Bog Turtle Conservation
The bog turtle , Americas smallest turtle, is federally listed as Threatened under the Endangered Species Act.
Bog Turtle
Listing Status: Threatened
The bog turtle, Americas smallest turtle, is federally listed as Threatened under the Endangered Species Act. Bog turtles depend upon an open, sunny, spring fed wetlands with scattered dry areas, and can be an indicator of water quality and wetland function. The greatest threats to bog turtles include habitat degradation and fragmentation from land conversion, habitat succession due to invasive exotic and native plants, and illegal trade and collecting.
Private landowners own the majority of remaining bog turtle habitat; good livestock grazing management has helped to conserve bog turtle habitat, demonstrating the important role that agriculture can play in conservation.
Goals and Objectives
Through Working Lands for Wildlife, NRCS can provide financial assistance through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) to assist private landowners combat habitat fragmentation and degradation to restore bog turtle populations in seven states, and increase landowner confidence that the conservation practices they volunteer to implement will not harm the species or its habitat. Restoration activities will complement the existing NRCS Wetland Reserve Easements effort to protect bog turtle habitat. Because of the lack of a current farm bill, funding for new conservation easements or habitat restoration projects is not available through the Wetland Reserve Program. Funding for habitat restoration or improvement is available through the Wildlife Habitat Incentive Program.
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Core Conservation Practices
- Restoration & Management of Rare & Declining Habitats (643)
- Wetland Wildlife Habitat Management (644)
- Upland Wildlife Habitat Management (645)
- Early Successional Habitat Development/Management (647)
Supporting Conservation Practices
- Brush Management (314)
- Herbaceous Weed Control (315)
- Conservation Cover (327)
- Prescribed Burning (338)
- Fence (382)
- Riparian Herbaceous Cover (390)
- Riparian Forest Buffer (391)
- Filter Strip (393)
- Stream Habitat Improvement (395)
- Grade Stabilization (410)
- Access Control (472)
- Prescribed Grazing (528)
- Stream Crossing (578)
- Streambank and Shoreline Protection (580)
- Structure for Water Control (587)
- Watering Facility (614)
- Wetland Restoration (657)
- Wetland Enhancement (659)
How to apply for Financial Assistance
- NRCS Office Locations - Visit your local NRCS office to apply