Searching for Snot Otters

by Crystal Cockman This past week, I spent the whole week volunteering with North Carolina State Parks searching for hellbenders in the New River in Ashe County. Each year they host hellbender week, which is a week dedicated to looking for these fantastic critters in...

A Botanical Adventure

by Crystal Cockman June 11, 2018 On Sunday May 29, I had the opportunity to go on a botanical adventure with Bruce Sorrie, botanist, retired from the NC Natural Heritage Program. The North Carolina Natural Heritage Program is a program of the Division of Land and...

How to Save a Girdled Tree

by Ruth Ann Grissom June 5, 2018 I saw it coming. I knew the tree was going to die, sooner rather than later, but I didn’t do anything to save it. Every time I saw the cable wrapped around that oak, I’d throw up my hands and think, Too late now! (A phrase made famous...

3rd Annual Congress of Herpetology

by Crystal Cockman May 29, 2018 On Friday through Sunday, April 27 – 29, 2018, I attended the 3rd NC Congress of Herpetology Meeting at the NC Zoological Park, Asheboro, NC. This was a joint meeting between the NC Herpetological Society and NC Partners in Amphibian...