On a spring hike in the woods, one sure way to amaze a child (or a grownup!) is to discover a red eft along the trail. Glowing red-orange in the leaf litter, these tiny creatures light up the forest ...

Vernal pools are seasonal bodies of water that provide critical breeding habitat for amphibians and insects. These pools cycle through wet, flowering, and dry phases, supporting a diverse range of ...

On a rainy spring morning in Strafford, Steve Faccio stood thigh-deep in water, holding what looked like four globes of translucent white jelly speckled with black seeds. Around him, a small group of ...

One of my favorite memories was when we first moved to Maine, over 30 years ago, and discovered vernal pools (our house was surrounded by them). Vernal pools are seasonal forested wetlands that fill ...

Puddle or vernal pool? Take a closer look to find out. Vernal pools, Michigan’s fantastical temporary wetlands, are teeming with life. They’ve earned the nickname, “powerhouse puddles” from the state ...

Despite the vital role vernal pools play in woodland ecosystems, these temporary bodies of water and the many organisms that depend on them for survival may not be getting the protection they need.

SOUTHWICK — Vernal pools serve as important incubators for the reproduction of a variety of amphibians and because this is the time of year they spring to life, Conservation Commission Coordinator ...

Editor’s note: This story was originally published in 2022. With spring underway, it’s time to take a look at an ecosystem that only lasts for a short period of time called a vernal pool. These bodies ...

When the Northwoods begin to thaw, whimsical creatures like fairy shrimp and spotted salamanders quietly come to life in Michigan’s vernal pools. It’s on us to keep it that way. The water is still—a ...

From a distance, a vernal pool doesn’t look like much: Just a shallow, murky pond, sometimes no bigger than a bedroom, with soggy edges surrounded by the still-brown woods of early Michigan springtime ...

Thank you for your ongoing coverage July 25 of the proposed Stonegate residential development on Bruce Road and 20th Street. I first objected to the 2018 approved and then legally challenged project ...

Interested in learning about and protecting one of our most enchanting ecosystems? Training starts this week to become part of the statewide Vernal Pool Patrol program. As the sun warms the forest ...