Pettit Preserve’s 'Snakes Alive!' Program, Hike Set for Oct. 19

Pettit Environmental Preserve is continuing its tradition of up "scary" creatures with “Snakes Alive!" set for Saturday, Oct. 19, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Members of the Georgia Reptile Society will be on hand with live snakes for participants to view and touch. The snake program will be presented at 10:30 and 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 and 1:30 p.m.

“People think the only good snake is a dead snake,” Preserve Executive Director Marina Robertson said in a release. “But snakes play an important role in the ecosystem: if all snakes were to disappear, there would be dire consequences for humans as well.”

In addition to the scavenger hunt program, the Preserve trail will be open for self-led or interpreted hikes presented by the Preserve Educator, Lori Jewell, who is a National Association of Interpreters certified guide. The hike and program are presented as part of the Preserve’s quarterly outreach to the community.

“Snakes are fascinating animals that, unfortunately, get a bad rap,” Jewell said. “They are absolutely essential for controlling the rodent population and consequently, the diseases that rodents spread to humans.”

Admission to the Preserve, which includes the program and parking, is $3 per person with a maximum of $10 per family, but Preserve members are free.

To kick off the 2014 membership drive, the public can purchase a 2014 membership and receive admission to the Oct. 19 event as a bonus. To become a member visit www.pettitpreserve.org/membership.

The Pettit Preserve was created to provide environmental education and promote ecological preservation. The 70-acre property hosts hundreds of school children and Scouts for field trips, hiking and Scout badge activities every year. The Preserve has trails that feature a swinging bridge, a Learning Shed, two aquatic stations and three amphitheaters for teaching, all nestled around a 9-acre lake.

Since the mission of the Preserve is educational, not recreational, it is not open to the public daily for hiking. However, the trails were professionally designed by Switchback Trails, which has contracts all over the country, including on the Appalachian Trail. The Spring Hike is an ideal time to experience the trails.

The Pettit Preserve is located off Highway 61, 4 miles south of the Cartersville airport. Turn left on Douthit Bridge Road and continue to fork; right fork is Vineyard Road, which leads to the Preserve. 

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