Tracking Turtles, As Part Of Herring River Watershed Project

HARWICH – As it prepares to “re-wild” the retired 50-acre Thacher cranberry bogs in part of an eco-restoration project in the Herring River watershed, the Harwich Conservation Trust wants to make sure it isn’t disturbing some important residents.

 The Trust recently received an $8,575 mini-grant from the EPA to purchase equipment that will help them monitor the movement of box turtles and spotted turtles in the area. The funds will allow the Trust to purchase tracking equipment to monitor the two species, which face threats from development, habitat fragmentation and illegal collection as well as vehicle strikes.

 It builds on a similar project tracking box turtles using radio transmitters, led by volunteer Michael Musnick. Data from that study helps scientists and policymakers protect the turtles and their habitat, according to a press release from HCT.

 The mini-grant comes from the EPA’s Southeast New England Program (SNEP), and is administered by the nonprofit conservation group Restore America’s Estuaries.

 “The SNEP grant will allow HCT to collect pre-restoration wildlife movement data to determine turtle travel routes, overwintering locations and nesting habitat, helping to inform the final restoration design of the Herring River Watershed Ecological Restoration Project,” the release reads.

 That project involves restoring retired cranberry bogs to more naturally functioning streams and wetlands to improve water quality and the health of the ecosystem. In an earlier phase of the project, HCT restored the former Jenkins bogs off Pleasant Lake Avenue near the Cape Tech school. The area, known as the Hinckleys Pond-Herring River Headwaters Preserve, includes a popular walking trail and a large boggy area popular with waterfowl and other species. It is in the watershed for the Herring River, which is threatened by nutrient pollution from the many residential septic systems in the area as well as from the fertilizer formerly used on the cranberry bogs. Similar work will be done on the 11-acre Warner bog on the opposite side of the pond.

 The newest cranberry bogs to be added to the project are the ones off Great Western Road, harvested for the last time this fall by the Thacher family. Experts are currently designing eco-restoration plans for this 50-acre tract, which is also connected to the Herring River.

 The turtle tracking effort aims to allow HCT to avoid impacting sensitive species, and to ensure that the ultimate design supports the species’ long-term ecological resilience.

 The SNEP grant was part of $2.3 million in federal grants and technical assistance awarded to 50 conservation organizations in southeastern Massachusetts and Rhode Island. The grant was announced on Oct. 28. 

 The SNEP program “supports Cape Cod communities advancing practical, locally driven projects that improve water quality and protect the region’s economic growth,” EPA Regional Administrator Mark Sanborn said in a press release.

 Initial design work for HCT’s Herring River Watershed project came from a $150,000 grant from the Massachusetts Division of Ecological Restoration. Completing the design and permitting will require an additional $380,000, which includes planning the eco-restoration of the Pine Island property further south on the Herring River. Thanks to an anonymous donor, contributions to HCT toward that $380,000 goal will be matched dollar for dollar. More information is posted at www.HarwichConservationTrust.org.