Description
Join us on Salamander Saturday for a hands-on Vernal Pool Patrol exploration! In conjunction with the Foundation for the Conservation of Salamanders (FCSal), this free citizen science program introduces participants to Michigan’s Vernal Pool Patrol and guides you through surveying vernal pools right here at Fenner. Expect muddy conditions and off-trail hiking – muck boots or waders recommended!
Space is limited to 20 participants, so be sure to register early.
RSVPs matter because they help us better prepare for the event, so please let us know if you plan to attend!
Location: Meet in the Visitor Center
About Vernal Pool Explorations
Vernal pools are seasonal wetlands that provide essential breeding habitat for many amphibians and invertebrates. At Fenner, we’re lucky to have high-quality vernal pools! While we haven’t yet discovered salamanders on the property, the conditions are just right, and that’s part of why monitoring is so important.
By surveying these pools each spring, we’re contributing to a broader effort to understand how these habitats support biodiversity and how that may change over time. Creatures like fairy shrimp, wood frogs, and other small wildlife rely on vernal pools to complete their life cycles – and keeping an eye on these populations helps us protect them.
Every observation helps us learn more, even when we don’t find salamanders (yet!)
What is Citizen Science?
Citizen science invites everyday people to help collect data and make real contributions to scientific research. By observing, recording, and reporting what you see in nature, you help scientists and land stewards like us learn more about local ecosystems and how to take care of them.
