Cortland Herpetology Connection

1. Contact Dr. Pete Ducey at SUNY Cortland to receive the informational packets.
   
   
2. Review the materials and explore our web site. Contact Dr. Ducey if you are interested in:
   
   
   • Having a presentation at your school.
   • Attending a meeting at SUNY Cortland (with selected students or by yourself) which will include a small group of other teachers and students from around NY State. The meeting will be designed to encourage greater interest in, study of, and appreciation for amphibians and reptiles.
   
   
3. Organize your class or some selected students (or just go yourself) to look for amphibians and reptiles in your region. We are interested in all areas (from backyards to remote forests) and all species (from common to rare). Take careful notes in the field of what you find. Release all animals where you find them. Some tips for finding amphibians and reptiles are included in the packet and at the web site.
   
   
4. Fill out Atlas cards (provided in your packet), one card for each locality and date. Directions on how to fill out the cards are provided in the green Atlas volunteer handbook.
   
   
5. Send the cards to Dr Ducey at the Cortland Herpetology Connection address below. He will proofread the cards, checking for errors or problems, assemble the data in a database and pass on the cards to the NYS DEC. We will prepare reports on how the high schools are doing, and we'll post this information at our web site and mail it to all participating classes. The NYS DEC will also add these data to the complete state-wide Atlas.

Additional contact information:

Dr. Peter Ducey
Dept. of Biological Sciences
SUNY Cortland
Cortland, NY 13045

Phone: 607-753-2900

Cortland Herpetology Connection