Explore Vernal Pools in the Lakes Region

When the snow melts and spring rain falls in New Hampshire, little ponds and puddles, known as vernal pools, are found in the woods and forests.  These pools are rich with life while they last, and are an important part of the ecosystem here.  This month, two of the Lakes Region’s nature centers will be hosting educational walks that feature vernal pools at their peak, providing an outdoor adventure for the whole family!

On Saturday, April 16^th, head over to Squam Lakes Natural Science Center in Holderness for their Vernal Pool Exploration workshop.  The adventure begins inside where visitors can get an overview of what they hope to find and see photos of amphibians and invertebrates.  Then the group will take a short walk to a seldom-visited vernal pool on the Science Center’s grounds.  The exploration will Include collecting and observing some of the creatures who live in these temporary pools, possibly including wood frog eggs, spotted or Jefferson/blue spot salamander eggs, fairy shrimp, caddis fly larvae, and mosquito larvae.

The Fells Historic Estate & Gardens in Newbury will be conducting a Vernal Pool Walk on Saturday, April 30^th.  Kathleen Stowell from The Lake Sunapee Protective Association will lead curious visitors on a springtime adventure at this 84-acre property.  Guests will discover the many species that live in the vernal pools and learn why these habitats are so important.

But you don’t have to go too far to locate these amazing creatures coming to life—take a walk in your back yard or nearby forest trail and take a close look at some of the puddles.  The New Hampshire woods are waking up!

Carrie Reed
The Mill Falls Blogging Team

Image credit: Nicholas_T at Flickr.com