TURTLE SANCTUARY, RAIN GARDENS & NATIVE PLANTS
The Turtles
The Amphibian Foundation created a special place at Blue Heron for native turtles that cannot be released into the wild. You can find 13 Eastern Box Turtles, a native species, in our turtle sanctuary.
If you are helping a turtle cross the road, then:
- Always keep them moving in the same direction that they were headed
- Do not relocate turtles to new areas. Turtles will instinctively will try to return to their home radius and likely die on their journey back.
Rain Garden
Eagle Scout Gus Feinour, from Troop 304, created a rain garden for the Turtle Sanctuary as his Eagle Scout Project in 2018.
Rain water from the awning above the front door is led through a series of gutters to the southern corner of the space.
The gutters guide the rain water to replenish the pond. When the pond overflows, it spills out to the rain garden where it is further stored, filtered, and absorbed by the surrounding plants or is released into the ground.
Native Planting
Eagle Scout Gus Feinour put the finishing touches on his project by planting seven different species of native plants that are appropriate for rain gardens.
In the garden you will find: Coral Bells, Columbine, Blue-Eyed Grass, Southern Shield Fern, Dwarf-Crested Iris, White Wood Aster, and Shallow Sedge.
A beech tree was also planted to match the original name of the office building.
