Learning at the Snyder Wildlife Refuge & Field School

SNRE undergraduate students used Snyder Field School to practice herpetological field methods and conservation assessment for a course entitled Biology and Conservation of Amphibians and Reptiles, led by Dr. Kevin Bonine. Activities included setting turtle traps, surveying pond habitats, and conducting nocturnal amphibian searches. Students learned how to identify native and non-native reptiles and amphibians, evaluate population health, and examine how invasive species and hydrology shape habitat suitability. 

Students from the Masters of Science program in Hydrogeology used Snyder Field School for a three-day field methods course. Activities included time-lapse electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) with Dr. Dale Rucker from Certerra, and soil trench analyses and surface infiltration experiments guided by Mike Milczarek, Kurt Minno, and Justin Showalter from GeoSystems Analysis. Students were able to advance their understanding of hydrogeophysical methods and network with local hydrogeologists, giving students an unforgettable experience. 

SNRE students used a pond at the Snyder Field School to learn how to conduct safe fisheries surveys and practice small boat handling skills such as rowing, paddling, and sculling that are needed as a fisheries biologist. For this course entitled Fishery Management led by Dr. Scott A. Bonar, students learned how to sample and assess fish populations of lakes and streams, and work with people who use and interact with fish.  These skills are used in state and federal agencies, by private environmental consultants, and in universities.