Wetlands come in all shapes and sizes, but there are three characteristics they all possess:

  • Covered with water at least part of the year
  • Support wetland vegetation
  • Have hydric soil

We’ll delve into those more deeply (pun intended!) another time. Right now, I want to discuss what are probably the smallest wetlands that meet those three criteria: vernal pools. A vernal pool is a small depression in a woodland setting which is filled with water after spring snowmelt or rain. Many are no bigger than a large mud puddle. Most have dried up by late summer.

So, you may ask, “If they dry up in the summer, are they of any value to wildlife?” Indeed they are! These small areas provide breeding sites for many different kinds of amphibians, including frogs, toads and salamanders. Amphibians often ‘migrate’ to these or other small wetlands to breed and lay eggs. Warmed by sunlight and increasing temperatures, the eggs hatch into tadpoles or other immature stages. By summer, they have grown into adult or semi-adult forms and move to larger wetlands or moist woodlands to continue their life cycles. Other types of wildlife that utilize vernal pools are turtles (especially the Blanding’s turtle), wood ducks, and a multitude of small insects.

If you own property which includes woodland areas, check for these small depressions and protect them. Don’t run heavy equipment or four-wheelers through them. Keep logging operations out of vernal pools and maintain vegetative cover in the surrounding area. It is also possible to create vernal pools on your land. Depending upon location and topography, a backhoe, small excavator or small bulldozer will all work well. If you do not have the equipment or are not quite sure where and how to develop a vernal pool, contact your state natural resource agency for help in planning and placement. An hour’s effort on your property can play a significant role in the production of ‘critters’ that add interesting sounds and encounters for years to come. Between the small marshes and some natural vernal pools on my little slice of heaven, I am currently hearing toads and spring peepers every time I walk the property. Wood frogs, chorus frogs, leopard frogs, tree frogs and bullfrogs will all be chiming in before long. Enjoy!

Dave Odell
Dave OdellProfessor Duck
Dave Odell (a.k.a Professor Duck) holds a Bachelors Degree in Zoology from Houghton College and a Masters Degree in Zoology (emphasis: wildlife management) from the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry in Syracuse, New York.