WASHINGTON CONSERVATION COMMISSION

Minutes- July 1, 2002

1.0 Assembly: Time 7:00 p.m.

1.1 Present: Sandy Robinson, Carol Andrews, Rich Cook, Jed and Nan Schwartz, John Tweedy, Don Richard.

2.0 Approval of Minutes: John moved that we approve minutes as printed. Second by Jed. Motion carried.

3.0 Old Business:

3.1 Possible candidates for Lionel’s search for unusual wetlands in town: Dickey Mill Area, Bishops Pond. Sandy will check with a biologist friend about areas of East Washington.

3.2 Dredge and Fill Committee: no activity

3.3 Adopt a Highway Program: It was decided that we would find a way to do the Adopt a Highway Program. Motion by John, second by Carol. Motion passed unanimously. Carol will start the paperwork.

3.4 The Commission received an e-mail from a concerned citizen about the use of off-highway recreational vehicles in Washington. John will research the laws concerning OHRVs. Sandy will speak with a Selectman to get an update on the Valley Road trail and future plans for OHRVs in Washington. We will discuss this again at the next meeting.

4.0 Natural Resource Inventory:

4.1 Please send Don Richard an e-mail if you see something that should be included in the NRI. We would rather have too much information than too little.

5.0 New Business:

5.1 Carol suggested that we leave time during the meeting to discuss what is happening in the natural world. She brought in a picture of a Wood Turtle and mentioned that turtles are nesting right now. She also mentioned that Rose Pogonia is in bloom.

6.0 Correspondence: e-mail from a concerned citizen regarding OHRV use in Washington.

7.0 Adjournment: 8:03 p.m.

7.1 Next Meeting Date: Thursday, August 1^st 7:00 p.m.at the Town Hall.

Respectfully submitted,

Carol K. Andrews

Secretary

cc: Board of Selectmen

Planning Board

Wood Turtle
Clemmys insculpta

The wood turtle acquired its name due to the appearance and feel of a shell sculpted from wood. The shell is rough; every scute contains growth rings and keels radiating from the center. Sometimes, these keels are yellow in coloration, but in most individuals, they are unmarked leaving the entire carapace rich brown. The carapace has a low keel running front to back. The plastron is yellow with large black blotches; each scute has one blotch bordering the outer edge.

The ground color of the skin is brown with no markings on the head, limbs, and tail. The neck and soft skin areas near the shell are orange or yellow. Male wood turtles have larger heads, grow to a larger overall size, have longer carapaces, have a concave plastron, and have longer, thicker tails than females. The young are different from the adults. They are gray or brown all over with no bright coloration. They also have exceptionally long tails- as long as their carapace. Hatchlings are from 1 1/8 to 1 5/8 at hatching.

Subspecies

There are no recognized subspecies of the wood turtle, Clemmys insculpta.

Habitat

One of the most limiting factors in this species distribution is its habitat preference. The wood turtle, although named for the appearance and feel of the carapace, could also be dubbed so due to its favorite biome. Clear streams, rivers and woodland ponds near forest are used by wood turtles, and the destruction of such habitat is sufficient to exterminate these turtles.

Food

Wood turtles are omnivorous. Strawberries, blackberries, blueberries, raspberries, dandelions, and many other plants are eaten. Earthworms, insects, mollusks, and carrion comprise the carnivorous portion of their diet. A unique behavior has been recorded for wood turtles. They will rock back and forth from side to side. The vibrations from their front feet against the ground cause earthworms to surface. As they do so, they are eaten by the turtles (Kaufmann, 1989).

A wood turtle must reach the age of 14-18 in order to be mature enough to breed!