Become a Terrapin Guardian – Join Our 2026 Protection Team!
Orenda Wildlife Land Trust is seeking your help protecting Diamondback Terrapins at our “Turtle Garden” located on one of our sanctuaries in West Barnstable, where they have been nesting in large numbers for years. Terrapins are listed as “threatened” in Massachusetts due to various factors including over-harvesting in the 19th century, predation, traffic, and habitat loss.
Since 2020, we have been conducting habitat management, nest identification, nest protection, and hatchling observation and assistance to ensure that this species continues to thrive in and around Cape Cod.
Terrapins spend most of their lives in the salt marsh. Each summer, females lay their eggs in sandy areas above the high tide line. Eggs hatch in the late summer and early fall and the hatchlings make their way to the upper rim of the marsh, where they mature for several years before entering the larger marsh area.
Volunteers are an integral part of this successful conservation project and are needed from early-June to early-October to locate, protect, monitor, and process terrapin nests.
If you are a prospective volunteer interested in being part of our Turtle Protection Team, please complete this form and email us at Turtles@orendalandtrust.org to arrange to join us for an upcoming volunteer training session:
2026 training session dates:
- Saturday, May 9 at 1 PM – new and returning volunteers
- Saturday, May 16 at 1 PM – new and returning volunteers
⇒ Terrapin Protection Team Resources
Diamondback Terrapin Adoption Program
You can support the work we do at our Turtle Garden Sanctuary by symbolically adopting a Diamondback Terrapin, Hatchling, Nest - or, the whole sanctuary! Your adoption directly benefits our continued efforts to preserve and maintain the required nesting beds and habitat for the terrapins. Due to the generosity of donors like you, Orenda Wildlife Land Trust will be able to protect and monitor nests, collect important data, and release hatchlings into Barnstable Great Marsh. With your adoption, you will receive: a personalized adoption certificate, access to our educational materials, an OWLT sticker and an OWLT reusable bag.
Diamondback Terrapin Adoption Program
You can support the work we do at our Turtle Garden Sanctuary by symbolically adopting a Diamondback Terrapin, Hatchling, Nest - or, the whole sanctuary! Your adoption directly benefits our continued efforts to preserve and maintain the required nesting beds and habitat for the terrapins. Due to the generosity of donors like you, Orenda Wildlife Land Trust will be able to protect and monitor nests, collect important data, and release hatchlings into Barnstable Great Marsh. With your adoption, you will receive: a personalized adoption certificate, access to our educational materials, an OWLT sticker and an OWLT reusable bag.