This photo series was taken on Guasacate Beach, on the Pacific coast of Nicaragua - a stretch of beach where several species of sea turtles come ashore to nest, including olive ridley, hawksbill, and green turtles.

Each year, female sea turtles come up onto the beach to lay their eggs - often dozens at a time - before returning to the sea, leaving the nests behind. The problem is, poachers know exactly where to look. And even if the eggs stay and hatch naturally, the baby turtles face immediate threats from predators like birds as they cross the sand toward the water.

To improve their chances, locals often collect the eggs shortly after they’re laid and rebury them in a more protected area of the beach. Once the hatchlings emerge, they’re gathered in buckets and kept safe until sunset. Then, they’re released onto the sand and make their way to the ocean.

It’s a simple, grassroots kind of conservation. And because the turtles are small and undeniably cute, the releases tend to draw a crowd. Locals and travelers alike come to watch, take photos, and cheer them on - sometimes even betting on which hatchling will be the first to reach the waves.

This photo series aims to capture a grassroots initiative that offers a helping hand to nature - and the community support that surrounds it.