News & Accomplishments 2005
The Gopher Tortoise Conservation Initiative (GTCI) is a program of the Institute and is the reason most people become members. It is dedicated to research and conservation efforts to protect tortoise habitat and the gopher tortoise throughout its native range.
At the end of each year, we summarize some of the accomplishments of the staff and students at the Ashton Biodiversity Research & Preservation Institute. We also provide updates and information on the web page, especially news that should involve members.
GOPHER WARS: NEW FWC DEFINITION OF BURROW
Most people who contact us (hundreds per year) need help in protecting local tortoise populations from being destroyed by development. Many of those employed in the land clearing business (not all) ignore the need for a permit - they just begin clearing land and destroying tortoises, assuming that even if caught, the legal expense is usually less than the time and effort required to apply. They disregard the loss of life (gopher tortoises and the other species resident in the burrows) and the long-term harm that reckless clearing may do. This “low chance of being caught and prosecuted” is now changing. GTCI volunteers and local residents, educated by the information and activities offered here at GTCI, have encouraged local reporting and documenting of illegal land clearing activities.
Enforcement officers from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) can now be more effective because GTCI, others on the Stakeholder’s Group (an advisory group to the FWC), and FWC have worked to make the legal definition of a gopher tortoise burrow clear. As a result, FWC enforcement officers are more willing to respond to complaints, and people who destroy burrows are more likely to be prosecuted.
OUR WEBSITE: ashtonbiodiversity.org
The Institute’s web page has become a major source of information on the gopher tortoise and its conservation. According to our web master we receive nearly 2,000 hits per day.
The Stakeholder’s Page link lists current events and discusses changes in the law. It also provides current information on the uplisting of the gopher tortoise to threatened status.
Anyone can download information from the website, or can vote on whether they support proposals. Comments from the public are welcome, and we respond to all messages.
Major issues to be discussed at the upcoming statewide stakeholder meeting will be on the website as soon as the information is given to us by the FWC.
IT IS IMPORTANT FOR EVERYONE TO CONTINUE WRITING AND COMMENTING TO THE FWC, GOVERNOR AND LEGISLATURE!
You are heard -- and your concerns and attitudes help make those in Tallahassee hear someone other than the lobbyists for big development.
COUNTY GOVERNMENT INVOLVEMENT
Four years ago the Institute co-sponsored a forum on “Home Rule and Protected Species.” It was held as part of the University of Florida Law School’s Environmental Law program. This forum helped stimulate a number of counties in Florida to begin passing their own restrictions on gopher tortoises and other species.
As a result, it is now illegal in a number of counties to take tortoises, even with an FWC permit. The Institute is working with Walton County to set up a program to protect tortoises, as well as with Lee and Collier Counties to improve local regulations.
However -- many counties do not realize that, under Florida law, they can improve the protection of their local resources beyond that required by the state.
GTCI continues to offer workshops that educate counties and help spread the word. If your county is not aware of these issues, let them know about our workshops. We can go to the county, or county staff may attend one of the workshops conducted at the Ashton Biological Preserve (west of Gainesville near the town of Archer).
RULE CHANGES UNDER WAY REGARDING URTD TESTING
There are changes being made in the Upper Respiratory Tract Disease (URTD) testing rule.
An interim rule has not been finalized – perhaps it may not stop testing but will reduce “Take” by allowing some tortoises to be moved without testing. Alternatively, it may require the tests but not the killing of juvenile tortoises, or at least not the counting of just one positive or suspect case as an excuse to kill the whole population. What this interim rule will finally be is still uncertain but GTCI will keep members informed via the web page and will stay involved in the process.
The Stakeholders Group recommended that the final FWC rule should stop URTD testing as a determining factor for tortoise relocation, and that testing be replaced by a health evaluation of each tortoise -- that if a tortoise shows symptoms of illness, it can not be taken from the site. Details about URTD are on the web page.
CHANGE IN THE INCIDENTAL TAKE RULE
The Incidental Take Rule will likely be changed to “no take,” except when all efforts have been exhausted to save a tortoise or its burrow. This is similar to the Fish & Wildlife Service (FWS) Incidental Take Rule, for which an Environmental Assessment is required for the application.
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR A NEW PERMITTING SYSTEM
We are providing input on a new permitting system that will have “Conservation Value.” These recommendations will be posted on the web page. Comments are appreciated. Permitting covers all aspects of work with tortoises and is exceedingly important.
