A vernal pool is an ephemeral pool which forms in depressions in the forest floor during spring time from melting snow and rain, then dries up later in the year.

“They’re critical,” said Anna Ellis, Forestry and Natural Resources educator with MSU Extension. “Salamanders need them to reproduce and there are other species that need vernal pools for part of their life cycle.”

Other than salamanders, species which rely on Michigan’s vernal pools include many other species of amphibians, such as spring peepers and invertebrates such as fairy shrimp, according to the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy. Vernal pools also provide drinking water to larger animals, and work to reduce flooding and improve water quality by filtering runoff.

The field training event will prepare participants to join the Michigan Vernal Pool Patrol, which is a program run by the Michigan Natural Features Inventory, part of the MSU Extension program, that was launched back in 2012. The goals of the program are to enhance knowledge and data about vernal pools, increase awareness about the importance of vernal pools to ecosystems and increase public engagement in natural resource management and stewardship.

A vernal pool. (Photo courtesy of the Michigan Vernal Pool Patrol)

“You could just do the event and then be done, but the intention is that people will go on to participate in statewide vernal pool mapping and monitoring,” said Ellis. “There are people who have vernal pools on their property, for example, who we hope will go on to monitor them every year and make reports.”

People can also monitor vernal pools on public land.

“There hasn’t been as much success getting the (vernal pool) patrol program established in the Upper Peninsula compared to in the Lower Peninsula,” said Ellis. “We’re trying to get citizen scientists who are willing to volunteer for vernal pools in the U.P., and grow the database.”

Data collection on vernal pools includes inventorying which species are present in the pool and noting the water temperature. That data can then go on to be used in research about vernal pools.

“Vernal pools are a good indicator of broad ecosystem health,” said Ellis. “Salamander populations in particular are good indicators, because they’re so sensitive to pollution and habitat stress and environmental stressors. If the salamander population declines, that’s a bad sign for overall ecosystem health.”

Before signing up for the event, participants must complete a 3-part webinar series through the Michigan Vernal Pool Patrol and MSU Extension program to learn about vernal pool ecology and how to monitor them.

On the day of the event, participants will meet at the Marquette Commons at 10 a.m. to go over the data entry process, then make their way along M-

28 to Tory’s Woods Nature Preserve, located approximately 20 minutes from town.

Participants are encouraged to bring water, a lunch, waterproof shoes and a phone with the Survey123 app downloaded.

“It’s a good citizen science opportunity,” said Ellis. “And a good way to learn more about the UP Land Conservancy. It’s a great way to see vernal pool ecosystems up close, and get expert guidance for how to understand them and their importance. It’s an in-depth, hands-on learning activity guided by state experts.”

Sign-up is available at the event page of the UP Land Conservancy’s Facebook. All information about the webinars and how to participate can be found on that page.

More information about vernal pool monitoring is available at https://vernal-pool-patrol-mnfi.hub.arcgis.com/

Annie Lippert can be reached at 906-228-2500, ext. 550. Her email address is alippert@miningjournal.net.