Middleboro land to be permanent home to box turtles
Threats to box turtles include development, which is one reason why the town has protected a parcel of land for their habitat. Photo source: Wild Care, Inc.
Threats to box turtles include development, which is one reason why the town has protected a parcel of land for their habitat. Photo source: Wild Care, Inc.
MIDDLEBORO — Whatever the future holds for development in town, Eastern box turtles will always have a home in Middleboro.
Nearly 53 acres of land off Precinct and Thompson streets will be permanently protected for the turtle.
Box turtles face a number of threats, according to the Massachusetts Department of Fisheries and Wildlife.
Residential and industrial development is a major factor in the reduction of their habitat, the department reports. Other issues are roadway deaths; collection of the turtles for pets and disturbance of nests by all-terrain vehicles.
When a piece of land in prime box turtle habitat went up for sale, Conservation Agent Patricia Cassady and the Conservation Commission stepped in.
The land is part of a larger parcel that fell under Chapter 61A, which meant that the town would have the right of first refusal if the owner wanted to sell it. When town resident Edward Medeiros offered to buy the land, the town did not express an interest in purchasing the land.
Medeiros plans to build house lots on the parcel, which contains about 59 acres.
The town asked if he was willing to set aside a portion for protection of the box turtles. The property has been deemed as priority habit for the reptiles through the Natural Heritage and Endangered Species program of the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife
The land in question was appraised at $540,000. Medeiros has agreed to absorb $135,000 of the cost. The Nature Conservancy provided a grant of $405,000 to offset the difference. No taxpayer money was involved.
This was the first time the town has received this type of grant to protect box turtle land, Cassady said.
With final approval from Special Town Meeting voters in October, the land now will stand as box turtle habitat. A conservation restriction will be placed on the land to be held by the Wildlands Trust, a non-profit land trust in Plymouth.
Projects such as this help the town balance growth with protecting open space, Cassady said.
“We have a lot of development’’ in town, Cassady said. “We always try to balance that.’’
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