Hannah McGhee, Coastal Rivers Conservation Trust Wed, 04/21/2021 - 10:00am
Dr. Aram Calhoun wades into a vernal pool. Courtesy of Coastal Rivers
Vernal pools, those temporary spring pools of water in the woods, nurture a surprising amount of life. From 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. on April 26, Coastal Rivers Conservation Trust is hosting an online program about vernal pools and their importance to wildlife with guest presenter Dr. Aram Calhoun of the University of Maine.
Dr. Calhoun writes, “Vernal pools have a magical quality, likely owing to their small size and ephemeral nature: they fill with water from snow melt and spring rains and generally ‘disappear’ by summer’s end. Like ephemeral spring blooms, you have to know where and when to look to witness the spectacle. The mysterious life of the amphibians tied to vernal pools adds to the pools’ overall mystique.”