Sharing Alabama’s Hidden Land Snail Biodiversity: Recent Outreach Events

Over the past month, The Naturalist Project has had the privilege of connecting with two wonderful community groups to share something truly special: the incredible—and often overlooked—world of Alabama’s terrestrial snails.

Our team member Chandler Olson was invited to speak with both the West Alabama Sierra Group and participants in the Local Naturalist course at the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at Auburn University. These talks focused on the remarkable snail diversity that thrives here in Alabama, and the ways each of us can help protect these unique species.

Alabama’s Secret Snail Diversity

Alabama is well known for its freshwater mussels and salamanders, but few people realize just how exceptional our land snails are. Chandler highlighted some of the state’s ecological hotspots—rugged mountain slopes, shaded hardwood forests, and deep limestone outcrops—where hundreds of snail species, many found nowhere else on Earth, quietly shape their ecosystems.

These snails aren’t just interesting curiosities; they’re important decomposers, nutrient cyclers, and indicators of environmental health. Their shells and subtle markings tell a story of deep evolutionary history and long-term stability in these habitats.

Stenotrema spinosum (I. Lea, 1831) crawling across moss covered forest floor

Threats to These Tiny Treasures

The talks also addressed challenges facing Alabama’s snails:

• Habitat loss from development and forestry

• Invasive species that outcompete and predate on native snails

• Changes in soil pH that affects shell formation

Some of these species are incredibly localized—sometimes confined to a single hillside—so even small disturbances can have outsized impacts. Sharing this knowledge with local audiences is a crucial step in building awareness and fostering stewardship.

Connecting People With Nature

We’re grateful to both groups for welcoming The Naturalist Project and for their thoughtful conversations, curiosity, and enthusiasm. They were phenomenal audiences with tons of great questions. Moments like these—where people come together to appreciate biodiversity they may have never noticed before—are at the core of our mission.

We look forward to more outreach events in the coming months and to continuing our work of making natural history accessible, engaging, and grounded in genuine curiosity.

If your organization is interested in hosting a talk or workshop, feel free to reach out—we’d love to connect.