Many of the 25 turtle species that occur in Florida, as well as species worldwide, are now in decline and in need of conservation attention.  Like many areas of the world, there is a strong focus on the marine species.  Consequently, most research and conservation dollars are spent on those high profile species.

Despite the apparent urgency of the Florida situation, the opportunities for conservation remain great.  The following project profiles are just a sample of the many non-marine turtle conservation projects ongoing in Florida.  Projects marked with an asterisk* involve FTCT officers.  If you know of a project that you think should be included on this page, please contact our webmaster.

PROJECT PROFILES

Diamondback Terrapin Working Group *

Diamondback terrapins were once common in brackish ecosystems along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts, but have suffered from a long history of human exploitation.  Current significant threats to this species include loss of nesting habitat, predation, harvest, encounters with automobiles, and incidental drowning in crab pots.

In September 2004, Dr. Joseph A. Butler (University of North Florida) and George L. Heinrich (Heinrich Ecological Services) organized a workshop on the ecology, status and conservation of this ecologically significant coastal wetland species.  That workshop provided an opportunity for over 60 participants to share new research findings, discuss conservation concerns and establish a national Diamondback Terrapin Working Group.  This initiative will work to unite all individuals and organizations concerned with the decline of the species and begin to lay the foundation for a rangewide conservation plan.  The working group is committed to and supports research, management, conservation, and education efforts that benefit diamondback terrapin populations and their associated ecosystems within the sixteen state range.

Please click here for more information on this conservation effort.

Effectiveness of a Bycatch Reduction Device on Crab Pots in Florida *

Diamondback terrapins live in brackish coastal habitat and mortality in crab pots is one of their greatest threats.  Dr. Joseph A. Butler (University of North Florida) and George L. Heinrich (Heinrich Ecological Services) have studied the ecology and conservation needs of diamondback terrapins as part of a University of North Florida research team since 1995.  Recent research has focused on testing the effectiveness of a bycatch reduction device (BRD) on crab pots in Florida.  Preliminary results found that 73.2% of the terrapins in this study could have been prevented from entering crab pots with functional BRDs.  It is hoped that this study will result in the adoption of new regulations by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission requiring the use of a simple wire device (45.0 x 120.0 mm) on all commercial and recreational crab pots used in the state of Florida.  This work has been supported by grants from the Florida Sea Grant College Program, Pinellas County Environmental Fund and the Saltonstall-Kennedy Grant Program.

Exploitation of Suwannee Cooters in Cedar Key, Florida *

Human predation of turtles, including marine species, gopher tortoise, diamondback terrapin , alligator snapping turtle, and Suwannee cooter, has a long history in Florida.  A May 2004 discovery of a Suwannee cooter dump site in Cedar Key, Florida by George L. Heinrich (Heinrich Ecological Services) and Dr. Joseph A. Butler (University of North Florida) confirmed continued exploitation of this state listed species of special concern.  As part of a cooperative project, the Chelonian Research Institute and Heinrich Ecological Services have collected and preserved over 160 carcasses from this site.  It is hoped that this discovery will generate increased protection for this threatened riverine species.

Please click here for more information on the unearthing of this modern-day midden.

Lake Jackson Ecopassage

One of the deadliest highways for turtles is U.S. Highway 27 at Lake Jackson in Leon
County, Florida, seven miles north of Tallahassee.  Lake Jackson is a 4,000-acre sinkhole lake and State Aquatic Preserve.  U.S. 27 is a four-lane highway that was built directly through a one-mile section of Lake Jackson, isolating part of the lake to the west now known as Little Lake Jackson.  U.S. 27 is a virtually impassable barrier to turtles and other wildlife with 23,000 vehicles traveling on it per day.  Road mortality and attempted crossings of turtles is higher on U.S. 27 than has ever been documented elsewhere – over 9,000 turtles in 5 years on a 4,000' stretch of highway.  In the last five years, over 11,000 reptiles, amphibians and mammals of 60 different species have been documented attempting to cross U.S. 27.  Over 10,000 reptiles and amphibians have been saved from death on the highway by daily monitoring of temporary fences since they were installed in April 2000, but over 1,800 animals have still been road-killed.  Temporary fences are only a short-term solution to the wildlife mortality problem as they degrade rapidly and require frequent replacement and maintenance.

