Page 84 - Martin Marietta - 2024 Sustainability Report

ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP

Slow and Steady Wins the Race

of Natural Resources, Goudy and the consultants devised a
schedule and process to transfer the newly found shelled
residents carefully.
To ensure the tortoises were as shielded as possible, the
team spent 24 hours using the least invasive method
possible to make sure the tortoises were moved safely and
comfortably.

Gopher tortoises naturally dig into the ground in a
corkscrew manner, and the deepest burrow the team
encountered was approximately 20 feet down. So, a clear
An adult tortoise is found at St. Mary’s Sand, FL. The lifespan of a
gopher tortoise is 40 to 60 years in the wild, and up to 90 in captivity. plan was set to remove them from their complex homes.
While one crew member used a small excavator, Goudy
As one of the oldest living species on the planet, gopher
and another team member guided a PVC pole into the
tortoises are a significant element of the United States’
caves to help guide the operator as they slowly excavated
southern ecosystem.
down the burrow, scraping it carefully to mitigate the
Because the gopher tortoise lives in self-made, extensive potential of any harm to any tortoise during the process.
burrows that can go up to 40 feet long and 10 feet wide,
The team then repeated this process over the multiple
they provide shelter for at least 300 other native species,
burrows found on the property. “The amount of care and
including the endangered Eastern indigo snake, gopher
effort Martin Marietta and its employees dedicate to the
frog, Florida mouse, and hundreds of rodents and
environment is inspiring. We take pride in operating our
invertebrates.
facilities above environmental regulatory requirements. The
These tortoises and other animals use the burrows to site has provided a safe habitat for wildlife during the
shelter from various threats, including drastic weather, mining process and will improve the habitat even further in
widespread wildfires and other natural challenges. Simply reclamation,” said Ellen Price, regional manager of
put, many species can only survive because of the help environmental engineering who worked with Goudy on
they get from gopher tortoises. this project. “Working for a company that sets a high
standard for sustainability and makes it a priority from the
So, when Connor Goudy, an environmental engineer from top down has been a privilege.”
the East Division, said a consultant found tortoises on the
premises of St. Mary Sand in Georgia, he knew proper care At the end of the day, a total of five adult and one juvenile
and protection procedures were necessary. gopher tortoise were extracted and tested for upper
respiratory diseases. Once the Department of Natural
“These tortoises are something we have to take care of; Resources deemed the tortoises happy and healthy, the
they provide so much for our natural world and the team safely relocated the animals to an eight-acre
hundreds of different animals around us,” Goudy said. sanctuary owned by the Alligator Creek Wildlife
“We just have to protect them and ensure we care for Management Association in Lumber City, Georgia.
them any way we can.”
Moving forward, the site will be monitored for additional
Under Georgia law, the gopher tortoise is considered a burrows. “It’s going to be a continuous initiative,” Goudy
threatened species. Working with the state’s Department said.

82 2024 SUSTAINABILITY REPORT