Starting preparation! Location, Location, Location!

(Lake Thoreau, Reston.)

After getting project approval from the Girl Scouts, I started work! The first thing I needed to do was decide on the location of the dock, and in my case gain approval from the Reston Association and nearby homeowners. Here are some factors to keep in mind when deciding on a location for your turtle dock:

• Do turtles reside here?

It is important that you decide on a space where there is a turtle population.

• Does it get enough sun?

Turtles like other reptiles are cold blooded so they rely on the sun to keep them warm. They also need to sunbath to receive calcium and strengthen their immune systems. A lack of access to spots like this leads to the decrease in turtle populations.

• Is there too much water activity?

Avoid putting a dock in a spot that swimmers and boats in the body of water might disturb as this will scare the turtles.

• Can the dock be anchored?

Make sure it is somewhere that you can anchor it otherwise it will float away.

• Can people see it?

While not a necessity, it would be nice if you could place it somewhere where people can watch the turtles and potentially learn about the dock and the purpose it serves.

Depending on where you live, you may need to get a permit and secure permission for your dock. In Reston, I had to show where I wanted to put the dock and the design I planned on using as well as getting signatures from neighbors who live close to where the proposed dock would be installed. It was a straightforward, but time consuming process.

Turtle fun fact of the day:

These creatures date back to the time of the dinosaurs, over 200 million years ago!

For more information on what you can do check out the 'resources' section of this website, join the forum or contact me at mercerthomas10@gmail.com.