What You Will Learn

Testing is straight forward as a series of short tests related to each specific area of learning and both on paper and as evaluation of field activities by an expert for that particular skill. By testing specific learning areas and skills separately in shorter tests it will be easier to identify areas that need additional understanding and then re-test rather than to have one huge test that is stressful to the taker and less useful in actually meeting the goal of helping the participant achieve the learning goals and re-learn the specific areas missed.

Written testing areas are done as separate tests:

1. General Knowledge of the Natural History of the Gopher Tortoise and its Commensals, and Information relative to Relocation Activities, the Habitat Management Plan, Health, and Tortoise Processing
2. Understanding of FWC Rules, Penalties and Guidelines and Permit and Permit Application Procedures and After Action Reports and requirements
3. Understanding of Burrow and Forage/Vegetative Habitat Survey and Transect Methods including maps and using GPS for plotting and labeling coordinates on maps as designed to meet FWC minimum requirements
4. Understanding Tortoise Capture/Trapping Methodologies, Transport and Safe Handling Procedures as designed to meet FWC minimum requirements
5. Understanding of the Details for Planning and Implementing a Successful Excavation including working with Backhoe Operators, Landowners, Recipient Site Planning and Tortoise Processing and Transport as designed to meet FWC minimum requirements
6. Recipient Site Management including Site Selection, Enclosure requirements, Conservation Easements and Financing, Long term Monitoring Skills like Burrow/Population, Habitat and Forage Assessment, Tortoise Health and Growth Assessment, Maintenance of Data and Data Analysis relative to Management Activities like Burning or Exotic Removal, and Site Maintenance and Restoration Activities

Field Assessments: A Skills Checklist and Demonstrated Behaviors completed for each applicant by an expert Instructor directly observing and questioning the individual being tested for each of the major areas. Those showing deficiencies will be re-trained on the spot and re-tested or recommended for a more extensive re-training if necessary.

1. Use of Survey and Transect Methodologies in the field including safety considerations, accuracy, use of equipment, care of data and overall quality of results, use of GPS and transfer of Data to Maps
2. Use of accepted Capture/Trapping and Excavation Methodologies, Transport and Safe Handling Procedures, Safety Considerations and Use of Equipment, Care of Data and Overall Quality of Results
3. Use of Monitoring Techniques and equipment for Vegetation Mapping, Herbaceous/Forage Cover, Canopy and Shrub cover and Burrows/Tortoises, including data analysis and interpretation of data relative to needs of recipient site and tortoise management
4. Backhoe use designed specifically for the safety of the gopher tortoise as well as the excavation staff in the burrow