ASSURANCE COLONIES AND THE SPECIES MANAGEMENT PLAN
We are pushing the concept of an “Assurance Colony” classification model for habitats and tortoises. This would be relatively simple, measurable by the general public, and endorsed by local government, federal and state land stewards as well as private landowners. The portion of the program that allows communities and individuals to manage tortoises on a voluntary basis would be clearly defined.
POSSIBLE PETITION BEFORE THE FWC
We hope that all of the above will be implemented by the FWC by the end of 2006. If not, we will strongly pursue the Institute’s Petition before FWC for federal listing of the Florida population of the gopher tortoise.
WHAT ELSE HAVE WE DONE?
- EDUCATION
GTCI received the Education Award from the Gopher Tortoise Council for 2005.
We completed the matching grant to put our book Gopher Tortoise, A Life History, published by Pineapple Press, in all school libraries in Florida. This was a huge effort and we have been greatly rewarded by the positive response from students and librarians to the gifts of these books.
GTCI provided 22 courses, workshops and public programs on gopher tortoise natural history, research and changing the rules.
Our scientific book The Natural History and Management of the Gopher Tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus), has been completed and is being returned to Krieger Press.
Over the past year we have had 6 interns participate at the Institute on research and educational projects. They came from the United States, the Netherlands, England, Germany, and Ecuador. These interns not only put in hours of effort for projects that benefit gopher tortoises, they also take away the knowledge gained from GTCI on conservation methods that work. They will be able to apply that knowledge to other conservation causes in the future.
- RESEARCH
We sponsored an expedition of tortoise enthusiasts to Madagascar. Our research efforts there were focused on finding all of the tortoise species in the wild and to gather data on their forage. Pat Ashton will compare forage species and availability with that collected for Galapagos tortoises last year.
We are continuing our research into tortoise low frequency communication.
The Institute is working with Herpetological Associates to develop a relocation study on the Indigo Snake. We are presenting drafts of that study to FWS for consideration soon.
We are advising the Georgia Department of Natural Resources on their Assurance Colony Program for gopher tortoises.
- GOPHER TORTOISE RESERVE PROGRAM
The reserve program grew by about 350 acres in 2005 and now represents about 190,000 acres. We made two tortoise relocation sites for two separate landowners, and made three site visits to recommend management.
We have not kept good records on the calls we get from people regarding tortoises in their yards and ranches. This was due to lack of personnel. However, with two new interns on board we hope this will change for the rest of 2006. Our GTCI staff works with everyone who contacts us to establish good gopher tortoise management practices.
- HAY
A source of hay for the barriers around relocation sites has been found. Contact us for details. There is enough for enclosures of one to 50 acres, most of the time.
- TEE SHIRTS
“NO TORTOISE LEFT BEHIND” shirts are now available and rapidly selling. These shirts were conceived by Ray and rough-sketched by Pat. David Dennis, a world-famous wildlife artist and photographer, did the custom illustrations. (David also designed the GTCI logo.)
The graphics that David created for this tee shirt have been well received. The tee shirt is designed to make people aware of the effort to stop “Tortoise Take” in Florida.
- VOLUNTEERS
Volunteers throughout the state are helping the Institute and GTCI. They set up displays, relocate tortoises, and help build enclosures. They teach class, help distribute information, and encourage others to write letters that promote good conservation.
- DONATIONS
This has been a great year for donations. A total of $30,000 was gathered to pay for the Book Challenge, which put “The Life of the Gopher Tortoise” in school libraries. The Book Challenge was instituted by M. C. Davis of the Nokuse Plantation and Conservation Program. Mr. Davis has provided support for the operational costs of GTCI and work for gopher tortoise conservation. Without his support and encouragement much of the work GTCI has accomplished would not have been possible. Volunteers are asked to continue seeking donations to help GTCI continue the important work of gopher tortoise conservation.
GOALS FOR 2006
- Get the Krieger Book published and distributed.
- Publish the first article on tortoise sound communication.
- Get the FWC to agree to the best possible plan that will conserve, in perpetuity, gopher tortoises and many other upland species.
- Finalize the conservation easements, under the Alachua County Forever Program, for the Preserve and all the surrounding lands owned by our neighbors.
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