Adopt a Turtle fundraiser reaches halfway mark

EXETER – Almost 20 community members have answered the call to donate to a four-month fundraising campaign to support habitat enhancement and protection work for local freshwater turtle species. The Adopt a Turtle fundraising campaign has reached its halfway mark, and runs until Thursday, Sept. 3, the day of the annual hatchling release event at Morrison Dam Conservation Area [...]

Article content EXETER – Almost 20 community members have answered the call to donate to a four-month fundraising campaign to support habitat enhancement and protection work for local freshwater turtle species. The Adopt a Turtle fundraising campaign has reached its halfway mark, and runs until Thursday, Sept. 3, the day of the annual hatchling release event at Morrison Dam Conservation Area east of Exeter. Recommended Videos Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authority (ABCA) healthy watersheds co-ordinator Rosalind Chang said the community support for this fundraising drive is appreciated.

“We are very grateful to see people caring for the future of our freshwater turtle species and for responding to this call for donations,” she said. “We are very pleased with the progress of this campaign but there is still lots of work left to do.” To donate now, or to learn more, visit the Ausable Bayfield Conservation events page at abca.ca.

Donations can also be made at the Ausable Bayfield Conservation office at 71108 Morrison Line (two kilometres east of Exeter) or by calling 519-235-2610 or 1-888-286-2610. All of Ontario’s eight native turtle species are at risk and all of them can be found in the ABCA watershed area. Adopt a Turtle promotes donations to the Support the Turtles Protection Program to enhance wetland habitat for turtles.

There are three tiers of recognition for fundraising campaign supporters: 1) Hatchling Hero ($20 donation); 2) Adopt a Turtle ($50); and 3) Conservation Insider ($250 donation or higher). Donors at the higher levels receive recognition including a turtle-related gift package; and a monthly email update following the progress of the turtle hatchlings. In a press release, the ABCA said turtles are important links in food webs and provide essential ecological services.

Snapping turtles, for example, help to control aquatic vegetation and clean creeks and wetlands by eating algae and dead and decaying fish and other organisms. They also cycle nutrients and spread seeds which benefit other organisms. Learn more on the ABCA turtles web page at www.abca.ca/monitoring/plantsanimals/turtles.