Every spring, small depressions in the forest floor come alive, filling with snowmelt, rain, and a remarkable diversity of wildlife. By summer’s end, many of these vernal pools will dry up, revealing little trace of the life they contained in April.

Take a deep dive into the world of vernal pools in this five-part hybrid course with ecologists Brett Amy Thelen (Harris Center), Betsy Colburn (Harvard Forest), and Josh Megyesy (NH Fish and Game). We’ll talk turtles, amphibians, and invertebrates via Zoom, and search for salamander eggs, caddisflies, and other wonders during a peak-season, in-person field trip to a local vernal pool.

This course meets on Tuesdays, April 12 through May 10, from 10 to 11 a.m. The April 26 session will be in-person at a local field site. All other classes will take place via Zoom.

Cost: $50 for Harris Center supporters / $70 all others

Space is limited, and registration is required. For questions about registration, please contact Miles Stahmann. For other questions, contact Brett Amy Thelen.