By Nikki Hanson, Nursery Manager

Rattlesnakes are very mild-mannered snakes, who go out of their way not to waste a bite on protecting themselves. As long as you give them space and don’t bother them, they will not bother you. As you hike, follow these safety tips to prevent accidentally scaring a rattlesnake.

Driving around the Santa Cruz Mountains lately, I have noticed a trend towards denuding the understory, thinning trees, limbing up remaining trees, and chipping everything that can fit through an industrial sized chipper. As a native plant and wildlife lover, it is hard to see such a change in the landscape. But, with a little information, there are some ways to create fire-smart landscapes that retain some of the natural understory, protect property from fire and invasive weeds, and provide for wildlife.