Winnakee Expands Turtle Monitoring Program to Protect Local Wetland Species

Now in its second year, Winnakee’s turtle monitoring program—led by Director of Land Stewardship Jen Adams in partnership with The Wetland Trust—expanded this summer in both scope and reach, extending to additional wetlands across Winnakee’s preserves.

The program’s primary goal is to assess current turtle populations and implement targeted habitat management strategies to support their survival. This year, the program introduced radio tracking, allowing staff to track turtle movements and better protect critical nesting sites from predators.

Another major focus was identifying road crossing hotspots where turtles travel to breeding grounds. One high risk crossing was found, helping staff identify where to build new nesting sites closer to wetland habitats. These efforts significantly reduce the need for turtles to cross roads, improving their chances of survival during the breeding season.

Winnakee also hosted select environmental professionals and volunteers at the monitoring sites, offering hands-on volunteer opportunities to support vulnerable turtle species. Attendees included representatives from Scenic Hudson, Columbia and Dutchess Land Conservancies, local students, and others.

Most turtle populations in New York State are declining, primarily due to habitat loss. Winnakee is working locally to change this by protecting more wetlands and monitoring how turtles inhabit them so that we can help existing populations thrive.