Revelstoke Turtle Nesting Site Restoration Operational Trial

Author: Okanagan Nation Alliance

There were two main objectives as part of this habitat enhancement project: 1. Restore suitable nesting habitat conditions at the Red Devil Hill nesting site, the most important turtle nesting sites in the area around Revelstoke; and, 2. Create additional basking log habitat opportunities in the area by deploying and anchoring floating cedar logs in the Revelstoke Airport Marsh.

Nine basking logs installed in Airport Marsh.
While monitoring the site under another project on May 24, 2018, ONA staff counted a peak of 44 turtles in one evening nesting along a 2 m x 40 m section of the Red Devil Hill site. All observed nesting activity occurred within 3-4 m of the Red Devil Hill roadway barriers, and in areas of relatively low slope (Figure 9). No nesting or attempted nesting was observed on the areas of Red Devil Hill that had slopes greater than 40%, including the extensive areas of the slope that have an incline of 65-70%.

Nine basking logs installed in Airport Marsh.
While monitoring the site under another project on May 24, 2018, ONA staff counted a peak of 44 turtles in one evening nesting along a 2 m x 40 m section of the Red Devil Hill site. All observed nesting activity occurred within 3-4 m of the Red Devil Hill roadway barriers, and in areas of relatively low slope (Figure 9). No nesting or attempted nesting was observed on the areas of Red Devil Hill that had slopes greater than 40%, including the extensive areas of the slope that have an incline of 65-70%.