The Lake Jackson Ecopassage Alliance (LJEA) was formed to develop broad-based public support for an ecopassage on U.S. Highway 27 to eliminate unprecedented levels of wildlife road mortality and restore the ecological integrity of Lake Jackson.  An ecopassage is a series of specially designed concrete guide walls in combination with under-highway passageways (large culverts) that allow wildlife to safely cross under highways.  The Alliance is working with the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT), Leon County and the Capital Regional Transportation Planning Agency (CRTPA) to secure funding for the design and construction of the Lake Jackson Ecopassage that will prevent thousands of turtles and other species from needlessly being killed and improve motorist safety on U.S. 27.

Please click here for more information on this conservation effort.

Educational Slide/PowerPoint Presentation and Supplemental Resource Notebook on Gopher Tortoises 

Produced by the Gopher Tortoise Council *

The Gopher Tortoise Council has developed an educational slide/PowerPoint presentation (adult and elementary level) and supplemental resource notebook on the ecology and conservation of the gopher tortoise.  The gopher tortoise has an ecological need to burrow, consequently providing an important refuge for other wildlife (including obligate burrow associates and listed species), thus making it a keystone species.  Uplands are an important part of our natural southeastern heritage and play a significant role in the hydrologic cycle.  Our responsibility to protect and preserve these special ecosystems is quite evident.

The gopher tortoise and its associated upland ecosystems are in decline rangewide, due to a diverse and long list of threats.  This material will augment an existing, extensive conservation education program and was provided gratis to 133 formal and non-formal educators throughout the tortoise's six state range.  Providing educators with this new tool will assist them in teaching about the ecological importance of this species and the fascinating world in which it lives.  In addition, distribution of this material will result in a broader conservation impact than this relatively small volunteer organization can make alone.  Increased educational efforts will result in a better-informed public, and consequently better decisions regarding gopher tortoise and upland habitat conservation.

The program will give the audience a basic understanding about the natural history of the gopher tortoise, why they are an essential component of healthy upland ecosystems and the survival challenges that they face.  The resource notebook is an in-depth reference and provides greater detail about the primary concepts covered in the slide/PowerPoint presentation, including the importance of fire, the pros and cons of relocating gopher tortoises and a wide variety of conservation methods.

The Gopher Tortoise Council, Florida Turtle Conservation Trust, Georgia Department of Natural Resources, League of Environmental Educators in Florida, Fern Allies Inc., and numerous individuals have provided financial support for this project.

Please click here for more information on this conservation education project.

New Organizational Brochure Available from the Gopher Tortoise Council *

The Gopher Tortoise Council (www.gophertortoisecouncil.org) has recently updated their organizational brochure and is currently distributing copies.  A .pdf version can be downloaded here.  Hardcopies are available by contacting Bill
Knox (GTC membership secretary) or Laura Wewerka (GTC Public Information
and Education Committee chair).  Your assistance with distribution to interested individuals and organizations is requested.

The Gopher Tortoise Council was formed in 1978 by a group of southeastern biologists and other citizens concerned with the decline of the gopher tortoise.  Their goal is to work for the wise management and perpetuation of the gopher tortoise, the animals that live with it, and their natural habitats.  Since the Council was formed, they have continued to work toward those very goals.  One of their earliest successes was playing a lead role in shutting down the legal harvest of gopher tortoises in Florida in 1988.

In the early 1990s, the Council shifted from the previous emphasis on harvest closure to a much needed broader emphasis on upland ecosystem conservation.  Since that time, they have continued to maintain that focus.  If you are not already a member of the Council, please consider joining them as they work toward conserving this flagship species and the fascinating world in which it lives.