Ohio Vernal Pool Partnership - Brush off your Muck Boots and Step Out - 2 workshops

Join the Ohio Vernal Pool Partnership (OHIOVPP) for a day of exploring vernal pools and the creatures that inhabit them. These workshops will be held (Saturday, March 25) at Blacklick Woods Metro Park, Golf Course Banquet Room, 7309 East Livingston Avenue, Reynoldsburg, Ohio from 9 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. and (Saturday, April 8) at The Nature Conservancy’s Grand River (Morgan Swamp Conservation Campus), 3973 Callender Road, Rock Creek, Ohio from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The morning starts with indoor presentations on the history of the Vernal Pool Partnership, ecology, macro invertebrates, amphibians, and vernal pool flora followed by a light vegetarian lunch.  After lunch we will hear about the iNtrepid iNaturalist iNvestigaors as we prepare to visit and explore vernal pools at the Pallister State Nature Preserve.  Lunch is included and registration is required.

Vernal pools are temporary pools of water that provide habitat for unique plants and animals. They are considered to be a distinctive type of wetland usually devoid of fish, and thus allow the safe development of amphibian and insect species unable to withstand competition or predation by fish. They fill with the rising water table of fall and winter or with the meltwater spring snow. Many vernal pools in our area are covered with ice in the winter months. They contain water early in the growing season. By late summer, a vernal pool often dries up. They are called vernal (spring) pools because they are at their maximum depth in the spring.

The OHIOVPP, a partnership between The Midwest Biodiversity Institute and the Ohio Wetlands Association, promotes the education, understanding and enjoyment of the hidden wonders in and around Ohio's seasonal wetlands. These special places are frequently overlooked yet contain a grand array of species diversity. We know that these wetlands often found in wooded areas contribute significantly to the health of the natural area they belong to. This project seeks to train and recruit people to assess and evaluate the condition of vernal pools by recording the plants and animals that visit or make these places their home.

Visit www.midwestbiodiversityinst.org to learn more about the Midwest Biodiversity Institute or www.OHwetlands.org to learn more about OHIOVPP, the Ohio Wetlands Association and for work shop registration.