Bright and early on an unexpectedly sunny morning we stocked up our vans with work gear and food and took off to Conecuh National Forest. Our goal: to get some habitat and enclosures ready for the release of Eastern Indigo snakes. As any hard-working field conservation biologist, we caffeinated ourselves along the way and a quick lunch stop ensured our energy for the afternoon. Joke competitions and trivia questions made the three hour trip pass in a tick.
Jim Godwin from the Alabama Natural Heritage program welcomed us at the Conecuh National Forest around noon, well prepared with loppers, chain saws, an ax and gloves. Under the hot sun, he guided us through the six pens, explaining that the snakes would need a more open habitat with brush piles. We divided into teams and were soon hacking away anything but pines, and hauling trees and branches to create some piles. One team was in charge of fixing fencing. After 5 hours of sweat and joy, all the pens contained a relatively open habitat and a good number of brush piles. Yes, those snakes should be happy!
All thirteen of us were starving and the load of snacks in the vans were more than welcome before taking off for dinner and driving to the house at Splinter Hill. A relaxing evening was spent with movies, books, games and birthday cupcakes for our VP. We all needed some good rest in our comfortable bunks (or queen size bed for the lucky one) to go out and explore the Splinter Hill pitcher plant bogs the next day. The early birds were welcomed with coffee, eggs and toast, while some long-sleepers enjoyed a self-made breakfast before heading out. The pitcher plant bogs were a joy for the eye and all of us went on quests for the most beautiful individuals, for hybrid forms, for herps and of course for the winning pitcher plant photo.
