Gopher Tortoise Education Corner

Welcome parents, teachers and students.

Welcome teachers, students, and parents! Here you will find gopher tortoise related information and activities for all ages. This page lists all of the brochures and other forms that are available for download.

Brochures

A guide to living with gopher tortoises (585KB) contains information on the importance of gopher tortoise in Florida and what to do if you encounter one.

Una guía para vivir con Tortugas de tierra (821KB) contiene información sobre la importancia de la tortuga de tierra en Florida y lo que debe hacer si encuentra una.

Before you build (918KB) contains information about what landowners should know about gopher tortoises before breaking ground on construction activities.

Get the facts about gopher tortoises

Laws, policies and guidelines (color [1MB]) (black and white [773KB])

Permitting and mitigation (color [945KB]) (black and white [698KB])

Recipient sites (color [283KB]) (black and white [274KB])

Horses and safety (color [299KB]) (black and white [275KB])

Wildlife Rehabilitation (color [788KB]) (black and white [316KB])

Waif Gopher Tortoises ( 1.51MB)

Posters

Got Gophers? Get Permits. [920KB] Has been revamped and distributed to local governments in Florida. You can also help by printing and posting this 8 ½ x 14 size poster in your office or neighborhood.

The Longleaf Alliance also offers an educational poster that depicts many of the plants and animals that could be encountered on a stroll through the longleaf pine forest, one habitat in which the gopher tortoise can be found.

Publications

The gopher tortoise is one of FWC's Featured Critters and was developed with the idea of increasing awareness among Floridians. The Featured Creature includes a collection of information and photos on that particular species in a format designed as a newspaper page.

The Pine Ecosystem Conservation Handbook for the Gopher Tortoise in Florida is part of an initiative of the American Forest Foundation's Center for Conservation Solutions that brings together conservation partners and family forest owners to conserve and create forest habitat for the gopher tortoise and other declining wildlife of the southern pine forest. A limited quantity of these handbooks is available upon request from FWC by calling 850-921-1030.

The Gopher Tortoise: At Home in Florida's Forests includes information on how private forest owners can participate in gopher tortoise conservation. Florida Forests (Spring/Summer 2008) published by The Florida Forestry Association.

The Longleaf Alliance is a non-profit organization that serves as a clearinghouse for information on regenerating, restoring and managing longleaf pine; provide networking opportunities for our members to connect with other landowners, managers and researchers with similar interests and problems; and coordinate technical meetings and education seminars. The Alliance also offers an educational poster that depicts many of the plants and animals that could be encountered on a stroll through the longleaf pine forest, one habitat in which the gopher tortoise can be found.

Children's Books

The Gopher Tortoise, by Zander Srodes. This children's activity book, reprinted by FWC in February 2009, is an educational activity book that introduces the life history and ecological significance of the gopher tortoise to young audiences.

Gopher Tracks, by Susan Jane Ryan. This 62-page book is most appropriate for fourth-graders and up. The book introduces gopher tortoise ecology, the role of fire in upland habitats, and the importance of environmental stewardship through the adventures of two girls, Tamika and Diana.

Educator's Curriculum

Teaching About Gopher Tortoises: Protection and Natural History provides Facilitator's curriculum for training environmental educators.

Encounters with Gopher Tortoises: Protection and Natural History provides curriculum and activities to educators in Florida.

Both curriculums were created for FWC by Ray and Patricia Ashton and meet Florida's Sunshine State Standards. The curriculum is available in DVD format upon request from FWC by calling 850-921-1030.

Grant opportunities for gopher tortoise research and education

Grant opportunities are posted to the Gopher Tortoise Council's website frequently. Please check back for future opportunities as they are available.

If you have a funding opportunity available for gopher tortoise education or research and would like for us to include the information on our website, please send the announcement to Deborah.Burr@MyFWC.com.