Royal River Conservation Trust

WOOD TURTLES HAVE BEEN FOUND ON THE ROYAL RIVER NEAR THE PROJECT AREA. THE LANDSCAPE SURROUNDING THE PROJECT AREA IS PRIMARILY AGRICULTURAL, WHICH LIMITS THE LOCATIONS WOOD TURTLES CAN SAFELY NEST, FORAGE, AND TRAVEL. THEREFORE, RESTORING AND MANAGING NESTING HABITAT WITHIN THE PROJECT AREA IS CRITICAL AND WILL REDUCE THE LIKELIHOOD OF MORTALITY BY AGRICULTURAL EQUIPMENT. IN ORDER TO RESTORE SAFE NESTING OPPORTUNITY, INVASIVE PLANT SPECIES MUST BE REMOVED. THE ROYAL RIVER CONSERVATION TRUST WILL WORK WITH USFWS AND A PRIVATE CONTRACTOR TO PLAN AND IMPLEMENT INVASIVE PLANT SPECIES REMOVAL TO RESTORE WOOD TURTLE NESTING HABITAT.