Vernal Pool Conservation Workshop

Vernal pools may be ephemeral, but their implications for land conservation are anything but. How do these vital habitats affect the way we protect and steward land?

Land protection and stewardship are critical to the conservation of biodiversity and our natural environment, and the work of land trusts is integral to those efforts. In supporting unique animal assemblages and dynamic food webs, vernal pools are one element of the landscape that contribute greatly to the “conservation value” of land. This workshop will explore the importance of vernal pools and how land trusts may wish to consider them in conservation decision-making. During a classroom session and a field session, we will provide information on vernal pool ecology and how vernal pools can be used as one measure of the conservation value of land. We will discuss potential stewardship practices and considerations, including the certification of vernal pool habitat. Our objective is for workshop participants to gain a greater understanding of and appreciation for the role vernal pools can play in land protection and associated conservation efforts.

We will be walking through dense areas of vegetation. Participants should be willing and able to spend an afternoon hiking through potentially steep and/or wet areas.

This training is intended for staff and volunteers of conservation organizations.

Meet your instructors: Jacob Kubel is a Conservation Scientist at MassWildlife's . Matt Burne is a Senior Ecologist at the and Vice President of the .

Parking:

The Stewardship Training Center is located at 549 Mast Road. Please follow the signs to the visitor parking lot.

What to wear and bring:

• Sturdy, closed-toed shoes/boots (we may be walking through wet areas)
• Long sleeve shirt
• Long pants
• Rain gear
• Water (also available inside the STC)
• Packed lunch that can be brought into the field if needed

What to expect:

• Classroom session in morning
• Field session in afternoon (We will be walking through dense areas of vegetation. Participants should be willing and able to spend an afternoon hiking through potentially steep and/or wet areas)
• Light refreshments in the morning (coffee, tea, snacks, etc.)

Restrictions:

• Ages 18+
• Limit 25 participants

For any questions about this program, please contact Stewardship Programs Manager Zoë Smiarowski at [email protected].

Host or Publisher Wildlands Trust