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March 2022
Grace Needs You!

Have you heard of Grace?
Grace is a +125 years old, one-eyed snapping turtle that lives in Halliburton and has been known to locals for many years. Grace is the oldest female snapping turtles that we have records of in Cottage Country. Some people have been recording sightings of Grace for over 40 years! 

Grace hibernates at a small wetland near the village. Hibernation sites are virtually irreplaceable to turtles because they have very specific requirements to allow our shelled friends to overwinter successfully at a time when a turtle's metabolism is slowed and their immune systems are barely functioning. But also turtles have imprinted these sites (as well as feeding sites, nesting sites, and the routes they travel) when they are young. In fact snapping turtles, like Grace, are known to return to the same site within 1 metre of the previous year for all of their lives. However, after the age of 5 turtles have reduced brain plasticity. This means they cannot readily make new spatial memories required to find "new" suitable hibernation sites year after year as is required for survival.

Grace hibernates in one side of a wetland that is dissected by a road. We don't know which side of the wetland she rests in for the winter, but we do know that it is one side. Also we know that other turtles use both sides of the wetland in question for hibernation. We also know that the wetland has been zoned as Environmentally Protected. 

Environmental Protection Zones are areas that may include flood zones, wetlands, and significant wildlife habitats. The province provides direction to municipalities to map and protect these zones. In Dysart et al, these zones have been identified and mapped for 30 years.

The landowner of one half of the wetland, had been filling in the perimeter of the basin for many years. It was assumed that they had a municipal site alteration permit for this activity- until this winter. In January the landowner began filling the open water areas of the basin. This activity would destroy fish habitat, entomb any turtles within the basin, harm other Species at Risk, and increase flooding of the road in the spring. Surely, this activity was not within a permit! But alas, he did not have a permit, because in the municipality of Dysart et al there are no standard provisions in their zoning bylaws to issue permits or manage EP zoning. In fact, after much research, this township is only one of two across southern Ontario that doesn't have any standard tools in place to protect recognized Environmentally Protected areas, and therefore to properly manage or steward our wildlife, fish habitats, wetlands, and flood zones.  

Luckily due to other Species at Risk at the site, the MECP had to step in to ask the landowner to halt the filling.
Today, there remains a chance that Grace is okay and was not entombed.
We are searching for volunteers to help monitor this site.

But also, if Grace is alive, this spring may bring about added trials. In May 2022, under new provincial provisions, the landowner may now apply to fill in the wetland containing Endangered Species Habitat and pay the province for the ability to do so. Therefore the original failure of the municipality to have the correct controls in place which led to this situation, may be the weak link that leads to the loss of an essential home for fish and wildlife in the village of Haliburton and a vital flood control basin. Indeed, all wildlife is at risk in Dysart et al without the proper municipal tools in place. Without these tools there is no stop gap and also no flexibility to find solutions either. 

To find out more about Grace, turtle biology and why municipal tools are good for conservation and development too, listen to our interview with Canoe FM radio

Help us save Grace and her other shelled friends in Haliburton county. All turtles in Haliburton county are at risk due to insufficient wetland protection. TO DONATE TO US please do so directly through our go fund me page found here  

 

Sign the petition for proper planning tools in Dysart et al
Donate to the Saving Grace Campaign
Volunteer as a Turtle Crossing Guard
March Break Turtle Camp
Join us on March 16 and 17th from 10 am to 1pm for virtual Turtle Camp!
$20 per camper (which includes your TG card mail-out). 
Meet our Teaching Turtles. Learn about wetland wildlife and how to monitor nesting turtles. Pass your level 2 test and receive your Turtle Guardian Level 2 card. 
Camp will also review Level 1 details on day 1; how to identify Ontario's 8 turtles.  
Join us at Turtle Camp this March
Summer Volunteers Wanted

Turtle Volunteer opportunities

  • Turtle Crossing Guards are at the frontlines of saving turtles. They monitor sections of roads where there are high numbers of turtles being killed. These are two hour shifts once a week. 
  • Road Researchers adopt a section of road. They drive, cycle, or walk the road at least once a week to search for turtles and record observations.
  • Nest Sitters, are either on call helpers to babysit nesting mother's to ensure they are safe, and/or they adopt caged nest sties to monitor and also help hatchlings succeed. 
  • Wetland Watchers adopt a wetland and monitor the basin once a week to look for basking turtles and other wildlife.
     
