Brigette Valencia Zacharczenko, PhD

Since the early 1990s my father and I have collaborated on these articles, with our own section "Learning about Kaatskill Kritters". When I was younger I would catch and hold the study subject for a photo. As I grew older, I began writing my own articles. Currently, we take turns writing for the magazine. 

My father taught me many valuable lessons in life, but the most influential was the attitude that going outside to catch bugs and snakes is normal. Exploring nature is just something you're supposed to do. I have taken great joy in assisting my father with these articles, and writing my own, because they bring to life the oft overlooked neighbors we share our backyards and homes with. I hope we can inspire budding naturalists of all ages to go outside and find some of their own Catskill critters.