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Year of the Turtle Calendar--2011
While
the Chinese calendar designates 2011 as the Year of the Rabbit, for
concerned conservationists and organizations, it is also the Year of
the Turtle. Many people are familiar with the story of "The Tortoise
and the Hare." Today, there is a race in progress; a race to extinction,
and unfortunately turtles are emerging as the leaders. The major threats
to turtles are human-caused, which also means that people can work together
to address turtle conservation issues and to help ensure the continued
survival of these ancient creatures.
To learn more about turtles and what you can do to help them, turtle related programs and events open to the public are listed below in the 2011 Year of the Turtle Calendar.
SEND
US YOUR TURTLE EVENT LISTINGS! -- To help promote turtle awareness
and turtle conservation efforts across the state, conservation groups,
schools, natural history museums, zoo and other organizations offering
turtle conservation-related programs are invited to submit their program
listing to the DFW for the Year of The Turtle Calendar. Send your listing
to mass.wildlife@state.ma.us
and include Year of the Turtle in the Subject line. Thanks for your
interest in turtle conservation!
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Year of the Turtle -- 2011
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MARCH 2011
Training Sessions To Identify Turtle Crossings --Linking Landscapes for Massachusetts Wildlife, a recent partnership between the Division of Fisheries and Wildlife (DFW), Department of Transportation (DOT) Highway Division and UMass-Amherst, trained volunteers to collect data in 2010 and is expanding its volunteer program by offering two citizen scientist information and training sessions in Amherst and Westborough. These sessions are designed to train new volunteers, acknowledge current volunteer efforts, and share results from the first year of data collection. The information gathered thorough this volunteer effort will be used to coordinate local turtle conservation efforts. For more information, contact Dave Paulson at david.paulson@state.ma.us or call him at (508) 389-6366.
Session 1 -- Saturday, March 26, 2011, from 10am - 12pm at the Notch Visitor's Center located at 1500 West Street in Amherst.
Session 2 -- Tuesday, March 29, 2011, from 7pm - 9pm at the Karl Weiss Educational Conference Building located on North Drive in Westborough.
APRIL 2011
April 1-15 -- Youth Turtle Art Contest, Sandwich -- The
Thornton Burgess Society is sponsoring a Turtle Art Contest. Show
off your artistic talents and your LOVE of turtles! Create any kind
of turtle art using the materials of your choice. Submit your art project
to Green Briar Nature Center by April 15, 2011. Be sure to include
name, address and your age as the projects will be judged in three age
group categories. Art projects will be on public display and judging
will be held on Earth Day, April 22, 2011, from 11:00-1:00. More
details.
April 9 -- Community Turtle Search & Education Day, Sudbury -- The Sudbury Valley Trustees (SVT), the City of Marlborough and the General Federation of Women's Clubs are partnering to conduct a citizen-science survey of turtles in Memorial Forest in Sudbury and the adjacent Desert Conservation land in Marlborough. The 2011 Great Turtle Search will survey common and rare turtles living in the area to gain a general sense of turtle presence on the properties. Interested citizens at this session will learn all about turtles and their habitat. Examine live wood turtles and help Sudbury Valley Trustees look for native turtles at Memorial Forest in Sudbury. For more information, contact Erin Snook at 978-443-5588 x21 or email her at esnook@svtweb.org.
April 21 -- Spring Break Turtle Survey, Sudbury -- The Sudbury Valley Trustees (SVT), the City of Marlborough and the General Federation of Women's Clubs are partnering to conduct a citizen-science survey of turtles in Memorial Forest in Sudbury and the adjacent Desert Conservation land in Marlborough. They are conducting this survey to gain a general sense of turtle presence on the properties. Volunteers will search for turtles with training provided by SVT. The training runs from 10:00am-11:30am. Sightings will be entered in data sheets and will help to guide habitat management at the property. Join us to help with this project and learn more about our local turtles. This is a free event, but registration is required. Register by contacting Erin Snook esnook@svtweb.org or calling 978-443-5588 ext. 21.
