Often overshadowed by spring wildflowers and migrating birds, vernal pools are one of the Northeast’s most dramatic seasonal ecosystems. Each spring, these quiet forest depressions fill with water and turn into small woodland wetlands. They burst with life as frogs and salamanders gather to breed. While vernal pools provide critical breeding habitat for charismatic species and serve as hidden powerhouses within forest ecosystems, they face an uncertain future in Vermont.
As wood frogs and salamanders across Vermont make their way to vernal pools, passionate Vernal Pool Monitors do the same. By adopting a local vernal pool and collecting data a few times each year, VPMon community scientists are helping establish a baseline of essential information on the health of these unique ecosystems.
With the help of Arrowwood Environmental and many dedicated volunteers, the Vermont Center for Ecostudies has mapped nearly 5,000 known and potential vernal pools across Vermont. The next step is an ongoing monitoring project designed to track the health of these vital ecosystems. While volunteers continue to help verify potential pools through the mapping project, repeated monitoring of known pools is essential for establishing baseline data, detecting future changes, and expanding our understanding of these unique wetlands.
Vernal Pool Conservation Series
Watch a vernal pool come to life in this video series. Each short (2-3 minute) video reveals a different aspect of the natural history and ecology of these fascinating, keystone, ecosystems. Access the videos here
Are you a landowner?
Learn about how you can identify and conserve your Vernal Pools here.
