A turtle crossing project will soon be implemented in Sutton with the goal of raising awareness around protecting the turtle population in the Eastern Townships.

The idea for a turtle crossing project comes from local resident Andrew Richards. Richards lives at the southern end of Alderbrooke Road off Highway 139 where there is a large curve in the road. This part of the road is a hotspot for turtle crossings, particularly Wood Turtles, due to the river that is nearby.  But the curve makes it difficult for drivers to see anything crossing the road.

According to Richards, the Wood Turtle is a threatened species in Quebec and one of the few remaining pockets of the Wood Turtle population in Quebec is in Sutton and its surrounding areas. To help preserve the Wood Turtle population, Richards wants to make people aware of their existence by setting up a turtle crossing near his home and potentially other sensitive areas in Sutton.

Richards submitted his turtle crossing project to the Town of Sutton as a part of its first participatory budget initiative. A participatory budget provides citizens with the opportunity to get involved in municipal affairs by proposing projects they want to see happen in their communities and voting on them. Richards' project was popular with Sutton residents and it will be implemented starting next year.

To heard more about the turtle crossing project, listen to the full interview with Richards below: