Help the the Turtles of Lake Champlain
Hello Evolution,
Every October we clear two turtle nesting beaches with the help of volunteers. One beach is in North Hero State Park, the other is Sandy Point in West Swanton. The Spiny Softshell turtle is a threatened species in Vermont whose nesting habitat has been lost to lakeshore development. The Spiny Softshell nests at these two beaches along with other species. The beaches have been cleared of plant growth, but we go back every year to pull up the new growth from the summer just past.
Please join us for this great and necessary event.
Thanks,
Eric Lazarus
-Evolution Yoga student
Annual Autumn Turtle Nesting Beach Clean-up Day
Date: Saturday, October 24, 2009
Location: Start at North Hero State Park (NHSP)
Time: 10:00 AM start. Be sure to get to North Hero State Park (NHSP) by 11:00 AM as we may move to other sites when we complete work at NHSP, which depends on how many join us. We may be working until around 3:00 PM, but feel free to leave at any time.
Leader: State Biologist, Steve Parren, Program Coordinator Nongame & Natural Heritage Program of the Vermont Department of Fish and Wildlife.
Join Steve and others for a workday, as he prepares stretches of beach [NHSP, and sites in Swanton] for the turtle egg-laying season next June. The threatened Spiny Softshell Turtle is Steve’s particular concern, and its nests are found on both beach sites, along with those of Map, Snapping, and Painted Turtles. While most hatchlings will have crawled up and out of the ground and into the lake by the end of September, some late hatching young may still be underground. We often find young as we pull up the current season’s plant growth from the shale pebble beach. By then the lake will be too cold, so they will be brought indoors for the winter.
What to Bring: Bring warm clothes in layers, gloves, and rain gear if needed. Bring only short handled tools, a trowel and/or a hand cultivator. Bring lunch.
Families welcome: If Steve has recovered some baby turtles (likely) he will bring and talk about them.
Directions: Route 2 north past Carry Bay in N. Hero. Right on Lakeview Drive, just before Rt 2 swings west toward Alburg. Follow Lakeview almost to end. North Hero State Park entrance and sign on left. Drive to end always bearing right. Please arrive between 10 and 11 AM.
Contact: Eric Lazarus, 658-8505 or ericlazarus@myfairpoint.net