With about 95% of land in Alabama in private ownership, partnerships with landowners and developers are crucial for the conservation of threatened species like the gopher tortoise. That type of collaboration happened recently in Baldwin County when development company 68 Ventures contacted the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources’ (ADCNR) Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries (WFF) Division about the discovery of gopher tortoise burrows.
Chloe Kelly, director of entitlements with 68 Ventures, is at the forefront of the company’s extensive efforts to ensure environmental compliance, including determining if any sensitive species of animals need attention.
Recently Kelly and team found suspected gopher tortoise burrows at The Reserve, a residential development in Daphne. Kelly said 90 days prior to construction, the environmental team went in, and the burrow site was secured to be sure it was not disturbed. They established a 25-foot buffer to erect a silt fence to encircle the area. WFF was notified and the burrows were surveyed to see if they were occupied. Of the seven burrows discovered, six were occupied by gopher tortoises…