Posted on April 19, 2010.
Monday, April 19, 2010
With the early warm weather, turtles, snakes and frogs are starting to move across the Long Point Causeway where they risk being hit by passing vehicles. On April 17, a dozen volunteers, including Scott Gillingwater and Crystal Robertson (in photo), helped repair and reinstall the temporary barrier fencing that keeps these reptiles off the roadway. Norfolk County has also set up turtle crossing signs and the electronic message sign altering drivers to watch for wildlife on the Causeway.
The Long Point Causeway Improvement Project Committee is encouraging drivers to watch out for animals on the road when they drive across the Causeway.
Posted on March 25, 2010.
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Reptiles at Risk on the Road has produced classroom resources for grades 1-8, based on the 2009 Ontario science curriculum, developed through funding from the Ministry of Natural Resources Species at Risk Stewardship Fund. These activities are intended to accompany the educational efforts of the Reptiles at Risk on the Road project, but they may be used by anyone with an interest in Ontario’s reptiles!
The Grade 8 curriculum unit features the road mortality issues related to the Long Point Causeway and proposed efforts to reduce the annual road kill of turtles, snakes and amphibians, including Species at Risk, on the 3.6 km. roadway in southwestern Ontario.
Downloadable copies of the resources are available at no cost.
Posted on February 25, 2010.
The Long Point Causeway Improvement Project (LPCIP) was hard at work throughout 2009 thanks to $69,000 in funding received from Environment Canada and the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources which regard this as a very worthwhile, scientifically-validated project and have confidence in the LPCIP’s ability to deliver on its commitments. To date, the LPCIP has raised more than $198,000 much of which has been spent in and created employment in Norfolk County.
Working with students on the Norfolk Environmental Stewardship Team (NEST), we repaired existing 2,500 of fencing damaged by wind and weather and installed 2,800 metres of new fencing including 600 metres of heavy duty fencing recommended by the Ontario Ministry of Transportation in areas prone to wind and wave action. The hardworking NEST students included Kyle Mathe, Brad Demeyere, Nicole Waite and Nolan McGahey.
We also installed 10 nest mounds comprised on a gravel and sand mixture recommended in previous scientific studies. These and the six existing mounds were monitored very frequently for evidence of nesting and nest predation. Two methods of trying to prevent predation tested with limited success.
Seven turtle crossing signs obtained from the Kids for Turtles program were also installed on the existing wildlife crossing signs along the Causeway to complement the large electronic message sign that alerted drivers to watch for animals on the roadway. Unfortunately, one of the turtle crossing signs was stolen and the electronic sign vandalized this summer
Our monitoring program began on June 1 and included road kill surveys three times per week and almost daily monitoring of artificial nest mounds for evidence of nesting activity or predation. The fencing was also monitored for damage and evidence of animal activities. The work was carried out by our wildlife technician, Crystal Roberston throughout the summer and fall.
Our monitoring recorded a significant reduction in animal mortality, including SAR, this year. We believe this indicates that installation of additional fencing and nest mounds, as well as our education efforts, has had a positive effect. However, we also suspect that the unusually cool and wet weather this year may have had an impact as well. Despite extensive monitoring of the nest mounds during prime nesting and hatching periods, it was difficult to determine whether turtles used these mounds. Our efforts to reduce nest predation were moderately successful. However, we found that many nests are predated on the same evening as the eggs are laid and before we could install anti-predation measures.
We continued our outreach and educations efforts throughout the year including on-going media relations and website updating, the development of a new project logo and signage, Species at Risk seminars at local schools, parks and on the Causeway, an Open House in August and participation in the local Bayfest community fair in September.
At the Open House, we announced a tree preservation and planting policy to reassure local residents that the proposed work will not remove the existing tress on the Causeway and will result in hundreds of new native trees and shrubs being planted. Also on display were detailed landscape drawings of the proposed mitigation and safety measures along the Causeway and a scale model that shows how the funnel wall/ecopassage system would look when completed. The drawings and model were created by a local artist, Peter Ramsey of Port Dover.
We feel that our outreach and education efforts have been successful in informing the public about SAR. For instance, we noted that many more drivers are slowing down or stopping to assist turtles in cross the Causeway. In the year ahead, the LPWBRF will continue working with the 16 other organizations involved on the LPCIP Steering Committee, to move this project forward.
Posted on September 19, 2008.
Two turtles and a frog marched in the annual Bayfest parade alongside a trailer carrying a large map showing proposed improvements to the Long Point Causeway.The turtles (Claire Levick and Kelly Brown) and frog (Jessica Meyers) were a big hit with kids of all ages in the crowd and had their photo taken with Mayor Dennis Travale.
Several hundred people dropped by an information booth set up at Bayfest by the Long Point Causeway Improvement Project. Adam Wilson, with the Long Point World Biosphere Reserve Foundation, and Scott Gillingwater of the Upper Thames River Conservation Authority answered questions about the project and the animals it is trying to protect.
Adam Wilson, with the Long Point World Biosphere Reserve Foundation, and Scott Gillingwater of the Upper Thames River Conservation Authority answered questions about the project and the animals it is trying to protect.
Posted on June 9, 2008.
Work to reduce the annual road kill of turtles, snakes and frogs on the Long Point causeway began this week thanks to $30,300 in financial support from Ontario’s Species at Risk Stewardship Fund. The funding for the causeway work was announced by Toby Barrett, MPP for Haldimand-Norfolk, on behalf of Minister of Natural Resources Donna Cansfield.
The Long Point Causeway Improvement Project (LPCIP) is installing one-metre high, temporary fencing along sections of the causeway where studies have shown that most road kills occur. Mounds of sand will also placed in the road allowance to create alternative nesting sites for turtles that often crawl onto the roadway seeking high, dry ground for laying their eggs. The fencing and nesting sites will be closely monitored over the summer months to study their effectiveness.
The LPCIP will also be erecting electronic message signs to alert motorists to wildlife crossing the road and undertaking a public awareness campaign on the road kill issue. Thousands of frogs, snakes and turtles, including species at risk such as the Blanding’s and Northern Map Turtles and the Eastern Fox and Eastern Hog-nosed Snakes, are killed on the causeway each year. The work is being carried out in partnership with Norfolk County.
“This is the first real attempt to reduce the annual carnage on the causeway which is the fifth deadliest road for turtles in North America,” said Paula Jongerden, chair of the LPCIP steering committee of the Long Point World Biosphere Reserve Foundation (LPWBRF). “These are temporary measures until we can install permanent barrier walls along the entire length of the causeway and a system of ecopassages that will allow wildlife to pass beneath the roadway.”
Earlier this year, the LPCIP published a comprehensive feasibility study by Ecoplans Limited of Kitchener, Ontario on possible improvements to the 80 year-old, man-made causeway including:
- Reducing wildlife road mortality
- Improving access between Long Point and Port Rowan
- Creating safer roadway conditions for motorists, cyclists, and pedestrians
- Improving water quality and water movement between Big Creek marsh and Long Point inner bay
- Improving recreational opportunities (e.g. biking, birding, fishing)
The public was invited to comment on the study’s recommendations at an open house held at the Port Rowan Community Centre in March.
Ontario is investing more than $5 million this year in volunteer stewardship projects across the province that will help protect and recover species at risk and their habitats. The projects are part of the province’s $18-million, four-year Species at Risk Stewardship Fund.
