For one year, the park tried to prevent wandering turtles from crossing Highway 60 and getting squished. They erected black silt-fences as barriers along the shoulders of sections of the highway bordering on swamps and bogs. Well .. after one season, a serious negative effect became obvious. All kinds of small creatures were effectively 'funneled' along the fences as they saught the 'ends' of the fences. At these locations, their 'predators' had a smorgas-board of 'yum-yums'! Not exactly the result that had been envisioned!
Edit: My apology for passing on the above misinformation! I've just been officially corrected by park staff that the barriers were erected to stop female turtles from laying their eggs in the highway shoulders' gravel. Following is the official information ...
"2012 is the 4th year that black silt fencing has been erected along roads in AlgonquinPark as a means to keep turtles from nesting and basking on roads and road sides. It is a substantial effort to put-up and take-down the fencing every year but AlgonquinPark feels that this is an important step in achieving the conservation of turtles. Three of the four species of turtles that exist in AlgonquinPark are listed on the Species at Risk in Ontario List under the Endangered Species Act, 2007.
Snapping Turtles, one of the most common turtles in AlgonquinPark, are listed as Special Concern. The justification for this listing was largely provided by research conducted in AlgonquinPark showing extremely low recruitment of Snapping Turtles over the long term (30+ years) due in part to predation by subsidized predators like foxes and raccoons. Silt fencing benefits Snapping Turtles by avoiding large, reproductively fit turtles from being hit on the road.
While some turtles and other animals do made it around the fencing it has been effective in reducing mortality of turtles along AlgonquinPark roads. The effect of predators keying in on fences has not be observed in AlgonquinPark."
Again, I apologize for the misinformation.
Barry Bridgeford
http://www.AlgonquinAdventures.com
http://www.ABRweb.ca .. Algonquin Backcountry Recreationalists - Caring for Algonquin's Backcountry
http://www.abrweb.ca/docs/ABR-LNT-L50S.pdf .. Backcountry of Algonquin Park Leave No Trace Outdoor Skills and Ethics
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