April 22--Earth Day with Turtles at Green Briar Nature Center, Sandwich -- Celebrate Earth Day with the Thornton Burgess Society at Green Briar from 11-1, with activities pertaining to the endangered Northern Red-bellied cooters and eastern box turtles. See the hands- on turtle artifact display, a craft and play a few games as well as special appearances by live turtles. The winners of the annual Turtle Art Contest will also be announced at this time.
April 27 -- Turtle Hurdles for Homeschoolers, Wellfleet -- A program offered for home school students ages 6-9 years-old by MassAudubon's Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary. Students will develop their scientific skills and knowledge about marine life in this engaging class about sea turtles at the Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary from 10:00 am - 12:00 pm. Participants will explore biofacts and play large groups games to learn more about the survival challenges turtles face. Child must be accompanies by a caregiver. Dress for the weather and bring shoes you can run in. Registration is required--fee and registration application
MAY 2011
May 10 -- Sea Turtles in Massachusetts Waters, Brewster -- Friends of the Cape Cod Museum of Natural History present a talk by Bob Prescott, Director of the Massachusetts Audubon Society's Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary. Bob will be talking about and showing images of Sea Turtles in Massachusetts waters with an emphasis on sea turtles around the Cape and the annual cold stunning episodes. He will be focusing on and discussing the natural history of Kemps' Ridley, Green, Loggerhead and Leatherback sea turtles in our waters. Who would have guessed that Nantucket Sound, Cape Cod and Buzzards Bay were such important nursery habitat for juvenile sea turtles. We'll look at what sea turtles eat while they are here as well as discover where they are coming from and where they are going. Bob will talk about and show images of a sea turtle necropsy.
May 14 -- Wetlands Walk at Oxbow NWR, Harvard -- Join the Friends of the Oxbow NWR and Pat Huckery, MassWildlife District Supervisor and Biologist for an exploration of wetlands on the refuge. Program will include a 2- hour walk on the refuge with a focus on wetland wildlife such as the Blanding's turtle. Learn about the habitat these animals live in and what you can do to help us conserve them. Wear appropriate clothing, bring along a hat, water, insect repellant, binoculars and a camera! Pre-registration preferred by calling Rona Balco at (978) 779-2259. The program begins at 1 PM. Meet at the refuge parking lot at the end of Still River Depot Rd in Harvard.
May 18 -- Fisheries and Wildlife Board Hosts Public Informational
Meeting on Eastern Box Turtle Conservation Plan
The Fisheries and Wildlife Board will conduct an informational meeting
for the public on the proposed Eastern Box Turtle Conservation Plan.
The plan has been developed by the Division of Fisheries and Wildlife
(DFW) pursuant to the Massachusetts Endangered Species Act, M.G.L. c.
131A, (MESA) and DFW's MESA regulations at 321 CMR 10.12 6(a) (6), 10.23(6)
and 10.26. The Fisheries and Wildlife Board will hold this informational
meeting on Wednesday, May 18, 2011, 3:30 p.m., at the Massachusetts
Technology Collaborative, Karl
Weiss Education and Conference Center, 100 North Drive, Westborough,
MA. Beginning on May 18, 2011, the date of the public informational
meeting, DFW will commence a 60-day public comment period on the plan
and related general permit, which will end on the close of business,
July 18, 2011.
5/11/11--The Eastern Box Turtle Management Plan is now available on the Division website.
May 20 -- Celebrate Turtles with MassWildlife! Westborough--The Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife (DFW), invites the public to a "Celebrate Turtles" event from 4PM - 7PM at the DFW Field Headquarters off North Drive in Westborough. This free, family-friendly event will provide turtle enthusiasts a close encounter with a broad selection of live native turtles found here in Massachusetts, including both common and state-listed species. Learn about the threats to turtles here in Massachusetts and ways in which you can help these ancient creatures. Talk with biologists and other turtle enthusiasts at a variety of turtle related stations featuring native turtles, turtle telemetry and research, turtle conservation tips, and a presentation on Head-starting Endangered Red-bellied Cooter (turtle) hatchlings. This is a rain or shine event.
