Ben Phillips is a graduate student at the University of New Hampshire in the Wildlife Biology and Conservation program. His research focus is on the ways that landscape change and human activities influence wildlife populations. His interest and passion for this topic was sparked during his time as a wildlife care intern at The Center for Wildlife, a wildlife rehabilitation facility in Maine. Most of the animals that ended up in his care at the rehab facility were the result of a vehicle collision or an encounter with a cat or dog. Treating so many animals that were injured by human activities left him wondering what impact those losses might have on the health of the entire population. With that question on his mind, Ben began his graduate program to examine the way that human development impacts freshwater turtle populations. 

Ben Phillips will introduce the freshwater turtle species found in New England and cover some background information about freshwater turtle biology and ecology. The presentation will also cover the landscape and environmental factors that place turtle populations at risk, the methods that have been used to monitor turtle populations, and potential steps for the future of freshwater turtle conservation.