Why You Should Participate in Community Science<\/h3>\n
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But why is it important to be part of community science? One of the biggest issues in conservation is that scientists can\u2019t be everywhere at once. We simply don\u2019t have the resources to confirm exactly which sites are being used by species at risk throughout their range. This is a major problem when you consider that legal protection of habitat is only granted to places where a species at risk has been confirmed to occur.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s more vital than ever that species at risk are documented in Ontario. Recently, the Ontario Government<\/a> replaced the Endangered Species Act, 2007<\/em> with the Species Conservation Act, 2025<\/em>. It is significantly more conservative with the legal protections it grants for documented species at risk.<\/p>\n Take the Blanding\u2019s Turtle<\/a> for example. Under the previous act, an observation of a single individual triggered protection for wetlands up to two kilometres away from where the individual was found. Under the new act, the current draft guidelines (at the time of writing this article) propose only the protection of the nearest wetland, and in many instances not even the entire wetland.<\/p>\n We are going from a system where a single observation could easily protect four or five wetlands, to one where at least one observation is required in each of these wetlands to protect the same area. This is not based on new information or a better understanding of how Blanding\u2019s Turtles use their habitat. If anything, these new guidelines (Species Conservation Act, 2025) do not take into account the well-established fact that this species typically uses multiple wetlands at different times of the year and frequently travels overland to reach them, regardless of what we humans deem \u201cconvenient\u201d.<\/p>\n As turtles start becoming active again, now is a great time to document turtles in your area. While the water is still cold, they will be spending more time basking on logs out of the water, making them easier to see and photograph. It is more important than ever to document all instances of species at risk. Even deceased individuals that didn\u2019t make it across the road are important observations. If you do snap pics on the road, be mindful of traffic and make sure that it is safe to leave your car before photographing.<\/p>\n One of the easiest ways to submit these observations is through iNaturalist.ca<\/a>. This app collects the photo, location, date and any notes you wish to submit together into a single record. Some projects, such as the Canadian Amphibians & Reptiles on Roads<\/a> project, will even provide recommended data to submit so that scientists can make the most of your observation!<\/p>\n Not certain what you\u2019re photographing? The app and community will help you. Try to take multiple clear photos from different angles to try to capture any key features of your subject – most turtle species in Ontario have very distinctive heads. The Blanding\u2019s Turtle in particular can be identified from relatively far away thanks to its bright yellow throat.<\/p>\n We\u2019ve mentioned the Blanding\u2019s Turtle in this article because it has been a focus of our efforts here at the Canadian Wildlife Federation. As a globally endangered species, it is in the same category as the Blue Whale and Asian Elephant. However, it is relatively common in eastern Ontario, meaning that many of you can help it regain much of the previously protected habitat by reporting sightings.<\/p>\n So, the next time you head outdoors, take a close look at what\u2019s in and around your local wetland. Your observation may help protect the home of a species at risk.<\/p>\nHow You Can Help the Blanding’s Turtle<\/h3>\n
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Learn more about our work with Freshwater Turtles.<\/h4>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"