Healthy Lakes and Wetlands For Tomorrow - Species at Risk

STEWARDSHIP STORIES: The Coles
Snapshots
M. Crowley
Their shoreline vegetation
provides habitat for wildlife
Eastern Ribbonsnake
B. Caverhill
Eric and Judy have both observed
that the number of turtles and
snakes have declined in their area.
Eric grew up in South Brookfield and
remembers seeing many Eastern
Ribbonsnakes (or “watersnakes”)
as a child at a brook near his house.
Judy has noticed that the number of
Ribbonsnakes have declined over
the years. Blanding’s Turtles used
to be present around their property
and they have now disappeared
from the area. We have a chance
to reverse this trend by becoming
stewards and maintaining the
wildlife habitats on our land!
Eric and Judy Cole live in North Brookfield in
a house built by Judy’s great, great, great,
grandfather in 1820. Their property borders
a river and two lakes and they share their
property with a multitude of species such as
flying squirrels, herons, snakes, turtles, old
white ash trees, common
nighthawks, and owls.
Judy grew up on this
property and has
seen Eastern
Ribbonsnakes
e ve r y ye a r
since she was a child. Enjoying and observing
the wildlife around them is a natural part of
their day-to-day life. Judy keeps
a journal of “nature notes”
and Eric walks their property
daily looking for wildlife .
They report their Eastern
Ribbonsnake sightings
to the Recovery
Team and enjoy
being a part of
the recovery
effort.
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