What is the CCITT?
The Collaborative to Combat the Illegal Trade in Turtles (CCITT) is a Partners in Amphibian and Reptile Conservation (PARC) national task team that formed in 2018 with the intent to better understand, prevent, and eliminate the illegal collection and trade of North America’s native turtles. Two of CCITT’s primary objectives are to raise the profile of the issue of illegal collection and to build bridges between the biologist and law enforcement communities in an effort to ensure the enforcement of existing state and federal laws and regulations that protect native turtles.
Who can join CCITT?
CCITT’s membership is made up primarily of agency personnel (i.e., state, tribal, and federal agencies). Membership also includes select and vetted staff from academia, non-governmental organizations, judicial and legal personnel, and others that bring good-faith interest and specialized knowledge, skills, and abilities to the group. Non-agency personnel are required to submit an application that will be voted on by the CCITT Steering Committee and to sign a Letter of Understanding committing to the organizational policies.
Can students join?
Yes. Students and other temporary status employees, interns, fellows, etc. can submit an application for temporary membership. For those working within government, there is a temporary member agreement document that must be agreed to and signed. For those outside of government, there is an application that is identical to the permanent member application but that has an end-date associated with the end of the applicant’s employment. Please note that supervisory permission is required before joining in all cases. Temporary members can re-apply for permanent member status when they gain permanent employment with an organization.
Is membership transferable within an organization?
No. Membership is not transferable in any way, including within your institution. Members are expected to refrain from sharing call information, internal documents, links, etc. with anyone that does not have CCITT membership. If another individual within your organization would like to engage with CCITT, we would encourage them to submit an application.
Is all CCITT content private?
Not at all! Much of the content we create is very much intended for wide public and professional distribution. When this is the case, it will be made clear to members so that they can share. Many of the information products we have created can be found on the CCITT Media and Resources webpage.
Where can I learn more about CCITT?
Check out our main webpage at: https://parcplace.org/species/collaborative-to-combat-the-illegal-trade-in-turtles/
I’m ready to join! How do I submit an application?
Send an email requesting an application to: ccitt.leadership.board@gmail.com
