When you walk through the woods in the early spring, have you seen a large puddle or small pond that wasn’t there in the summer? It’s likely you’re seeing a vernal pool: a small, shallow depression in a woodland that floods with the snowmelt in spring. Because they are generally isolated from streams and rivers, vernal pools don’t host fish, so they serve as essential breeding habitat for amphibians like salamanders and frogs, and other tiny wildlife species.

On Saturday, April 13 from 10 am – 12 pm, join Kestrel and distinguished biology professor Steve Tilley to explore the fascinating life cycles that take place in these unique spring features of our forests. We will visit a vernal pool in the Saw Mill Hills of Northampton.

Steve Tilley is Emeritus Professor of Biological Sciences at Smith College. He has done research on the salamander diversity of the Southern Appalachian Mountains, including the discovery and naming of four new species.

The Saw Mill Hills Conservation Area is owned by the City of Northampton, and permanently conserved with assistance from Kestrel Land Trust. 

Space is limited to 20 participants. The program is free but registration is required. (There is no rain date for this event.)