If you believe the only good snake is a dead snake… you are about to meet a team of teenagers who strongly disagree. They are quick to tell you how snakes help prevent disease by controlling the rodent population… and that some harmless snakes actually keep poisonous ones away. These students are part of an educational program called CRESO, an acronym for Clinch River Environmental Studies Organization. When we caught up with them, they were actually searching for snakes as part of a study of reptiles. Along with field education, the teachers and students have established wetlands on several school properties, built a lot of bird houses, and even a raptor rehab center at one school.
EPISODE 3101
