Come learn about at-risk turtles and associated amphibians in New Hampshire on Saturday, May 4^th with wildlife biologist Josh Megyesy from the New Hampshire Fish and Game’s Nongame and Endangered Wildlife Program. The program will include an indoor presentation and a family friendly habitat walk at the Jones Brook property in Milton, NH. Josh will discuss threatened and endangered turtle populations, habitats, threats to their populations, regional trends, and conservation actions currently underway. He will include information on how landowners can help in the conservation efforts in New Hampshire. The talk will also feature associated amphibian species that share the habitats used by turtles and especially vernal pools. Following the presentation, Josh will guide a short outdoor walk, which will showcase a variety of habitats used by turtle species for overwintering, feeding, basking, and nesting. The group might also be able to observe amphibian egg masses and learn how to identify them. He will also show the group how scientific monitoring is conducted by turtle biologists using live-traps and radio tracking and how that information is used to guide land protection efforts, road mortality mitigation, and habitat creation. Please come join the discussion and be sure to bring weather appropriate clothing, hiking shoes, bug spray, and water.

Josh Megyesy is a wildlife biologist with the New Hampshire Fish and Game’s Nongame and Endangered Wildlife Program where he specializes in turtle conservation and other reptile and amphibian monitoring in NH. Though Josh’s education is broadly wildlife and conservation biology, his passion has always been herpetophauna (fancy word for reptiles and amphibians). From an early age he was fascinated by these species and spent most summer days observing them in their habitats and reading books voraciously. It was also clear that these animals were declining rapidly in areas where land was being converted from natural to commercial and residential development. Josh has spent his over a decade-long career at NH Fish and Game working on solutions to turtle population declines and partnering with regional, state, federal, municipal, NGO, and private landowners to pool those efforts. Josh is a resident of Milton, NH where he manages his land for wildlife habitat and sustainable agriculture. 

We will convene first at the Greater Wakefield Resource Center in Union for an indoor presentation. We will carpool to the property down the road as there is limited parking.

$15 suggested donation for non-members. Register online now.

This event is presented in partnership with the Milton Conservation Commission.