We are excited to announce the 10th DTWG Triennial Workshop and to invite you to join us in Cape May, NJ for a great weekend talking terrapins, reconnecting with old friends, making new friends, and building the collaborations needed to restore and sustain wild terrapin populations and their coastal habitats.

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The DTWG community has grown steadily since the inaugural Workshop at the Savannah River Ecology Laboratory in 1994.  The 1994 Workshop was convened in response to growing concern about declining terrapin populations, with the goals of identifying threats to terrapin populations and producing recommendations for management agencies.  The major findings and recommendations compiled from the 1994 Workshop have served as a springboard for scientific research and conservation actions that continue today. 

 

While a great deal of progress has been made over the past 30 years, the principal threats to terrapins have not been fully mitigated, additional management strategies must be developed and evaluated, and the adoption and implementation of sound conservation practices are needed. We still have work to do. This 10th Workshop renews our commitment to improve our knowledge of terrapin ecology and management, build new collaborations, and chart future initiatives toward recovering and sustaining wild terrapin populations and the marshes they inhabit. We look forward to a great meeting!

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About Cape May, NJ and the Cape May Point Arts and Science Center

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The Cape May Point Arts and Science Center (The Center) stands nestled among the dune grasses at New Jersey’s southernmost point, where the Atlantic Ocean meets the Delaware Bay, creating one of the country’s most vital and biodiverse ecosystems.

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In the middle of the Atlantic flyway, Cape May Point is a renowned ecological intersection of marine, insect, and avian species. Within a few square miles, you can experience the beauty and wonder of the world’s biggest butterfly migration, the largest concentration of one of the world’s oldest creatures, horseshoe crabs, and critical habitat of migratory birds, including raptors like hawks, owls, and eagles. Devoted to environmental protection, restoration, and conservation throughout the region, The Center advances its mission by providing unique opportunities and funding for advocacy, education, and research.

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The Center has found its home in the 38,000 square-foot Victorian structure that debuted as the Shoreham Hotel in 1889. In 1909, It became Saint Mary by-the-Sea, the summer retreat house for the Sisters of Saint Joseph of Philadelphia. Lovingly maintained by the Sisters for more than 100 years, The Center would not be possible without their preservation of the building and dedicated stewardship of nature. With widespread community support, and under the leadership of top researchers and scientists, The Center builds on Cape May Point’s century-and-a-half-long legacy of providing a restorative backdrop for recreational, spiritual, and educational retreats. 

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Accommodations

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Cape May offers a plethora of rooming accommodations based on your preference.  If making it a longer stay (getaway), please visit the "Places to Stay Site".   If you are looking for a Bed and Breakfast, Cape May is the place to be!  Victorian charm is throughout the area and the early fall timeframe offers availability and deals.   Below are some options that we recommend:

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The Cape May Point Arts and Science Center 

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As former retreat, The Cape May Point Arts and Science Center offers charming, affordable, dormitory-style housing that is "European-style".  Since the dorm rooms are not climate controlled, early October offers an ambient temperature for the facility that is located on the water.   There is a student discount for rooms and option for limited rooms that have a queen bed and smaller bed.  The Center can accommodate 30 - 40 guests and provides extra blankets if needed. 
 

Room descriptions: $100/night for single for full-time undergraduate/graduate students,

$125/night for single occupancy professional,

$150/night for double occupancy professional,

There are at  least three suite rooms that have a queen bed and a twin daybed that can accommodate two people for $175/night (< $90.00 per person/night).

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Booking will be done directly through the Center

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The Chalfonte Hotel (Cape May's Oldest Victorian Hotel)

301 Howard St Cape May New Jersey 08204 US ,  Tel. 609-360-0678

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With a stay at Chalfonte Hotel in Cape May (Cape May Historic District), you'll be a 4-minute walk from Colonial House and 5 minutes by foot from Cape May Convention Hall. This hotel is 0.2 mi (0.3 km) from Beach Ave and 0.2 mi (0.3 km) from Cape May Beach. Make yourself at home in one of the 65 individually decorated guestrooms. Complimentary wireless internet access is available to keep you connected.  Below are the costs which range from  $169 plus tax to $239 plus tax per night.  There are 5 Queen/Twin rooms for $199.00 plus tax per night.  

