By Vanessa Lenz
SLN Staff
The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is seeking a permit that would allow the loss of an endangered turtle when it begins a restoration project in the Town of East Troy.
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources is now taking public comment on the matter through Oct. 6.
According to the DNR, the restoration planned by the Natural Resources Conservation Service may result in the “incidental take” of some of
the state-threatened Blanding’s turtles (Emydoidea blandingii).
“Incidental take” refers to the unintentional loss of individual endangered or threatened animals or plants that does not put the overall population of the species at risk, according to the DNR.
The Natural Resources Conservation Service plans to re-establish and enhance approximately 107 acres of degraded wetland in East Troy through ditch filling, tile disabling, excavation, and invasive brush and tree removal. Taking these steps to protect the wetland is an important part of saving livings things from falling into extinction. This can also be said for private properties that may have diseased or deteriorating trees, bushes, plants, etc. that are not doing anything for the environment and causing disturbance underneath from the potential contamination. That is why property owners may look into such things as ‘tree removal companies near me‘ to help rid their yard of these types of damaging plants.
Rori Paloski, Incidental Take Coordinator Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, would not specify the location of the degraded wetland.
“Because rare species data are exempt from the Wisconsin Open Records Law, we do not provide the location information more detailed than township level when issuing a public notice,” Paloski said.
Paloski said the presence of the Blanding’s turtle has been confirmed in the vicinity of the project site.
DNR staff determined that the species is likely present due to the presence of suitable habitat.
The project area and surrounding landscape include cropland and degraded shrub/forested wetland.
“The primary purpose of the project is to restore the hydrology and natural vegetation of the site in order to provide increased stability in an environmentally sensitive area,” the DNR said in its public hearing notice for the proposed incidental take permit. “In addition, the proposed project will maximize long-term habitat improvement and provide critical habitat for wildlife including rare, threatened, and endangered species.”
Paloski said the project will employ turtle removals as needed to minimize loss of the at-risk species and any temporarily disturbed habitat will be restored to pre-activity, or better, condition.
“All applicants applying for incidental take permits are required to minimize take of the species,” she said.
The NRCS will have to follow a number of conservation measures, including restrictions for tree removal, ditch fills, and seeding.
All Blanding’s turtles found during walk-throughs at the site will be immediately removed from the disturbance area and relocated to a suitable habitat outside the project site, according to the proposed permit.
All dead amphibians and reptiles onsite must be recorded and reported to Paloski, the permit said.
DNR staff concluded that the proposed project “will minimize the impacts to the turtle by adhering to conservation measures; is not likely to jeopardize the continued existence and recovery of the state population of these turtles or the whole plant-animal community of which they are a part; and has benefit to the public health, safety or welfare that justifies the action.”
Copies of the jeopardy assessment and background information on the Blanding’s turtle are available on the incidental take page of the DNR website, www.dnr.wi.gov or upon request from Paloski at (608) 264-6040.
Public comments should be sent to Rori Paloski, DNR Bureau of Endangered Resources, PO Box 7921, Madison, WI 53707.
