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Minnesota DNR Natural Heritage and Nmagarne Keseareh Program Environmental Review Fact Sheet Series, Btanding's Turtle. ROADS cont. Culverts between wetland areas, or between wetland areas and nesting areas, shOuld be 36 inches or greater in diameter, and elliptical or flat-bottomed. Wetland crossings should be bridged, or include raised roadways with culverts which are 36 in or greater in diameter and tim-bottomed or elliptical (raised roadways discourage turtles from leaving the wetland to bask on roads). Road placement should avoid separating wetlands from adjacent upland nesting sites, or these roads should be fenced to prevent turtles from attempting to cross them (contact your DNR Nongame Specialist for detall~). Road placement should avoid bisecting wetlands, or these roads should be fenced to prevent turtles from attempting to cross them (contact your DNR Nongame Specialist for details). This is especially important for roads with more than 2 lanes. Culverts under roads crossing streams should be oversized Roads crossing streams should be bridged. (at least twice as w/de as the normal width of open water) and flat-bottomed or elliptical. UTILITIES Ut. it!ty access and maintenance roads should be kept to a mm~mum (this reduces road-kill potential). Below-ground utility construction sites should be returned to original grade (trenches can trap turtles). LANDSCAPING AND VEGETATION MANAGEMENT Terrain should be left with as much natural contour as As much natural landscape as possible should be preserved possible. (installation of sod or wood chips, paving, and planting of trees within nesting habitat can make that habitat unusable to nesting Blanding's turtles). Graded areas should be revegetated with native grasses and Open space should include some areas at higher elevations forbs (some non-natives form dense patches through which for nesting. These areas should be retained in native it is difficult for turtles to travel), vegetation, and should be connected to wetlands by a wide corridor of native vegetation. Vegetation management in infrequently mowed areas -- such as in ditches, along utility access roads, and under power lines -- should be done mechanically (chemicals should not be used). Work should occur fall through spring (after October l't and before June 1 '~ ). Ditches and utility access roads should not be mowed or managed through use of chemicals. If vegetation management is required, it should be done mechanically, as infrequentlyas possible, and fall through spring (mowing can kill turtles present during mowing, and makes it easier for predators to locate turtles crossing roads). Protecting Bianding's Turtle Nests: Most predation on turtle nests occurs within 48 hours after .the eggs are laid. After this time, the scent :is gone from the nest and it is more diffia3~!hfor predators to locate the nest. Nests more than a week old probably do not need additional protection, unless they are in a particularly vulnerable spot, such as a yard where pets may disturb the nest. Turtle nests can be protected fxom predators and other disturbance by covering them with a piece of wire fencing (such as chicken wire), secured to the ground with stakes or rocks. The piece of fencing should measure at least 2 ft. x 2 ft., and should be of medium sized mesh (openings should be about 2 in. x 2 in.). It is very important that the fencing be removed before Aueust 1st so the young turtles can escape from the nest when they hatch! REFERENCES 'Association for Biodiversity Information. "Heritage Status: Global, National, and Subnational Conservation Status Ranks." NatureServe. Version 1.3 (9 April 2001). http://www.natureserve.org/ranking.htm (15 April 2001). Coffin, B., and L. Pfanmueller. 1988. Minnesota's Endangered Flora and Fauna. University of Minnesota Press, Minneapolis, 473 pp.