APRIL 2007:

April 25, Wednesday, 6:30 pm: Public Hearing on Proposed Terrapin Regulations for their proposed moratorium should the Governor not sign the bill (below)

April 28, Saturday, 6 pm: ADVANCE RESERVATIONS REQUIRED: Chesapeake Audubon Society Annual Spaghetti Dinner "The Diamondbacked Terrapin: More Than Just a Price Tag."

APRIL 25:

Regulation Proposal Terrapin - Permanent
Summary of Proposed Action - The purpose of this action is to prohibit the catch, sale and possession of diamondback terrapin except for permitted scientific or educational uses and for permitted aquaculture operations. Possession of terrapin as pets would be limited to those currently in possession and must be registered with the Department prior to August 1, 2007.
MD Register Issue Date April 13, 2007

Hearing Date April 25, 2007 at 6:30 p.m. in the C-1 Conference Room of Tawes State Office Building, 580 Taylor Avenue, Annapolis, MD

PLEASE NOTE IF YOU CANNOT ATTEND, YOU MAY SUBMIT YOUR COMMENTS ON THEIR PROPOSED PERMANENT REGULATIONS THROUGH MAY 14TH

Public Comment Deadline May 14, 2007
Scheduled Effective Date June 18, 2007

 

APRIL 28: ** ADVANCE RESERVATIONS REQUIRED **:

Chesapeake Audubon Society Annual Spaghetti Dinner "The Diamondbacked Terrapin: More Than Just a Price Tag." Saturday, April 28, 2006; 6 pm.

Mark your calendars now for the April dinner. Our guest speakers for the evening are Alexandra Siess and Richard Stanley of the Chesapeake Terrapin Alliance. Their talk will be entitled, The Diamondbacked Terrapin: More Than Just a Price Tag.

They will speak on the life and biology of these wonderful creatures and on the efforts to preserve them and their habitats. As many of you are aware, the terrapin is the official State reptile and the mascot of the University of Maryland...Fear The Turtle! It should be a very interesting and entertaining program.

Reservations: Please send checks payable to The Chesapeake Audubon Society PO Box 3173, Baltimore, MD 21228 or call 410-203-1819 and leave a message with your name, telephone number and number of people you will be bringing.

Where: The dinner will be held at St. Bartholomew's Episcopal Church, 4713 Edmondson Avenue, Baltimore, not far from the City/County line. Take Rte 40 about 2 miles, just past the convergence of Rte 40 and Edmondson Ave. The church is on the right.

Cost: The cost is $8.00, or $11.00 if you would like a beer or a glass of vino with dinner---such a deal! or e-mail. Any baked donations for the dessert table are appreciated, as well as volunteers for after dinner clean-up. Mark your calendars and we hope to see you there.

We have persuaded Master Chef Robin Schless to take on the task of preparing her exquisite marinara sauce and gourmet meatballs (and vegetarianballs) yet another year, the 24th edition! Any baked donations for the dessert table are appreciated, as well as volunteers for after dinner clean-up.

 

FEBRUARY 2007:

Feb 22, Thursday, 12 pm: Progging for Turtle, USGS Terrapin Study (below)

Feb 23, Friday, 12 pm: Senate hearing of the terrapin bill SB532

Feb 28, Wednesday, 12 pm: House hearing of the terrapin bill HB760

Feb 28, Wednesday, 6:30 pm: Public Scoping Meeting on 2007 Terrapin Harvest Regulations

 

___________________________________________________________________________________

MANTA NOON SEMINAR
"Always at the Crack of Noon"

Thursday, February 22, 2007

C-1 Conference Room
Tawes Building
580 Taylor Avenue
Annapolis, MD

PROGGING FOR TURTLES

Dr. Paula F.P. Henry, USGS - Patuxent Wildlife ResearchCenter, Beltsville, MD

Synopsis: The diamondback terrapin is the only obligate brackish water turtle inNorth America and a prominent inhabitant in the largest estuary in the United States, the Chesapeake Bay. Since the life history and reproductive cycle of the Northern diamondback terrapin depend so strongly on the diverse habitats and rich resources of the Bay, its survival and well-being may be a reflection of the Bay's health. Biologists at the USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center conducted field studies on the diamondback terrapin in the Maryland portion of the Bay watershed from 2000-2006. Spatial analyses of land use and projected urban development applied to field data collected on presence/absence of nest sites are used to quantify the risks posed by development and habitat loss. These analyses also point out the increasing importance of undisturbed marsh and island habitats to this species' survival. Differences in terrapin population structures associated with various habitat types within a region and between two distinctive sites in the Bay watershed are discussed relative to describing a Bay-wide population status.

Directions to the Tawes Building are on the Internet:
http://www.dnr.state.md.us/map.html

The developing schedule for the 2006-2007 season of MANTA Noon Seminars is also on the Internet:

http://www.dnr.state.md.us/streams/seminars/seminars.html

Join us, and please pass this seminar announcement along to other interested colleagues.