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3 - Queen Eurobath Rooms – $169 per night plus tax

4 - Full Eurobath Rooms – $169 per night plus tax

5 - Queen/Twin Rooms with Eurobath – $199 per night plus tax (pictured below)

2 - Queen/Full Suites – $219 per night plus tax

2 - Premium Queen Rooms – $239 per night plus tax

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Booking will be done directly through the Chalfonte

Mention "Terrapin Workshop"  when booking​

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The Sea Crest Inn 

101 Beach Ave, Cape May, NJ 08204,  Tel. 609-884-4561

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The scenic Sea Crest Inn offers a view of the ocean, close to hundreds of shoppes and restaurants.  It offers a range of room choices.  Prices are lower in the early fall timeframe and be sure to use the discount code "2025discount" when booking.  There are double occupancy rooms for ~$200 including tax and fees to make this an affordable stay for 2 or 3 people.

 

 

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Booking will be done directly through the Sea Crest Inn

Please use the discount code "2025discount"​​​

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Getting to Cape May

 

​Cape May is considered the "end of the earth" for many locals since it is in a scenic, historic and an ecologically important area as part of the mid-Atlantic Flyway for migratory avian species.  With that said, there are numerous ways to get to Cape May, New Jersey

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Flights to Atlantic City, Philadephia and Newark Airports:

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Depending on your departure location, there are flights into the small Atlantic City International Airport (ACY), which is less than one hour from Cape May.   The airport is located off the Atlantic City Expressway (Toll Road).  From the Expressway, at exit 7s is the  entrance to Garden State Parkway South (Toll Road) that will bring you right into Cape May (45 miles) 

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Philadelphia International Airport (PHL), offers numerous flights that are usually on time.  It is located off Interstate 95 that then leads to 76 East and the Atlantic City Expressway (Toll Road), then to exit 7s for the Garden State Parkway South (Toll Road), right into Cape May (97 miles, 2 hours).  See below about a NJ Transit bus from Philadelphia to Cape May, NJ.

 

Newark International Airport (EWR),  offers numerous flights, located off the New Jersey Turnpike (Toll Road).  From the Turnpike South, take exit 11 for the Garden State Parkway South (Toll Road), and take this for 127 miles (Total 197 miles, 2.6 hours) 

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Cape May-Lewes Ferry:

​A great way to get to Cape May from the south is the Cape May-Lewes Ferry that runs numerous trips between Lewes, Delaware and Cape May, New Jersey.  Getting to the Ferry Terminal in Lewes is a bit tricky and they like passengers there at least 45 minutes in advance so you need to allocate a good amount of time.  The ferry itself runs about 1.5 hours on the Delaware Bay  from Lewes to Cape May. See the Sailing Schedule for October 1 to October 3, 2025.  Please try to book far in advance to get your choice of sailing times (​1-800-643-3779).
 

Below are the prices for September 1 - October 31, 2025

Vehicle Fares** (does not include driver)             One-Way Round-Trip

Car, SUV, Pick-Up Truck (under 20')                             $33              $58 

Motorcycle                                                                                 $27              $47 

3-Wheel Motorcycle or Motorcycle w/trailer         $27              $47 

Scooter                                                                                         $13              $23 

Long Vehicle and Pick-up Trucks (20' and over)Vary - Check when registering 

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The Ferry Terminal (1200 Lincoln Blvd., Cape May, NJ 08204) is within 18 minutes of the Cape May Point Arts and Science Center, and within 25 minutes of the Wetlands Institute (1075 Stone Harbor Boulevard, Stone Harbor, NJ 08247), and 6 minutes from the Gusto Brewing Company (3860 Bayshore Rd, North Cape May, NJ 08204).

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New Jersey Transit to Cape May:

​New Jersey Transit offers route 313 from Philadelphia to Cape May daily.  Please see a more detailed schedule from New Jersey Transit

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When entering Cape May:

​The famed Garden State Parkway is the most direct way to enter Cape May from the west and north.  The Parkway is a toll road with some tolls costing $2.30 at the booth, with multiple booths and costs expected depending on your origin.  From Garden State mile-marker "0", the Cape May Point Arts and Science Center is 16 minutes (101 Lehigh Ave, Cape May Point, NJ 08212).

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Getting around Cape May

​​Our sponsor, Ocean County Vocational Technical School will provide shuttles for those staying at hotels in the historic village area.  We will have a six passenger van and larger bus, if needed.  There will be a shuttle van available for those attending the social from the Cape May Point Arts and Science Center.  Of course, carpooling is always a good option.  We will shuttle those needing a ride to the pre-conference field trip and to the post-conference field trip to the Wetlands Institute. 

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There is a free shuttle to get around Cape May,  but it will operate only on the weekends for those planning  to make it an extended stay.

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The fall bird migration and Monarch Butterfly migration will be underway and offers a great natural spectacle for all workshop participants! 

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Please see the Explore Cape May Guide for activities and events that may be of interest! 

