Don’t Procrastinate! Call Landmark to Schedule your Bog Turtle Surveys ASAP!
Landmark’s Bog Turtle team, led by Amy Nazdrowicz, is gearing up for their 2022 Bog Turtle season! They are now scheduling Phase II Bog Turtle Investigations. Call Amy TODAY if you need a Phase II Bog Turtle Investigation in Delaware, Maryland, or Pennsylvania. Don’t wait until the last minute to get on their schedule!
Why procrastinating will do you no favors
April 15 to June 15 – Four Surveys Required
Regional engineers and land developers are usually aware that Phase II Bog Turtle Investigations can only be conducted between April 15 and June 15. Perhaps not as well known is that at least 2 of the 4 individual Surveys comprising a Phase II must be conducted during the month of May. Also, there is a minimum number of days that must be left in between each Survey. Plus, strict weather criteria must be maintained during the entirety of each Survey.
Bog Turtle Surveyors’ First Step
A required and potentially time consuming first step is the up-front planning and agency coordination. So it’s important to reach out to a Recognized Qualified Bog Turtle Surveyor, certified in the state where the property is located, as soon as you are aware that the investigation will be required. Waiting until mid-April to schedule your Phase II Investigation can waste valuable time in the relatively short Phase II Season.
Other Steps That Take Time
Firstly, in some states like Maryland and Pennsylvania, the property must be added onto the Surveyor’s existing Scientific Collectors Permit before any Surveys can begin. This process can take several days, or even weeks, depending on how busy the state’s Permit Coordinator(s) are.
Secondly, coordination with both the state agency and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service must be conducted to ensure that they will accept the specifics of the investigation. Obtaining their approval of the exact acreage of search area and the search effort is imperative prior to the start of the Investigation.
Current Phase II Investigation protocol states that potential habitat areas be searched at 4 to 6 person-hours per acre. The specific search effort will depend on the quality of the habitat, but also on information sometimes only known by the agencies such as the distance to the nearest known Bog Turtle colony. To discuss these details with the Bog Turtle Surveyor, the agencies will need time to review the Phase I Bog Turtle Investigation Report and associated Potential Habitat Maps.
Finally, the instances of when a Phase III (3) Bog Turtle Investigation could be required has increased with recent changes to the federal Bog Turtle Investigation protocols. (Phase III Bog Turtle Investigations are live trapping studies where 20 traps per acre of habitat are set out and checked daily for 20 consecutive days).
Phase III Trapping Investigations
There are now more circumstances where the agencies could require that a Trapping Investigation be conducted concurrent with the Phase II. For example, the presence of historical records, especially high-quality habitat, especially dense invasive plant species, and/or potential habitat exceeding 2 acres in size. Phase III Bog Turtle Investigations take even more up-front planning and agency coordination than those of Phase IIs. Plus, a separate permit is often required for a Phase III Investigation in addition to the state Scientific Collectors Permit.
Call Today!
If all of this seems overwhelming to you and the makings of a logistical nightmare, fear not! Landmark’s Bog Turtle Surveyor, Amy, is more than familiar with the various Bog Turtle Investigations, their protocols, and the most cost-efficient options available to her clients. All you have to remember is not to procrastinate calling her to schedule your Phase II Bog Turtle Investigation!
Contact Amy Nazdrowicz, PWS
Direct: (302) 444-0787 / Cell: (302) 218-3630
Email AmyN@landmark-se.com
