Clash of defenders of Salem over the habitat of turtles and a camp for the homeless

SALEM, Ore. (KPTV) – Salem officials say they’re trying to balance protecting a potentially endangered turtle species with taking care of the city’s growing homeless population, but local nonprofits say they don’t trust the city’s motives.

The western pond turtle is being considered for addition to the federal endangered species list. The Willamette River is part of the turtle’s natural habitat, but these turtles are now rarely seen in the water. Activist groups say this is because their habitat has been damaged by rubbish from homeless camps along the river’s banks.

Wallace Marines Park near downtown Salem is a popular spot for fly fishermen and boaters, but the park is also home to a growing homeless encampment. Some tents are only a few meters from the water, so their waste inevitably ends up in the river.

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“We have several concerns that the park is not a good place for a forever home or a place to live,” said Gretchen Bennett, Salem’s representative for the homeless.

The main concern is the western pond turtle and the fact that the federal government may soon list it as an endangered species.

“If a turtle becomes endangered and we get very specific guidance on habitat protection that we don’t have or don’t know about, then I guess we’ll just have to take it as it comes,” Bennett said, “Ideally people will take steps to another destination and will do so long before we have to go in and impose anything.”

Bennett said there was one confirmed sighting of a western pond turtle in the park last summer, but they don’t have an analysis of current turtle numbers along the Willamette River.

For the past several months, city officials have told people camping in the park that if the turtle becomes an endangered species, they will have to leave.

“There’s no ‘you have to leave today’ order with the turtles, because we’re trying to work with individuals on what their goals are and how to help them move to a better place,” Bennett said.

Some local nonprofit groups refuse. Jimmy Jones, executive director of the Mid-Willamette Valley, said he was disappointed with the city’s response.

“Just as we want to protect the turtle, we also believe that homeless people have rights — they have constitutional rights — and what happens to them matters, too,” Jones said.

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Jones said he believes the move to move the campers is not just about the turtles.

“Quite often, since the grant approval decision this summer, we’ve seen municipalities start to put pressure on homeless tourists to leave and move on, and I expect that to get worse,” Jones said. .

Bennett also said the city is concerned about those vacationing in the park outside of turtle limits, citing city ordinances that prohibit camping in parks and health and safety concerns.

Jones said he believes the homeless camp gets an undue amount of blame for the turtles’ habitat loss.

“To single out homeless people as the single and foremost threat to the survival of this species seems too big,” Jones said. “I think it’s very easy to go and stand along the river and think about the turtles and believe that the trash going into the river and the environmental impact of the nearby camp is the main cause of habitat disruption. But you also have swimmers, boaters and fishermen visiting the park. The city is also considering development along Front Street. This will have an impact on the environment. So whatever standards they hold for the homeless, I hope they hold everyone else as well.”

Reclassification of the western pond turtle is still pending.

Bennett said she hopes the city of Salem can create alternative shelters for homeless vacationers before a final decision is made, but there is no official timeline for when that will be.

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