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Workshop Details and Registration

For your travel planning purposes, the Workshop will run from 5:30 PM Wednesday, October 1st through  12:00 PM Friday October 3rd. This schedule allows individuals to have the following weekend for travel or to spend some personal time in the Cape May area. Friday's events will include a business meeting at 4:00 PM for the DTWG Officers and Board Members followed by our kick-off social at the Gusto Brewing Company. Presentations will begin at 8:00 AM Thursday morning, October 2nd, the poster session, awards presentations, and dinner will be the evening of Thursday, October 2nd, and the conclusion of presentations and working group sessions will be on Friday,  October 3rd.

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Registration costs for this Workshop cover your workshop participation and dinner at the Wednesday night social; breakfast, lunch, buffet dinner, on Thursday; and breakfast and "grab and go" lunch on Friday

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DTWG membership is not required to participate in the Workshop, but we highly encourage membership. Membership is vital to the DTWG and our membership cycle is designed to encourage sustained membership and engagement with the DTWG. For more information and to become a DTWG supporting member, please visit https://www.dtwg.org/become-a-member.  Membership for the 10th Triennial Workshop is for members who have added or renewed their October 2025 through September 2028 memberships.

 

We will be posting an opportunity to order official our 10th Triennial Workshop  "Terrapin Wear" and there is a special Terrapin IPA brew planned!  
 

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Registration costs are as follows. Early bird registration closes at 11:59 PM on Sunday, August 17, 2025.

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Student member early bird  $120  (until August 17, 2025)

Regular member early bird  $150  (until August 17, 2025)

Student non-member  $150 (until August 17, 2025)

Regular non-member $175  (until August 17, 2025)

One Day Pass for guests and local participants who can only come on October 2, 2025  $90.00 (Until August 17, 2025)​​​​

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After August 17, 2025, please add $25.00 to each category above​

 

​** If you cannot not take advantage of early bird pricing because of fiscal year deadlines, please contact us! 

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 Click here to register for the Workshop 

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You can modify your registration including abstracts until September 1, 2025.

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Student Travel Awards: As part of the registration process students can apply for student travel awards to offset their registration cost.

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Oral and Poster Presentations

A key component of the Workshop is the sharing of information and ideas. We invite individual to share their work (research, management, education, advocacy, regulation, community building, etc...). We have several options for participants: an oral presentation or a poster presentation.

 

Oral presentations will be either 15 minute (12-13 minute talk with 2-3 minutes for questions) or speed talks (5 minutes with a Q&A for all presenters at the end of the session). We do not know the number of 15 and 5 minute talks. We will make this determination to accommodate as many participants as we can. You can indicate if you are willing to present a 15 minute or 5 minute speed talk.

 

Posters will be hung at the start of the conference and available for viewing and discussion during the entire workshop. Poster presentations will be part of the social event on Thursday, October 2nd. IMPORTANT: The format size for posters is a maximum of 4 ft X 4 ft. That's right! Try a poster that is 4 ft tall by 3 feet wide or, be square! Posters larger than 4 ft wide or tall will not be displayed. The poster dimensions are to maximize the number of posters we can accommodate and to encourage people to be creative and efficient with information. Break away from that stale old dense poster format. Have some fun. Here is a link to a Pinterest page with lots of ideas for vertical or square poster formats: https://www.pinterest.at/tzesire/conference-posters-design/

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You will select whether you want to present and the types of presentation formats that you will consider as part of your registration. You will also upload your abstract as part of the registration process. You can modify your abstract submission and registration until September 1, 2025.​

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Abstract Submission

Abstracts for posters or oral presentations must be received by 11:59 PM on Thursday, September 1, 2025. Abstracts must be 300 words or less (excluding the title, author names and affiliations, and key words). A sample Abstract is included below. Please attach abstracts as a Word document to your abstract registration. Please label the file as the last name of the first presenter and then "_2025_DTWG_Abstract". (e.g., Smith_2025_DTWG_Abstract).

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SAMPLE ABSTRACT

 

TITLE: Effects of Salinity on Hatchling Diamond-Backed Terrapin (Malaclemys terrapin) Growth, Behavior, and Stress Physiology 

 

AUTHORS: Elizabeth A. Ashley (1,2), Andrew K. Davis (2), Vanessa K. Terrell (1), Connor Lake (1), Cady Carden (1), Lauren Head (1), Rebacca Choe (2), and John C. Maerz (1)

(1) Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, 180 East Green Street, Athens, GA 30602, USA;

(2) Odum School of Ecology, University of Georgia, 140 East Green Street, Athens, GA 30602, USA

 

