Aug 11th EwA Vernal Pool Documentation Field Session (Recap)

[EwA]

Thanks again to all of you who came yesterday to the EwA vernal pool documentation field session. This is important citizen science work! Doing so we advance scientific knowledge while protecting effectively those very fragile habitats. Here's the recap of what we've done and observed together. 

 

See also our Facebook post about the event > here

Event > Protecting Vernal Pools in the Fells

Date	08/11/19
Site	MHS Sites
Surveyor’s Names	Shilpa (EwA) + Claire (EwA) + Mike (EwA) + Kathy (EwA) + Stacy (DCR) + John (guest) + Erin (guest) + Kathleen (guest)
Time	1pm-3pm
Weather	Sunny / Still
Approximate Temperature	~26°F/78°C

Conducted Tasks

Program introduction to audience & DCR event shadow, including biodiversity and the need for its documentation (data gaps, surveillance & monitoring of invasive epidemics, fieldwork ethics, citizen science (need and empowerment in tackling the widespread science knowledge deficit, etc.) Survey of 1 new candidate pools LWV?? [TBC] including phys. documentation + (US Army Corp) Pool characteristics recording ( > phys. documentation to be accessible in end of year report for pools with complete documentation).

Session Records

• Physical evidence + vegetation description > EwA VP Folder (EwA access only)

• Biodiversity session records (all taxa in bounding box focused on the candidate pool) > 

• Biodiversity session records (all taxa in bounding box focused on field session at large) >

• Session records per surveyed pool > LWV?? [TBC] (0) // i.e. no record of primary and secondary VP species indicators

Notes | Author: Claire + Stacy

General: Candidate pool located. Pool condition: dry phase. Presence of one inlet.  Filled Vernal Pool characterization form + took visual record of pool condition and phys. features. Plant community (pool + canopy) High bush blueberry (10%) Marsh fern (30%) Royal fern (5%)  Swamp oak (40%) Red maple (35%) White pine (10%) Elm (5%) Green ash (7%)

Note that the soil here exhibits features of hydric (wet) soils + moist, dark, organic soils are present at surface under the leaves

TODO: Claire to check with Matt PVP code.

ⓘ More about this project (field protocol) » http://tinyurl.com/ewa-vp-field-protocol

ⓘ More about EwA Citizen Science Program » https://tinyurl.com/ewa-citizen-science

#vernalPools #amphibians #reptiles #wetlands #urbanWildlife #endangered #conservation #biodiversity #citizenScience

[Claire O'Neill]

Update: Matt confirmed that the candidate pool is LWV4. Closeby is LWV3, that might be certified, or at least is close to one that is certified. One of our next trip, will be to get there when the pools are filled and see if LWV3 is connected or is the same than the certified one. We'll also keep documenting LWV4.