Turtle Habitat

Wetlands Club Sightings:
6-1-06 Roger Martin reported a Blanding's turtle wandering through his backyard on Vinne Haha Rd.
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Blanding's Turtle
Because it is a "Threatened" species in Wisconsin, the Blanding's Turtle cannot be removed or harmed in any way without a stiff fine.

Habitat/Ecology:
Unlike other aquatic turtles in the state, these are more of a wetland species and they tend to prefer shallow, slow moving back-waters or marshes with muddy bottoms and much vegetation, rather than rivers or lakes. They are occasionally found basking on muddy banks and submerged logs.

DNR Bob Hay;

In my opinion, job is to manage in such a way that we don’t destroy what was there in the beginning, so when I look at what was there in the beginning, as stewards of that resource to best extent we can. Recognizing that things have been destroyed, but habitat for fish and wildlife is what that system supported initially.

DNR Hay was asked if the turtle habitat would be impacted if the DNR adopted the RKLD request for nominally higher water.

The response was that not only did the DNR have no opinion on impact on turtle habitat, but also that the DNR does not know if the Blanding's Turtle persisted in/near the lake historically.

Any wonder why the contested case hearing was so expensive, when RKLD was forced to respond to the difference between the "beginning," and "historically."