ABSTRACT: Diamond-backed terrapins inhabit coastal salt marshes along the eastern and Gulf coasts of North America. Terrapins are adapted to intermediate salinities yet frequently face saltwater-inundated marsh habitat exceeding 25 ppt (or grams/kilogram). We investigated the effect of salinity on the growth of hatchling terrapins and on their compensatory responses to salinity stress. We randomly assigned 30 terrapin hatchlings each to one of five salinity treatments (1, 5, 10, 20, or 35 ppt). Over 75 d, we regularly monitored behavior, appetite, and changes in growth; and calculated ratios of heterophils to lymphocytes (H:L ratio) to assess responses to prolonged salinity stress. Consistent with prior studies, chronic exposure to high salinity significantly reduced hatchling growth. Hatchlings in 20-ppt and 35-ppt salinities exhibited appetite suppression and saltwater avoidance and were more likely to show freshwater-seeking behaviors. H:L ratios were higher among hatchlings in 20- and 35-ppt salinities, consistent with a corticosterone-driven stress response to sustained high-salinity exposure, which may play a role in limiting growth. Our findings suggest hatchling growth and distribution among local habitats will vary spatially depending on habitat salinity and freshwater accessibility. The growth-limiting effects of chronically high salinity or limited access to freshwater could therefore increase hatchling mortality and be an important driver of spatial variation in terrapin demography and abundance. However, when freshwater sources are available, compensatory behaviors might reduce growth-limiting effects. Terrapin recruitment is likely to be impacted as rising sea levels, increased human water use, land development, and other anthropogenic changes alter freshwater inputs to coastal marshes. 

 

KEY WORDS: Climate change; H:L ratio; Salt marsh; Sea level rise 

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Student Presentation Awards

As part of your registration and abstract submission, student members who are presenting can select whether they want to be considered for the oral or poster student presentation award.

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Accessibility and Inclusivity

The DTWG and your Workshop hosts are committed to a fully inclusive and accessible workshop. Facilities for all events are wheelchair accessible. Shuttles will be available to transport participants between hotels and the conference venue and special transportation can be arranged for participants who need assistance accessing other venues. If you have any questions related to accessibility or inclusion for this Workshop, please provide that information in the following sections or email jwnek@ocvts.org

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In addition to student travel grants, it is the goal of the Workshop hosts to maximize accessibility and inclusion at the Workshop. During your registration, you indicate any accessibility needs including food preferences and needs, whether you would like assistance in identifying potential roommates to share lodging costs, and whether you need assistance setting up childcare while attend the workshop. While we currently cannot provide subsidized lodging costs or childcare costs, we are happy to try and assist with these matters. If there are any accessibility issues we have not considered, please contact your meeting host at jcmaerz@uga.edu

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Workshop Code of Conduct

The DTWG is committed to providing a welcoming, safe, and productive environment for all Workshop participants. All participants including but not limited to attendees, speakers, volunteers, exhibitors, sponsors, service providers, and others are expected to abide by this Workshop Code of Conduct. This Code of Conduct is modeled after the Ecological Society of America’s and SEPARC’s codes of conduct.

 

Expected Behavior

• Treat all participants with respect and consideration, valuing a diversity of views and opinions.

• Be considerate, respectful, and collaborative.

• Communicate openly with respect for others, critiquing ideas rather than individuals.

• Avoid personal attacks directed toward others.

• Be mindful of your surroundings and of your fellow participants, staff, vendors, and volunteers.

• Respect the rules, policies, and property of the meeting venues.

• Adhere to State and Federal laws.

 

Unacceptable Behavior

• Harassment, intimidation, or discrimination in any form.

• Physical or verbal abuse.

• Disruption of talks or conversations at oral or poster sessions.

 

• Examples of unacceptable behavior include but are not limited to …

• verbal comments related to gender, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, race, religion, or national origin;

• inappropriate nudity or sexual images in public spaces or presentations;

• intentional or unintentional vandalism of facilities or other persons’ property stemming from careless or inappropriate behavior;

• threatening or stalking.

 

Consequences

Anyone requested to stop unacceptable behavior is expected to comply immediately. Workshop hosts, co-chairs, or security may take action deemed necessary and appropriate including immediate removal from the Workshop without warning or refund. DTWG reserves the right to prohibit attendance at future Workshops or participation in DTWG programs or events.

 

Reporting of Unacceptable Behavior

If you are the subject or target of unacceptable behavior or have witnessed any such behavior, please immediately notify a DTWG co-chair or Workshop host. You may contact a co-chair or Workshop host in person or by emailing dtwgcoms@gmail.com. Anyone experiencing or witnessing behavior that constitutes an immediate or serious threat to public safety is advised to contact venue security or local police.