Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I beleive that acronym means "North American Field Herpers Association."
The idea is still in its infant stages, but it has real potential to further herpetology through field observations from nonprofessional herpers. There is a database idea, that I'm still questioning as far as usefulness, but I digress.
If anyone in the vicinity of Dallas/Fort Worth, or Oklahoma City would be interested in attending a meeting, then I will give a presentation, and arrange the location. I mention DFW and OKC because I'm right between those two major population centers.
The focus has nothing to do with captive propogation. Of course many fieldherpers also keep herps, myself included, but once again, that's not the issue. The issue is wild herps, and documenting herp sightings, with some credibility, to further herpetology.
If there's enough interest in the area mentioned, then I will follow through, and also arrange herping areas; there are plenty of good places. While in the field, data should be gathered....that's the reason behind the idea, to increase knowledge about herps.
If anyone is interested, post it here, or email me. Late April or early May should be a good time to do this.
The official forum for the idea, fieldherpforum.com, has apparently been hacked, but in any case, the idea needs wide dissemination.
Shane
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Shane's Herp Lifelist
http://www.geocities.com/shane77@sbcglobal.net/my_page.html

I am urging all field herpers interested in herping and conservation to join this. The database will cover all of the US and Mexico and we have chapters popping up everywhere. We are getting ready to launch so check it out. The data will be collected by members with the goal of helping agencies develop better measures for managing our herp populations and the issues affecting their current demise. The more data we have, the stronger our cause.

In regard to my previous statement on the database, realize that anyone interested can participate, and control their own data. For example, if you find an Alligator Snapping Turtle, and you do not want to share the location, then you can only mention that you found it in June. The program can be used as your own online fieldnotes, and nothing more.

I encourage anyone interested in the idea to visit www.fieldherpforum.com

This is an excellent opportunity to further herpetology. Researchers can not obtain all valuable data on their own, and this association can help them with valuable knowledge about herps that was not previously known.

Hopefully Jeff will include more information about NAFHA.

C'mon guys, I know I'm not the only nonprofessional herper in the vicinity of DFW and OKC that wants to further herpetology. NAFHA is a volunteer effort.

Shane
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Shane's Herp Lifelist
http://www.geocities.com/shane77@sbcglobal.net/my_page.html