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.”

Dr. Calhoun will discuss an important tool for vernal pool protection, the Special Area Management Plan (SAMP). This voluntary vernal pool mitigation tool, developed by the University of Maine in partnership with the Army Corps of Engineers and the Maine Department of Environmental Protection, puts the regulation of vernal pools into the hands of local communities.

Thanks to member support, this program is free of charge. To join using Zoom, participants must register online at coastalrivers.org/events. The program will be recorded and shared with all those who register, regardless of whether they are able to attend.

Dr. Aram J.K. Calhoun is a professor of Wetland Ecology and Conservation at the University of Maine. She is very active in research on vernal pools as a keystone ecosystem and in policy development for wetland protection at all levels of government.

Coastal Rivers is a non-profit, member-supported, nationally accredited land trust caring for the lands and waters of the Damariscotta-Pemaquid Region by conserving special places, protecting water quality, creating trails and public access, and deepening connections to nature. For more information, email info@coastalrivers.org or visit coastalrivers.org