Steps Towards a Blanding s Turtle Recovery Plan in Illinois: status assessment and management Daniel R. Ludwig, Illinois Department of Natural Resources
1855 - abundant 1922 - common in Chicago area 1937 rare 1991 Rowe and Moll 1994 MCCD, FPDDC & IL Natural History Survey 1999 - IL threatened 2006 - IL endangered Natural Heritage Database - Element Occurrence Records (EOR) maintained by IDNR for Illinois threatened and endangered species. A map and data sheet is associated with each EOR. 134 records from 27 counties; present on public land in 9 counties in NE IL EORs and site specific associated data are not made available to the general public or environmental consultants.
Illinois range - relatively common in appropriate habitat from the Illinois River northward records from 19 counties since 2000; best protection on public land in 9 counties in NE IL Field Guide to Amphibians and Reptiles of Illinois 1999
Increasing interest in this turtle on the part of land management agencies in northeastern IL Chicago Wilderness Region since early 1990s. Wetland restoration and management
Fragmented and isolated turtle populations persisting in low quality degraded wetlands. Should these turtles be rescued/not wasted?
T and E Species Consultation Process IDNR s threatened and endangered species consultation process Office of Realty and Environmental Protection Consult if a T or E species es is present within an 1 mile radius of proposed development (EcoCAT hit ); based on EOR and INAI records and INPC Provides recommendations/guidelines for avoiding and/or reducing impacts - residential and commercial development, infrastructure, renewable energy, miscellaneous activities and projects 35% (198/561) of all recommendations since 2006 involved Blanding s Turtles Visual searches, trapping and drift fences between May and June - survey methods of choice
T and E Species Consultation Process (continued) Required to comply with consultation if state or federal funds will be spent; otherwise voluntary Consultation is advisory for most developers/industry - Recommendations are provided Ways to mitigate impacts Incidental Take Authorization and a Species Management Plan Education of contractors employees and the public Consultation has been driven by large developers and environmental consultants
Fact Finding During 2006 2006 - What is needed a management plan or a recovery plan? Questionnaire sent to turtle researchers (7), land managers (7) and environmental consultants (3) during late January 2006. Seventeen (17) responses from 24 potential responders received by April 2006. PART 1 - Determine the goals and objectives of ongoing management efforts to benefit the Blanding s Turtle (Emydoidea blandingii) ) and Spotted Turtle (Clemmys guttata) ) in Illinois. Provided d an assessment of the status of each turtle species PART 2 Asked questions about the conservation biology and sustainability of both turtle species. CONCLUSION: Management/recovery plans should be written for each species All 17 responses - willingness to contribute to a management plan.
Status of the Blanding s Turtle in Illinois 2006 survey results 17 of 24 possible responses (researchers, land manager, environmental consultants) PROBLEMS IDENTIFIED: Loss of wetland habitat and surrounding uplands - land use and urban development Fragmentation and isolation of populations with urban sprawl Other causes of losses to populations: human caused mortality (development, landscaping and agricultural l equipment), mortality on roads and railroads, predation especially upon nests and eggs, and poaching/collecting RESULTS: Populations consisting primarily of older turtles with little recruitment of juvenile turtles; and sustained repeated losses of young (low to no recruitment) REOCCURING THEME FOR LONG-LIVED LIVED TURTLES ON THE DECLINE DESIRE FOR ACTION by managers of public land (habitat restoration and creation, head starting, nest protection) Listed as a threatened species in Illinois i during 1999 and as an endangered d species in 2006
Land management agencies in NE IL showed increasing interest as the species was found on old and new acquisitions. Chicago Wilderness Wildlife Working Group The species is of interest because of the ongoing management and restoration of wetlands in NE IL.
Objectives of the 2010 Northern IL workshop Review NE IL land management agencies and researchers present knowledge of Blanding s Turtle populations and the species status. Review ongoing g management activities including head starting and discuss successes and disappointments. Build/strengthen partnerships that will facilitate Blanding s Turtle management on a regional/landscape scale. Chicago Wilderness Wildlife Working Group Obtain information to integrate t into a statewide t species recovery tool/plan for Illinois Blanding s Turtles Endangered Species Protection Board, IL Nature Preserves Commission and ORC.
