Inventory Of Amphibians And Reptiles At Sagamore Hill National Historic Site

Under a National Park Service/Wildlife Conservation Society Cooperative Agreement, the authors inventoried amphibians and reptiles at Sagamore Hill NHS (SAHI) on Cove Neck, Oyster Bay, New York from March to September 2002. Six standard sampling methods were used; anuran calling surveys, egg mass counts, visual encounter surveys, coverboards, turtle traps, and minnow traps. The authors recorded animals encountered outside of standard surveys as incidental encounters.

An inventory of amphibians and reptiles at Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site (HOFU) was conducted from July 2000 through November 2001. Two methods were used: general herpetological collecting and anura calling surveys. These methods were used to inventory the herpetofauna in 14 habitat types: upland forest, lowland forest, weedy fields, pastures, animal pens, hay fields, corn fields, open wetlands, vernal pools, runs (small streams), French Creek, rock fields, buildings and associated grounds, and mixed habitats (consisting of two or more of the above). These 14 habitat types encompassed virtually the entire park. For all habitat types combined, 33 surveys were conducted, averaging 6.5 person-hours per survey.

Bibliography of herpetofaunal literature through Dec. 31, 1999, limited to published papers and books that deal primarily with single states or provinces or substantial portions thereof.

Protected areas operate within complex ecological and social systems, presenting challenges that cannot be resolved by technical solution alone. Achieving the management objectives of protected areas requires a social approach in which strategic communication is a key instrument. This publication explores the often underestimated potential of communication, sharing valuable experiences from protected areas across the world, drawing on papers presented at the Vth IUCN World Parks Congress, 2003 and others.