Become a Turtle Guardian Volunteer
We are Hiring! 
 
Interested in protecting wildlife, obtaining hands on conservation experience and working for an award winning charity? Join our The Land Between Team! We are currently hiring for multiple positions including: Turtle Field Technician, Junior Shoreline Naturalization Technician, Junior Invasive Species Technician, Incubator/Field Technician, Communications Specialist, Senior Conservation Program Coordinator, Junior Blue Lakes Program Assistant, GIS and Computer Programmers, Turtle Camp Counselors, and Junior Bird Conservation Technician!
We are able to offer these jobs due to the support of the federal Youth Employment Strategy. Applicants must be under the age of 30 to qualify.  
Read the Job Descriptions
Apply Now
Our famous Turtle Guardians 
Calendar is still available!

It's not too late!
Our famous Turtle Guardians calendar is a popular gift this year.
This year's calendar features our Ambassador Turtles starring in blockbuster movies, like Harry Potter, Star Wars, Lord of the Rings and more!

Give an extra special gift this season that will also help save our shelled friends across The Land Between bioregion- Ontario’s Highlands. All proceeds go to turtle tunnels, billboards, crossing signs and nest incubation programs!
It's not too late! Buy a calander today!
Focus on Our Staff: Grace Wiley
Turtle Education Specialist

Grace is a graduate of Fleming College’s Fish and Wildlife Technology program and received an Honours Bachelor of Science in Biology / Environmental & Resource Sc. From Trent University. Grace has always had an interest in herpetology (or the study of reptiles and amphibians). She began working in the field in 2017 and has had the opportunity to work on several reptile research projects across Ontario. She also completed a Tropical Field Herpetology course in Costa Rica.  

Grace started working for TLB on a road research team in 2020, and quickly became involved in education and outreach. She is currently the Education and Outreach Coordinator for the Turtle Guardians program. Grace works to educate the public about turtles and their conservation through events such as farmers markets, visiting schools and tours at our facility. Grace works very closely with our 7 teaching turtles, who are wonderful advocates for turtle conservation. You may have seen Grace around town, driving a painted PT Cruiser (which she calls the turtle mobile). Grace loves to get out into the field during turtle season and is a team lead for one of the Peterborough Road Research teams. Grace has also been a part of other projects, such as a species at risk guide, and creating a free turtle-based curriculum. She is currently working on a turtle conservation guide as well! 

Learn more about our Turtle Guardians Education Programs

School Curricula for Ontario's Elementary Students

Check out our grade school curricula
For the past year, the staff at Turtle Guardians has been working with teachers, Indigenous Elders, and parents, to develop and test our new Turtle-y Cool Curricula. These resources are designed to meet Ontario Standards, with lessons to help students learn Math, Geography, Social sciences, Indigenous Studies, and even Mental Health! 

The lessons come with "blacklist masters" which are worksheets for both students and teachers, to help complete the activities. Some lessons can be taught outside, and all contain support for new types of learning goals, such as inquiry-based learning. You can pass these resources on to teachers by sharing them with schools or use them for homeschooling!
You can also book a school or class Turtle Education Presentation (online or in person) with us for a nominal fee which supports our programming and turtle care. Simply email us at info@turtleguardians.ca or call 705-457-1222. 
Check out the Turtle Guardian Curricula
The Land Between bioregion is home to approx. 1/3 of Ontario's turtle population. It is a unique ecosystem that is a final refuge for many Species at Risk. 
Interested in learning more about this landscape?
Sign up for The Land Between newsletter!
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The Land Between, All rights reserved.


Our mailing address is:
The Land Between Charity
705-457-1222, Box 1368, Haliburton, ON K0M1S0

email: info@thelandbetween.ca


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