Sept 9th EwA Vernal Pool Documentation Field Session (Recap)

[EwA]

Thanks again to all of you who came today 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	09/09/19
Site	MHS Sites
Surveyor’s Names	Claire (EwA) + Mike (EwA) + Jen (EwA) + Stacy (DCR) + June (guest)
Time	9:30am-12:00pm
Weather	Sunny / Still / Beaufort Scale: 0-1
Approximate Temperature	~18-21°C/64.4-69.8°F
Foot & paw traffic (low, medium or high?) Low < 5 | Med 5-10 | High > 10	Low ☑ // A few walkers aside from the EwA surveyors.

Conducted Tasks

• Program introduction to audience & DCR participant, including biodiversity and the need for its documentation: ground-truthing, 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 candidate pool (LWV26 / 42.434050, -71.125324) including phys. documentation at this time of the year + (US Army Corp) Pool characteristics recording ( > phys. documentation to be accessible in end of year report for pools with complete documentation).

• We started looking for the other candidate pool in the vicinity, then dropped it for the moment. We’ll wait for Fall/wet season to have a better chance of locating it.
  

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 > LWV26 (0) // i.e. no record of primary and secondary VP species indicators

Notes | Author: Mike + Claire

General: Candidate pool located. Pool condition: dry phase.  Filled Vernal Pool characterization form + took visual record of pool condition and phys. features. Plant community (pool + canopy) Marsh Fern (10%) Sweet pepper bush (< 5%) Hickory  (< 5%) Maple (30%) Oaks (35%) // red & white present Birch (10%) + Some sort of grass/rush/sedge present that we haven't identified (iNat recorded)

Other notes:

• Ask Matt about the culvert in the vicinity of the 3 pools LWV17/18...

• Something to think about: decibel recording (to monitor ourselves on trails).

• Bring distance measure tool.

⚠ Human Disturbance & Pollution: 1 dog leashed free seen on the trail + presence of bags of dog poop littering the trail. Regulations Reminder: For ecological reasons, all dogs should be kept on a leash and on trail at all times in this area of the Fells. All water bodies are off-limits. Dog owners are asked to clean up after their pets.

ⓘ 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]

Thanks, June for being with us today! 

☞ See this email (and session pics) in our forum > here

☞ See also our Facebook post about the event > here

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