May 21-- Terrific Turtles, Hampden -- A program offered by MassAudubon's
Laughing Brook Wildlife Sanctuary and the Town of Hampden. Come visit
Laughing Brook Wildlife Sanctuary and learn about turtles from Mass
Audubon staff and 4th grade students at the Green Meadows Elementary
School, Hampden. Thanks to the generous support of the Community Foundation
of Western Mass local students have had two classroom visits and one
field trip to Laughing Brook. Now it's their turn to share their knowledge
with others. Meet live turtles, learn about the turtle species in the
state and their status, and take a natural history walk at Laughing
Brook and try your luck at "turtle twister". Learn about turtle
research and how you can help turtle populations. Bring a picnic lunch
if you choose! This is a free event, pre-registration is not required.
May 23 -- World Turtle Day -- World Turtle Day, sponsored every year since 2000 by American Tortoise Rescue, was established to bring attention to, and increase knowledge of and respect for, turtles and tortoises. Turtle Day is celebrated worldwide in a variety of ways, including dressing up as turtles, assisting turtles crossing roadways (when conditions are safe), and taking part in research activities (such as citizen science volunteer programs).
May 25 -- Turtles Gone Wild, Lakeville -- The Lakeville Historical Society is hosting a talk by Turtle Journal’s Don Lewis and Sue Wieber Nourse on the Turtles of Massachusett. The talk will take place at the Lakeville United Church of Christ at 7PM.
May 27 -- Celebrate Turtles with MassWildlife! Hanson/Halifax-The Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife (DFW), invites the public to a release of endangered Northern Red-bellied Turtles and "Celebrate Turtles" event from 10 AM - 12 Noon on Friday May 27, 2011 at the DFW's Burrage Pond Wildlife Management Area in Hanson/Halifax. This family-friendly event will provide turtle enthusiasts an opportunity to release "head-started" Red-bellied Northern Cooters, see a broad selection of other live native turtles found here in Massachusetts, learn about the threats to turtles here in Massachusetts from biologists and other turtle enthusiasts. You'll also see how turtles are tracked with telemetry and discover how you can help these ancient creatures. This is a rain or shine event. More details and directions will be forthcoming.
JUNE 2011
June 11 -- Operation Blanding's Nation, Old Manse, Concord -- As part of the SuAsCo Riverfest, come learn about the Blanding's turtle at the Old Manse from 10 AM - 1PM. Meet a Blanding's turtle, learn how to identify these threatened species, and become advocates for the threatened and endangered species that live in your backyards. Find out what Thoreau School fourth graders have done to create awareness of this turtle and view some of their projects involving the Blanding's turtles.
June 11 -- Traveling Turtles, Norwell -- 'Tis the season for turtles! Female turtles are leaving the security of their pond and woodland habitats to trek to breeding areas, often traveling great distances and crossing back yards and treacherous roadways. Many are injured as they make this hazardous journey. The South Shore Natural Science Center invites the public to learn about the potential problems turtles face each year and what can be done to assist them. The program runs from 10 am - 11 am. After observing turtles in the EcoZone Museum, walk to Jacobs Pond to explore and find resident turtles. Please dress for the weather. Pre-registration requested. Contact the Science Center at (781) 659-2559 or SSNSC@comcast.net. Cost: Members Free, Non-members Free with Admission. (Northern Red-bellied Cooters, a federal and state-listed species, are on display at the Science Center--Science Center is open M-Sat., 9:30am-4:30pm.)
June 11 -- Turtle Ecology at Great Meadows: Restoring the Blanding's Turtle, Sudbury --This event will be held from 10:00 AM – 12:30 PM, sponsored by Mass. Audubon’s Drumlin Farm Wildlife Sanctuary. Join Dr. Bryan Windmiller as he monitors and examines some of the turtles of Great Meadows as well as other reptiles, amphibians, insects, and plants within the refuge. We will radio track a juvenile Blanding's turtle that was raised in a local school for its first year as part of an effort to reverse a sharp decline in this important rare species population. Dr. Windmiller will also discuss and demonstrate some of the complex issues involved in conserving turtle populations in an urbanizing landscape. Fee: $20/members, $25/non-members. Open to anyone age 16 or older. Registration is required. Click here or call (781) 259-2206 to sign up or for more info.
