Rebecca Palmer
The Land Between organization has worked cooperatively with partners since 2006 to protect and conserve turtles and turtle habitats. This region is home to over 30% of rare Blanding’s, Spotted, and Stinkpot turtles and a large population of Ontario’s Snapping and Painted turtles.
Turtles clean water! Snapping Turtles are living dinosaurs, and which are top predators that do not snap at humans in water. Turtles live to over 400 years old.
The organization works to locate road mortality sites and to install turtle crossing signs across the region. We have quarterbacked and supported the testing of road underpasses.
In 2016 we have:
- located new potential underpasses across Muskoka and Haliburton;
- trained volunteers have started assessing the feasibility of installing new underpasses in these areas;
- we have assessed the needs for underpasses across the region entirely;
- we have created a Best Management Practices guide for municipal roads for maintenance to mitigate for harm to turtle nests
- we have mapped potential nest sites for road crews in Muskoka and Haliburton…..
and we continue to work with wonderful partners of EcoKare International, Scales Nature Park, Road Crews and others to protect these species…..so stay tuned to see how we fair in helping our innocent friends survive!
