Polk County Conservation

Each spring and fall, Polk County Conservation (PCC) staff and volunteers keep an eye out for snakes in the landscapes PCC manages. Originally started to monitor the local smooth green snake population within Chichaqua Bottoms Greenbelt, Polk County Conservation's snake monitoring program keeps tracks of what species of snakes are being spotted and where in order to better understand where different populations reside and how land management practices may impact snake populations overtime. Polk County Conservation has 7 total established snake monitoring routes located at Chichaqua and Brown’s Woods Park. Volunteers can choose to monitor a specific monitoring route once a week or they can also help to record chance snake encounters within Polk County Parks and trails. Monitoring is only done during daylight hours between 50-80 degrees Fahrenheit, and when it is not actively precipitating. Volunteer Snake Monitor Requirements: - Complete training with Polk County staff - Monitor designated routes once per week - Follow trails and roadways within Polk County Conservation managed parks and trails to look for snakes for chance encounters - Document any snakes that you come across by recording the species, quantity, location, time, date, temperature, and cloud cover - Record your snake sighting online at tinyurl.com/pcc-snakes - Record your snake monitoring volunteer hours at the end of each month