Restoring Wetland Habitats with Cows and other Livestock

Abstract

At first glance this may not read like a recipe for bog turtle conservation. Yet, in the marshes, fens, and wet meadows of northwestern New Jersey, it has shown remarkable promise. The federally-threatened bog turtle (Clemmys muhlenbergii) is a tiny species, small enough to wade in the puddle of a cow’s hoof print. A single turtle can bring as much as $1200 in the illegal pet trade. Although New Jersey still harbors a significant concentration of bog turtles, a suite of native and exotic plants is rapidly degrading the mucky fens and wet meadows where the turtles thrive. Once established, these plants can rapidly replace the native herbaceous communities that the turtle depends on for its survival with dense, shaded monocultures. Without intervention, New Jersey will likely lose 40 percent of its bog turtle populations in the next twenty years.