The Isle of Palms has single family homes, multi-story condominiums on the north end with a pier and commercial area in the center of the island. Much of this island also has homes on the primary dunes. However the dynamic north end near the inlet had gone into an erosional cycle in recent years, and a beach renourishment project was completed in 2008 with sand pumped in from offshore. The Isle of Palms has 10 km of beachfront and the nesting density is very low on the beach. Isle of Palms averages 40 nests per year but had 62 nests in 2012.

Nesting and stranding projects for loggerhead sea turtles are part of the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources Marine Turtle Conservation Program. Island Turtle Team monitors Isle of Palms and Sullivans. There are approximately 120 volunteers who find and protect nests, 8 volunteers who relocate eggs and rescue disoriented hatchlings, and 3 volunteers who document strandings and rescue injured sea turtles.