Julia Vineyard

Julia Vineyard is a Master's student and Research Assistant at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, specializing in threatened and endangered species habitat restoration, with a particular focus on bog turtles.12 Her research primarily involves:

Research Focus

• Bog turtle population dynamics
• Habitat management and restoration
• Radio telemetry tracking of bog turtles

Background

Julia began her work with bog turtles in fall 2018 as an AmeriCorps member for The Nature Conservancy (TNC) in Massachusetts, where she tracked turtles and analyzed data.2 This experience led to her current graduate studies, which are supported by a federal grant for a seven-state collaboration in New England to study bog turtles.

Current Work

As part of her master's thesis, Julia is:

• Studying bog turtle populations and habitat use in Western Massachusetts
• Comparing current population trends with past studies
• Developing approaches to identify new turtle populations and habitats

Presentations

Julia has presented her research at academic conferences, including:

• Northeast Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies Conference (April 2023): "Bog Turtle (Glyptemys muhlenbergii) population dynamics and response to habitat management in Massachusetts"1

Professional Outlook

Julia's work is contributing significantly to the conservation of bog turtles, a rare and endangered species. She views her research as a privilege, noting the importance of the wetland habitats that support not only bog turtles but also more than 50 rare and threatened species.2