REPTILES
Initial Assessments of Hurricane Helene on Bog Turtle Habitat and Wetlands in Western NC by Gabrielle Graeter, Western Region Herpetologist, and Rosie Ronca, Western Region Technician T he southern lineage of bog turtles (Glyptemys muhlenbergii) is federally threatened (S/A) and state threatened in North Car- olina. This species occurs in mountain bog habitats in the Southern Appalachian Mountains from Virginia to northern Georgia. At the end of September 2024, Tropical Storm Helene hit western North Carolina, causing historic flooding, many landslides, and thousands of downed trees. It was an unprecedented disaster in terms of both human and ecological impacts. After the storm, North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission (NCWRC) Wildlife Diversity staff visited bogs to assess impacts to habitat. Staff developed a standardized questionnaire on Survey123 to quantify overall impact, flood damage, fallen trees, sediment/rock/debris deposits, erosion, and deceased wildlife. In October and November, our team assessed 24 sites
across six counties, with a focus on bogs within the areas hit hardest by the storm. Eight of the bogs had impacts across at least 50% of the bog. The main effects we documented were sediment and rock depos- its, scoured areas from erosion, and extreme flooding. Of the five best bog turtle populations in NC, the habitat at four of them was signifi- cantly impacted by the storm. This damage to bog turtle habitat is a huge setback for conservation of this species. We are using the information from the assessment survey to create a plan for addressing damages from the storm at these bogs, including immediate needs before turtles are active in spring 2025, and lon- ger-term restoration needs. This planning will be done in partnership with other conservation groups, including the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, The Nature Conservancy, the Amphibian and Reptile Conser- vancy, as well as private landowners. In the short term, we have a number of bogs with sediment, rocks, and other debris deposited on top of the wetland that needs to be removed by mid-March. In the lon- ger term, we have identified areas that need to be stabilized due to scouring and erosion, adjacent stream banks that need attention, and restoration of hydrology. Beginning in Spring 2025, when turtles are active again, we will begin assessing the effects of this storm on the most-impacted populations through various survey methods, includ- ing trapping and active searches.
ROSIE RONCA/NCWRC
Top: NCWRC Commission Biologist Gabrielle Graeter walks through an Alleghany Co. bog to assess damages from Hurricane Helene. Debris deposits from flood water flow are evident against fallen logs. Bottom: Evidence of sediment deposits and flood flow in the priority nesting habitat at one of the more stable bog turtle population sites in NC. This sediment will need to be removed due to the amount and location, and potential impacts to bog turtle behaviors and activities in spring 2025.
32 2024 Wildlife Diversity Program Annual Report
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