Sandvox Website Profile: “Snakes in Western Massachusetts”

To conservationists and environmental educators, it is clear that all species play distinct and often complex roles in dynamic ecosystems. Understanding the organisms and their myriad interactions with others is paramount to maintaining biological diversity, not just in far off ecosystems, but nearby where everybody lives. We cannot afford to protect only those species that are cute and cuddly; even snakes need advocates. The first part of that process is to be able to identify them in order to learn about their behaviors, how they survive, their incredible adaptations, and unique senses.

Most of my career has been spent helping people correctly identify snakes they have found in their yards, on a forest walk, or while on vacation. Foresters, hunters, children and their parents, conservation agencies, and state biologists all need accurate, fresh, and useful information.

There are many good websites attempting to highlight the beauty, fascination, and biology of snakes. Often they are necessarily general - having wide geographic ranges (state, region, or even national). This limits the type and volume of information for people living in a small part of the world. My field photography also provides more immediate views of snakes as people see them - in their landscapes they live.

With some trepidation, I sent what I thought were completed drafts of the species accounts and other pages to experts in the field. Of course, being professionals, their comments, corrections, and other various suggestions came in with abandon. All were exceedingly helpful and several of the reviewers have adopted it for use with their clients (students, general public).

I chose a theme that could highlight my photographs in a professional and visually attractive light. Aurora Palace is both simple and unobtrusive design.