Turtle Habitat Preservation

During the expansion of Philadelphia International Airport's air cargo capacity, situated in a swampy, tidal floodplain, a nesting site relocation project was designed into the plan. This area is home to many aquatic species, including a turtle habitat. The endangered Northern Red-Bellied Cooter Turtles (NRC) live within this area, and became a primary focus for the Tinicum Island Road Relocation Project.

The sitework was performed by C. Abbonizio Contractors, Inc., who installed over 400 yards of a custom blended Turtle Nesting Soil. The soil, made from fine aggregate, coarse sand, and topsoil, is specifically designed for the endangered turtles to be able to burrow into this loose soil to lay their eggs. Additionally, we created an Ecology Soil blend and provided a large volume of Bioretention Soil to mitigate stormwater run-off.