Glance at a vernal pool in October and you’ll see merely a dry depression in the forest floor. Look again in April and you’ll find a woodland pond, teeming with life. As spring begins to unfold, join Harris Center Science Director and vernal pool enthusiast Brett Amy Thelen for a virtual introduction to the exquisite, ephemeral world of vernal pools. We’ll discuss vernal pool ecology, how to identify key vernal pool species, and the conservation significance of these oft-overlooked ecosystems — and offer some tips for exploring on your own.

Participants hoping to document vernal pools as part of the Harris Center’s community science program will also have the opportunity to sign up for an additional in-person field training (date and location TBD) on amphibian egg mass identification and vernal pool data collection.

11 a.m. to noon via Zoom. Closed captioning will be available. To get the login details, please  register here.