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Natural Heritage Database©1 showed that there were no known occurrences on site, but <br />five known occurrences of the Blanding's turtle to the north and west. The general <br />locations of these known occurrences are within Sections 20, 21 and 22, T032N, R25W1. <br />The closest record of Blanding's turtles lies approximately 1/2 mile north of the RTC <br />project area. The Blanding's turtle is a state -listed, threatened species in Minnesota. <br />Most of the local records of Blanding's turtles correspond to roadway sections between <br />different elements of turtle habitat. Turtles often cross roads as they attempt to travel <br />between different wetland and upland areas that provide for their different habitat needs. <br />The turtles use deeper wetlands and lakes for over wintering; sandy, open areas such as <br />dry prairie and grassland for nesting; and shallow emergent marsh and shrub swamps for <br />forging (Oldfield and Moriarty, 1994). These key habitats can be further described as <br />(Lang, 2002): <br />1) Activity season wetlands, encompassing a variety of wetland types and sizes <br />that are typically occupied for various periods during the spring, summer and fall; <br />2) Over -wintering wetlands, comprising specific wetlands that provide refuge <br />from lethal winter temperatures and protection from predators during inactivity; <br />and <br />3) Nesting uplands, characterized by exposed, well drained soils, used largely <br />during the reproductive season by reproductive females and emerging hatchlings. <br />Local Blanding' s turtle records (DNR Natural Heritage Program, 2003), showed turtle <br />movement during times of the year when they emerge from over wintering wetlands and <br />disperse into activity season wetlands, or as they travel to nesting uplands during the <br />month of June. <br />The wetland and grassland habitat concentrated around the northwest corner of the RTC <br />site provides potential Blanding' s turtle habitat. In particular, the constructed wetland <br />and adjacent wetland swales (delineated wetlands A, B and C), provide potential habitat. <br />This area provides over -wintering habitat within the constructed wetland (Wetland B). <br />Limited activity season habitat is available due to the small size of wetlands, degree of <br />fragmentation and agricultural land uses. Nesting upland habitat is marginal due to the <br />fact that agricultural activities would typically disturb turtle nest before hatchlings have <br />emerged from the nest. Areas not subject to agricultural disturbance are generally narrow <br />or small and would tend to concentrate predators resulting in high mortality. Other <br />possible areas of Blanding' s turtle habitat include the wetlands located along the north <br />portion of the RTC, including the two DNR Public Waters Wetlands (670W and 671W). <br />2.23 acres of DNR Wetland 670W, (delineated wetland D) is located within the project <br />boundaries. Both of these wetlands would be considered activity season wetlands and do <br />not contain sufficient depth of water (under existing conditions) to support over - <br />wintering turtles. Nesting upland habitat is potentially available adjacent to these <br />wetlands. <br />' Copyright 2000, State of Minnesota, Department of Natural Resources. This information may be <br />reprinted, unaltered, in Environmental Assessment Worksheets, municipal natural resource plans, and <br />internal reports. For any other use, written permission is required. <br />11-3 <br />