Effects of Roads on Movements and Mortality of Blandings and Spotted Turtles in Southern Maine

The effect of road mortality on wildlife of all types is significant. Arguably, however, there is no group of organisms in Maine for which roads represent a more serious threat to long-term population viability than Blanding's and spotted turtles in the southern York County area. Blanding's turtles are endangered and spotted turtles are threatened species in Maine. The area is experiencing an accelerated rate of human development and associated transportation infrastructure. A result of this development is that local habitat has become fragmented. The animals are crossing roads at greater frequency and subsequent mortality has increased. At current population numbers, road-associated mortality poses a major threat to the continued existence of both species in Maine. The Maine Department of Transportation is actively researching the effects of habitat fragmentation on wildlife caused by transportation infrastructure. The Department has been involved in a partnership with the Nature Conservancy and the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife since 2000. Each of the entities have identified a critical situation exists in that current mortality levels will have a deleterious effect on both species. The information gained will be used to protect and link the areas to reduce transportation-related mortality and to identify potential areas for compensatory mitigation for MDOT projects as preservation areas. When the linkages (i.e., road crossing locations) are known, Best Management Practices (BMP's) in the form of terrain delimiters, habitat enhancements and crossing structures can be placed at critical locations. Since about 50% of the road network in the area is locally maintained, MDOT can serve as an information and implementation resource for local road departments.

Language

• English

Project

• Status: Completed
• Funding: $45400.00
• Contract Numbers:

  PIN 12179.00

• Sponsor Organizations:

  Maine Department of Transportation

  Research Division, Child Street, 16 State House Station
  Augusta, ME  United States  04333-0016
• Performing Organizations:

  Maine Department of Transportation

  Research Division, Child Street, 16 State House Station
  Augusta, ME  United States  04333-0016
• Start Date: 20040101
• Expected Completion Date: 0
• Actual Completion Date: 0
• Source Data: RiP Project 9298

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Animals; Best practices; Endangered species; Research projects; Road kill; Wildlife
• Geographic Terms: Maine
• Subject Areas: Research; I15: Environment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01458884
• Record Type: Research project
• Source Agency: Maine Department of Transportation
• Contract Numbers: PIN 12179.00
• Files: RIP, STATEDOT
• Created Date: Jan 3 2013 12:52PM