Requests made of presenters: The amount of attention biologists have been able to give Blanding s Turtle populations varies with agency. Status of existing habitat and Blanding s Turtle populations Select a status category that best describes each Blanding s Turtle population which your agency manages. Populations monitoring/research Threats to turtle populations Action plans - What conservation actions and/or techniques are currently being used? What actions are being considered for the future? Head starting ti young turtles tl
Current Knowledge 134 EORs from 27 Illinois counties all records - (oldest 1922) 72 EORs from 19 Illinois counties since 2000 Most known populations occur on protected property in 9 counties in northern IL (Forest Preserve Districts and Conservation Districts) Estimated population sizes in Northern IL < 25 turtles most populations (except for those listed below ) 25-5050 turtles - at least 4 populations 50-100 turtles 2 populations 100 500 turtles 3 populations > 500 turtles - none
Current Knowledge (continued) Recruitment was observed in 7 populations but at very low to low levels 3 populations could be considered stable; the rest are declining Self-sustaining? - 1 or 2 of the 3 largest populations (100-500 turtles) Threats road/railroad mortality; destruction and fragmentation of wetland and upland habitat; lack of active wetland management; nest and egg predation; removal from the wild 12 populations are being monitored to some extent; research projects and surveys are ongoing 3 agencies are head starting and releasing turtles; other agencies are assisting in some manner (husbandry, education)
CHALLENGES: What s Next? Recovery Plan? Focus and direct the interest and available ailable resources rces of Illinois agencies for the maintenance of sustainable populations in the most effective ways possible. Cooperative program(s) among land managing agencies to manage turtle habitat and populations across landscapes - metapopulation(s). Genetic management of populations with little or no connectivity. Population triage; rescue of adults on habitat islands in an urban sea Chicago Wilderness Partners can play a significant role.
RECOVERY PLANNING ORC, IDNR IDNR staff member initiates a recovery effort for a threatened or endangered species. Initial internal feasibility review Recovery outline: - brief statements of the historical and current status of the species, es, reasons s for decline, e, recovery e acto actions required, ed, and rough estimates of timing and costs. - a recovery outline is accompanied by a completed pre-planning planning tool form (weighed ). Reviewers consider biological, fiscal, logistical and other factors in determining feasibility.
Pre-planning Tool for Illinois Endangered and Threatened Species ranked and weighed Cost Historic Range in Illinois Historic Occurrence in Recovery Area Species Status - State Species Status - Federal Availability of Stock for Reintroduction Genetic Issues Historic i Genetic Knowledge Current Genetic Knowledge Genetics of Stock Available for Reintroduction Fidelity to Release Site Major Extirpation Factors Available Habitat Remaining Competition/Interaction with Other Species TOTAL (possible range is 31.5 to 176) Expansion Potential Land Ownership Conflicts Land Use Conflicts Complexity of recovery logistics Coordination Access Equipment Site Preparation Complexity of Monitoring Logistics Monitoring i Duration Monitoring Objectives Monitoring Methods Species Mobility Monitoring Access Complexity of Obtaining and Releasing Stock Species Sensitivity Public Acceptance
A draft plan includes: Extent of degraded historical habitat available for restoration and feasibility of restoration Unoccupied habitat available for reintroduction Outline of recovery actions required *** Estimate of time required for actions to be carried out - 38 to 64 year *** Estimate of recovery costs *** Recovery targets for change in status or delisting; taxonomic relationship to other species, subspecies Genetic issues, effects on any other species, habitats or programs Any other data gaps that must be addressed before the plan can be finalized
What s next? Approval of recovery outline by IDNR and write recovery plan Create a litany of recovery action steps *** Funding - State Wildlife Grants and in-kind involvement of agencies Guiding challenges when attempting to manage for sustainable populations of a long-lived lived turtle species with low lifetime reproduction: Reduce loss of adult turtles Reduce long-term sustained loss of nests, eggs and young Form working groups: Habitat and land management Population and genetic management Captive husbandry and veterinary medicine Education
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