Animal Education and Rescue Organization

What About The Turtle Site Lead Guide

Site Lead Training Module — What About The Turtles

Site Lead Training Module

What About The Turtles · A.E.R.O. Animal Rescue · Complete all 6 sections

Module progress0 of 6 sections complete
1
Program overview
2
Volunteer prep
3
On-site protocol
4
Waivers
5
Partner resources
6
Site visit log
Section 1 of 6
Program overview
What About The Turtles is a conservation initiative through A.E.R.O. Animal Rescue — rescuing turtles and other wildlife from active construction zones safely and without disrupting development.
Mission & scope
Mission: Reduce turtle mortality from construction-related habitat destruction.
Scope: Site walks, pond rescue coordination, injury triage, education, data collection, and construction company collaboration.
  • Species focus: Eastern box turtle Aquatic turtles Other native wildlife
Our process
  • Build construction partnerships
  • Coordinate site walk schedules
  • Train & deploy volunteers
  • Coordinate pond drain rescues with site managers
  • Collect & report data quarterly
Challenges to know
  • Assessing resistance from site managers
  • Weather-dependent scheduling
  • Waivers & legal access required
What’s next
Pond inoculation pilot: Collaborating with university partners and vernal pool specialists to explore reintroducing microbial life to scraped and refilled ponds.

Geographic expansion: Actively seeking organizations to replicate this model regionally.
Section 2 of 6
Volunteer preparation
Two key communication touchpoints before any volunteer arrives on site — the initial outreach email and the sign-up confirmation.
1 Initial outreach email — include all four of these
  • Footwear: Sturdy shoes required — terrain is uneven with sticky mud.
  • Weather: Check forecast; dress for heat, sun, rain, or any conditions.
  • Water: Bring your own — nothing is available on site.
  • Gloves: Strongly recommended for all wildlife handling.
2 Sign-up & confirmation — communicate all three of these
  • Waiver: Every volunteer must receive, sign, and hand the waiver to the site lead before stepping on site.
  • Site status: We are guests on an active construction site. Access is a privilege — respect it at all times.
  • Non-interference: Volunteers must not stop or interfere with construction progress, regardless of what is found.
As site lead, collect all signed waivers before the walk begins. Do not allow anyone on site without a completed waiver. See Section 4 for the correct waiver to use.
Volunteer day-of checklist
Section 3 of 6
On-site protocol
Follow these steps on every site walk to conduct the turtle survey safely and effectively.
1 Walk the perimeter
Always walk along the perimeter of the construction site — this is where turtles and wildlife get trapped and cannot move past the barrier. Also walk inside silt fences, near ponds, and at debris edges.
2 Relocating wildlife
When you find a turtle, snake, frog, or other animal:
  • Try to take a photo — but never at the expense of the animal’s welfare.
  • Gently pick up the animal and place it outside the construction site boundary.
  • Release it in the closest area of suitable habitat to where it was found.
  • Sick or injured wildlife must be referred to a licensed rehabber — do not attempt to treat.
3 Hygiene after handling
Wear gloves, or thoroughly disinfect hands immediately after touching any animal. Turtles can carry bacteria harmful to humans. Do not touch your face before disinfecting.
4 Count and record every animal
Record throughout the walk — do not rely on memory at the end. Volunteers log:
  • Date, species, condition, GPS location
  • Weather conditions at time of find
  • Any observations about animal health or site hazards
Report totals to the site lead at the end of every walk. Data goes into the Site Visits spreadsheet (see Section 6).
5 Pond drain protocol
  • Coordinate with site manager on pond draining schedule.
  • Rescue hidden aquatic turtles before scraping or fill-in begins.
  • Release animals into mapped nearby water systems.
  • Ideal timing: warm, sunny days when water levels have dropped — this is when turtles are most likely to move.
Non-interference rule: Under no circumstances may any volunteer — including the site lead — take any action that impedes the progress of construction. We are guests on this site.
Section 4 of 6
Waivers
The correct waiver depends on the construction company. Read carefully — using the wrong waiver is not acceptable.
William A. Hazel sites: Use the WAH-specific waiver only. All other sites: Use the standard WATT waiver.
William A. Hazel (WAH) — waiver summary

This is a comprehensive legal waiver specific to William A. Hazel Incorporated. Key clauses include:

Clause 1–3: The visitor acknowledges construction sites are inherently dangerous and assumes full personal responsibility for injury, death, or property damage.

Clause 4: Full indemnification of WAH and all contractors — visitor will defend and hold harmless against any claims arising from their presence.

Clause 5–6: Visitor has sole responsibility to evaluate risks; assumes full responsibility for bodily, mental, or personal injury including death.

Clause 7: All photographic/video rights from the site are granted to the Company.

Clause 8–9: Must follow all site health and safety rules. No one on site unless accompanied by a duly authorized Company agent.

Clause 10: Under no circumstances will the visitor take actions impeding construction progress.

Requires: visitor name, full mailing address, email, phone, emergency contact, and signature. Minor provisions included (parent/guardian signature required).

WAH waiver — download / print

William A. Hazel sites only · PDF via Google Drive
Standard WATT waiver — all other sites

Clause 1: Authorization for WATT to publish photos of volunteers and animals. Participation is voluntary with no financial compensation.

Clause 2: Volunteer agrees to wear all required PPE including proper footwear, high-visibility vest, helmet, and gloves.

Clause 3: No handling animals in any way that could cause harm. Defer to senior leads when uncertain.

Clause 4: Acknowledges not all animals can be saved; agrees not to interfere with veterinary disposition including euthanasia.

Clause 5: Understands access is to an active construction site; agrees not to impede construction progress under any circumstances.

Collect all signed waivers before the walk begins. Keep them safely stored. Both waivers require a printed name and date — check these are legible before accepting.
Section 5 of 6
Partner & outreach resources
Use these materials when approaching construction companies, potential partners, or anyone new to the program.

Construction company one-pager

Hand to site managers or potential partners · Google Doc

WATT program information packet

Full program overview for new organizations · Google Doc
Talking points for construction partners
  • Zero delays: All rescues will take place during agreed upon times, usually during non-working hours (weekends/evenings).
  • Fully insured: Volunteers operate under A.E.R.O. Animal Rescue insurance.
  • Minimal impact: We follow all site rules, wear full PPE, avoid active work zones.
  • Positive PR: Demonstrates environmental leadership to the community.
  • Regulatory readiness: Proactive wildlife protection may prevent future compliance delays.
  • Data sharing: Quarterly summaries provided to construction partners.
Full training materials available
  • Volunteer orientation PowerPoint
  • Turtle ID guide
  • Rescue & handling procedures
  • PPE safety guide
  • Data collection spreadsheet
  • Sample liability waiver
  • Construction site talking points
Contact the WATT team to request any of these materials.
Section 6 of 6
Site visit log
Every site walk must be logged in the shared spreadsheet. As site lead, it is your responsibility to ensure data is recorded accurately and submitted after every visit.
What to record on every visit
FieldNotes
DateDate of the site walk
Site / locationConstruction site name and address
WeatherConditions at time of walk (temp, rain, sun)
SpeciesCommon name + scientific name if known
CountNumber of each species found and relocated
ConditionHealthy / injured / sick / deceased
GPS / location on siteWhere found on the construction site
Release locationWhere animal was placed (habitat type, GPS if possible)
NotesAny observations, health concerns, site hazards

Site visits spreadsheet — open & log

Site Visits for TTP.xlsx · Google Sheets
Data is used to compile quarterly summaries for construction partners and to track turtle health trends and site risk over time. Accurate records matter — please log the same day as the visit.