased through storytelling.
Catalyzed by community action.
The Leatherback Project was founded as a dedicated conservation organization focused on addressing the multitude of threats and challenges facing leatherback sea turtles, from fisheries bycatch to habitat destruction. A key part of our work centers around advocating for and advancing the Rights of Nature—a legal framework that acknowledges the inherent rights of natural ecosystems to exist and thrive. By supporting and promoting the Rights of Nature law, we help safeguard the habitats of leatherback sea turtles, ensuring that these creatures and their ecosystems are not only protected but recognized as having their own legal standing in the world.
With a relentless commitment to tangible results, our organization shifted its focus from mere education to taking bold, meaningful actions that would safeguard these creatures and other endangered species. The Leatherback Project strives to create measurable change—both in the health of marine life populations and in the ecosystems they inhabit.
More than just an educational platform, The Leatherback Project is about impact. It’s about standing as a symbol of changemakers, individuals and groups united in the plight against extinction. The organization focuses on creating real solutions, empowering local communities, and fostering a space for learning and shared knowledge. We are building a network of trailblazers working together to protect leatherback sea turtles and the larger ecosystems that rely on them.
At The Leatherback Project, our approach isn’t just about talking—it’s about doing. Our mission is grounded in impact, driven through the lens of science, advocacy, community-driven action, and storytelling. We seek to address the challenges of leatherback sea turtle conservation head-on and offer practical solutions in collaboration with others in the field. Every action taken contributes to the larger goal: ensuring that leatherback sea turtles have a future, and that their ecosystem thrives for generations to come.
Through our work, The Leatherback Project demonstrates that conservation isn’t just about awareness—it’s about empowerment, action, and creating lasting change. By embracing the Rights of Nature, we are taking a transformative step in ensuring that leatherback sea turtles and their habitats are not only preserved but also respected as essential components of the natural world.
Our Mission & Vision
​The Leatherback Project is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting the leatherback sea turtle and other threatened and endangered marine species through science, advocacy, storytelling, and community-driven action.
By advancing research, sharing impactful narratives, and empowering local communities, we work to reduce fisheries bycatch, establish and strengthen marine protected areas through advocating for the intrinsic Rights of Nature.
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​We work towards restored balance, decreased anthropogenic pressures, and a sustainable future for threatened ocean ecosystems and coastal habitats, allowing for the recovery of endangered species like the leatherback turtle.
Our Legacy
The Leatherback Project was born from a deep concern for the alarming decline in leatherback sea turtle populations. Our founder Callie Veelenturf began her journey witnessing firsthand the dramatic drop in the number of leatherbacks along the nesting beaches in Costa Rica.
