Originally Published in Seven Mile Time's July 2014 Issue
PRESERVING THE NATURAL WONDERS
of Our Island
By Dr. Lenore Tedesco Executive Director of The Wetlands Institute
even Mile Island is a very special place. The barrier island’s natural resources provide an amazing wealth that is often appreciated relative to its beautiful beaches, fantastic dining and great recreation potential that so many residents and visitors enjoy. Seven Mile Island is also a remarkable place for its natural resources; natural resources that often go unnoticed. The great mosaic of environments and habitats of the area make this a place so special that for many animals, this is a place of global importance. This gift also brings great responsibility because what happens here – good and bad – has profound impact to many species throughout their entire range. The Wetlands Institute was founded in 1969 by Herbert Mills, then executive director of the World Wildlife Fund, to fulfill his lifelong vision of creating a world-class research, education and conservation center that would educate people of all ages about the beauty and wonders of the coastal environment, and the importance of that environment to their daily lives and well-being. In the face of dramatic wetland loss and infilling, during a time that predates most of the environmental protections now in place, he purchased 6,000 acres of wetlands and changed the history of Seven Mile Island forever. His dream was to help people understand the importance of wetlands and to inspire everyone to preserve and protect coastal and wetland ecosystems. For more than 40 years, The Wetlands Institute has been working on important conservation issues. In 2011, The Wetlands Institute put forth a bold new plan
to address threats to wetlands, coastal ecosystems and the animals that rely on them. In doing so, we are also protecting and preserving the Seven Mile Island, its homes and the lifestyle so many enjoy.
The Diamondback Terrapin Conservation Program Diamondback terrapins are a keystone species of the marsh. They are the only species of turtle that is adapted to life in the salt marsh. Terrapins are meat-eaters, and one of their primary food sources is the marsh periwinkle snail. These snails feed on marsh grasses and, without healthy populations of terrapins to control snail populations, large sections of the marsh would be stripped of vegetation and lost.
Diamondback terrapin hatchlings.
Development and heavy use of the terrapin’s salt marsh and barrier-island habitat has led to stark declines in terrapin numbers. Locally, each year more than 500 nesting female terrapins are hit by vehicles, more than 700 hatchling terrapins become trapped in storm drains, and hundreds of terrapins die by drowning in crab traps. Such losses are unsustainable to the population without our intervention. For more than 20 years, The Wetlands Institute Diamondback Terrapin Conservation Program has promoted the conservation of diamondback terrapins through applied research, citizen science projects and educational programs. The Wetlands Institute has installed and maintains terrapin barrier fencing along the causeways to keep terrapins from entering high-traf-
fic areas. We conduct road patrols to save terrapins, eggs and injured terrapins along a 38-mile route. You have probably seen the cars out twice a day from the end of May through the middle of July. Eggs from road-killed terrapins are recovered, incubated and hatched, and hatchling terrapins (headstarts) are raised under optimum growth conditions for a year before being released back into the salt marsh at public events. The 1-year-old terrapins’ larger size increases the chance that they will survive and return to nest in 5 or 6 years. We also run a citizen-based storm-drain rescue initiative, and recover derelict crab traps from the back bays during the winter. All of these conservation initiatives directly support reducing mortality of terrapins and helping to sustain their populations. Here are the results from 2013: • 142 terrapins were rescued from roadways. • 760 eggs were removed from roadkilled females. • 317 orphaned terrapins hatched from our incubators. • 202 headstart terrapins were released back into local salt marshes. • 3 miles of terrapin barrier fence was installed and maintained. • 400 storm drains were monitored in South Jersey by 24 volunteers. • 764 hatchlings were rescued from storm drains and returned to the marsh. A key component of our conservation initiatives is creating an ethic of concern and care for terrapins. Important components of our program include public engagement and education. These programs continued on next page