June 12 -- Turtle Time, Topsfield -- As late spring becomes
early summer, it means one thing: turtle time! Join staff at MassAudubon's
Ipswich River Sanctuary for an afternoon of exploring its wetlands in
search of these fascinating reptiles. Visit areas where turtles like
to nest in the hopes of finding some eggs and, with a little luck, get
an up-close look at a painted turtle. Conclude with a trip to the Rockery
to see if we can summon our resident snapping turtle, Godzilla. This
program is open to families with children 5 years or older. Preregistration
is required. Fee--Adult Member $7, Adult Non-Member $9, Children $6
Members, $7 Non-member. Contact the Topsfield River Sanctuary office
(978) 887-9264 for more details .
June 22-25 -- Field School; Turtles of the Outer Cape, Wellfleet -- A program offered for adults by MassAudubon's Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary. Survey the Outer Cape's turtle populations through field research on two state-listed species, the northern diamondback terrapin (threatened) and the eastern box turtle (special concern) in this action-packed four-day course. Participants will conduct nesting surveys, experience radio tracking, assist with mark and recapture studies and nest relocation and protection; and learn about predator and habitat analysis. Evening lectures will complement fieldwork and dinner on the first evening is provided. Further information on fees and materials are found on the Wellfleet Bay Sanctuary site.
JULY 2011
July 8 -- Terrapin Trek, Carver -- Meet at the Myles Standish State Forest Headquarters at the Interpretive Center at 2PM. Explore our wetlands in search of these fascinating reptiles. We'll visit areas where turtles like to nest in hopes of finding some eggs, and, with a little luck, get an up-close look at a painted turtle. We’ll also check out the habitat of the federally endangered northern red-bellied cooter. Bring binoculars if you have them. We’ll have some binoculars for people to borrow. For all ages. Meet at the Interpretive Center next to Headquarters.
July 16 -- Turtles and Snakes, Sheffield -- Join Trustees of Reservations naturalist Rene Wendell to search for the local snakes and turtles. Learn how to safely handle these critters and learn more about the habits and homes of these fascinating creatures. Ages 6 and up. Adult/Child $6; Family $15. Members $5/$10. Please pre-register at (413) 229-8600.
AUGUST 2011
SEPTEMBER 2011
September 11--Wild About Turtles, Natick -- This family program
at MassAudubon's Broadmoor Wildlife Sanctuary will allow you to visit
"up close and personal" with some of the turtles found around
the sanctuary. Can turtles really leave their shells like they do in
the cartoons? What is the difference between a turtle and a tortoise?
Find out for yourself! Learn more about our wonderful shelled friends
and take a short walk to see more turtles in the wild. Registration
is required. Adults $10.00 Member / $12.00 Non-member, Children $6.00
Member/ $8.00 Non-member. Registration
and other information.
September 9-11-- Field School: Hatching Diamondback Terrapins, Wellfleet -- A program offered for adults by MassAudubon's Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary. In early summer female diamondback terrapins leave the salt marsh to lay eggs in adjacent uplands. Several months later tiny turtles emerge from their eggshells, tunnel to the surface, and head to the marsh. In this three-day weekend focusing on Wellfleet Bay's terrapin project, participants will gain first-hand knowledge of turtle biology; monitor nests for hatching activity; weigh, measure, and release hatchlings; and document nesting success at various Outer Cape locations. Indoor lectures, a boat trip, and first evening's dinner are also provided. Registration required--more information.
OCTOBER 2011
NOVEMBER 2011
November 11 - 13 -- Field School: Sea Turtle and Marine Animal Strandings, Wellfleet--A program offered for adults by MassAudubon's Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary. Although animal strandings are ultimately determined by weather conditions, this unique three-day course is scheduled during peak time for strandings of sea turtles, ocean sunfish, and torpedo rays. Participants will get a "hands-on" perspective by patrolling beaches to search for cold-stunned sea turtles, collecting baseline data on stranded marine life, and performing necropsies. Dinner on the first evening, lectures, and a harbor cruise are included. Registration required--more information.
DECEMBER 2011
Updated: 07/08/2011