This wonderful story about the turtle conservation initiatives at Caledon’s Alton Mill Arts Centre was a collaborative effort by artists Lynden Cowan and Margaret Pardy (the Turtle Nannies), Martin Kouprie (Partner and General Manager of the Centre), the Headwaters Turtle Protectors and the Alton Mill Arts Centre.
Photo (above) credit: Lynden Cowan
Part of the definition of family is a primary social unit related by deep personal commitment, while community is a broader network of people who share a geographic location, values or interests.
Photo credit: Lynden Cowan
The Alton Mill Arts Centre claims both descriptions when it comes to the Wildlife Conservation of their expansive property.
All artists and staff are involved – from the artist working in the Forge who does a morning circular inspection of the building’s window wells to make sure no creature has fallen in whether it be frog or opossum (and fishes them out if needed), to the housekeeping staff who guarded a turtle mom laying her eggs in the wee hours of the morning until others arrived and could protect the nest when completed, to the groundskeeper who had to climb up a tree to return baby birds when the nest was windblown.
Photo credit: Margaret Pardy
Two artists in particular at The Alton Mill, Margaret Pardy (Studio 203) and Lynden Cowan (Studio 202), are referred to as the Turtle Nannies, and oversee the needs of the Alton Mill reptiles. As members of the International Group of Artists for Conservation, they are required to have a conservation project, both for time spent and community education.
The Alton Mill Artists have combined their energy with Headwaters Turtle Protectors, a local group of volunteer turtle advocates who provide advice and expertise when needed, and they help monitor the nests when the Mill is closed.
As a community effort, the interest in the turtles extends beyond the property line, such as when Margaret, on her way home from Alton Mill, came upon a large snapping turtle exhausted from nesting, so moved her across the road to keep her safe from cars, and remained to observe her from a distance, until the momma made her way back to the wetlands and someone else from the Headwaters Turtle Protectors could take over.
Dan holding turtle. photo credit: Margaret Pardy
Only someone who is trained and permitted through a program like Scales Nature Park’s Saving Turtles at Risk Today (S.T.A.R.T.) project is allowed to excavate the eggs, and this is only done if the nest is in a precarious location like the side of a road, such as was this nest. The eggs were transported to Scales Nature Park for incubation. In this case 29 of the 35 eggs hatched and Margaret got to witness their release to their wetland.
At the Alton Mill Arts Centre, we have mostly Snapping turtles, a species of special concern, but there is also a smaller population of Painted turtles.
June is an extremely busy month at The Alton Mill with turtles – everyone keeps watch for nesting moms, does daily checks on the boxed nests, and while the eggs are incubating inside their nests, volunteers from Headwaters Turtle Protectors help maintain the inside of the nest boxes by occasionally having to trim the vegetation that naturally grows inside so that the hatchlings can more easily find their way out safely and head to the pond to start their life.
Tray of baby turtles. Photo credit: Amy Davidson
Recently, 45 hatchlings were returned to Alton Mill after permitted incubation, to be released to our pond as the turtles need to be returned to where they came from. If we get a warning in advance when hatchlings are ready to come back, The Alton Mill lets the local community know so they can view the release, which is like a reward for their ongoing support…from the little boy who lives close to the Mill and successfully rescued a baby trying to cross the parking lot, to the volunteers who frequently drive over when the Alton Mill Arts Centre is closed to monitor the boxed nests, to the regulars who enjoy hiking on our property.
The project at the moment that visitors will soon see, is a little deck so the pond turtles can soak up the warmth of the sun, which helps them digest food and kills harmful bacteria on their shells.
Michele and Dan releasing turtles. photo credit: Lynden Cowan
The Alton Mill Arts Centre and our turtles appreciate the support from the community and from the Headwaters Turtle Protectors. (hturtlep@gmail.com).
Beyond art, conservation is central to the Alton Mill’s mandate. We are very happy to support the ongoing protection of the turtles in The Mill’s pond, and deeply appreciate the care Mill artists Lynden Cowan and Margaret Pardy bring as The Mill’s official turtle nannies.
It is a wonderful example of the way art, heritage, and the natural environment come together here, and we are proud to help safeguard this small but important part of Alton’s ecosystem.
To support the efforts of local turtle conservation, donations can be made to the S.T.A.R.T. project by visiting the website arcc-carc.ca or by e-transfer to arcc.carc@gmail.com and reference START for HWTP (Headwaters Turtle Protectors). Thank you.
Turtle pics collage. Photo credit: Margaret Pardy
