Agenda - Council - 10/22/2002 - Laserfiche WebLink

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/Vlbmc~om DNR Natural 14u~tage al~d Nongumc R~earch Pro~.',m Envii'~nmemal R~vicw Fac~ Shcu[ Series. BI.nding'~ Tu~lu. ~ -360- ROADS cont. Culverts between wetland areas, or between wetland areas and nesting areas, should be 36 inches or greater in diameter, and efliptical or fiat-bottomed. Wetland crossings should be bridged, or include raised roadways with culverts which are 36 in or greater in · diameter and flat-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 fi.om attempting to-cross them (contact your DNR Nongame Specialist for details). 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. Calverts Under roads crossing streams should be oversized Roads crossing streams should be bridged. (at least twice as wide as the normal width of open water) ~ and flat-bottomed or elliptical. UTILITIES Utility access and maintenance roads should be kept to a minimum (this reduces road-kill potential). Below-ground utility construction sites should be returned to original grade (trenches can trap turtles). LANDSCAPING ',azND VEGETATION MA_NAGEMENT Terrain should be left with as much natura[ contour as possible. Graded areas should be revegetated with native grasses and forbs (some non-natives form dense patches through which it is difficult for turtles to travel). Vegetation management in infrequently mowed areas -- such as in ditches, along utility access roads, and under power tines - should be done mechanically (chemicals should not be used). Work should occur tall through spring (after October 15. and betbre June 1~' ). As much natural landscape as possible should be preserved (installation of sod or wood chips, paving, and planting of trees within nesting habitat can make that habitat unusable to nesting Blanding's turtles). Open space should include some areas at higher elevations for nesting. These areas should be retained in native vegetation, and should be connected to wetlands by a wide corridor of native vegetation. 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 infrequently as possible, and fall through spring (mowing can k/il turtles present durkng mowing, and makes it easier for predators to locate turtles crossing roads). Protecting Blanding'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 difficult for predators to locate the nest. Nests more than a week old probably donor 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 from predators and other disturbance by coveting them with a piece of wire fencing (such as chicken wire), secured to the gound w/th stakes or rocks. The piece of fencing should measure at least 2 ft. x 2 fL, 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 Au~ustlst so the young turtles can escape from the nest when they hatch! REFERENCES %ssociation tbr Biodiversity Information. "Heritage Status:' Global, National, and Subnational Conservation Status Ranks." NatureServe. Version 1.3 (9 April 2001). htt~://www.natureserve, orz/rankin~.h, tm. (15- ^pril 2ool). Coffin, B., and'L. P~nmueller. I988. Minnesota's Endangered Flora and Fauna. University of Minnesota Press, Minneapolis,' 473 pp. I I I I I' I I