WVDEP to provide new vernal pool monitoring workshops in 2024
CHARLESTON, WV (WVNS) — The West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection (WVDEP) has partnered with the WV Division of Natural Resources and the United States Geological Survey Amphibian Research and Monitoring Initiative to announce a new series of workshops.
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“Vernal Pool Monitoring Workshops” will be taking place across the state throughout 2024. These workshops will help educate the public about the important role that vernal pools have in local ecosystems and the animals that live within them. They will also talk about how to conserve these ecosystems as well.
Vernal pools are a temporary type of wetland that form in certain seasons and become breeding grounds for animals, specifically amphibious animals. They are usually free from predators so that these animals can reproduce steadily.
These workshops will primarily focus on amphibian biology, wetland ecology, and the specific dynamics of vernal pools, in which attendees can participate in hands-on learning. Scheduled locations for this years workshops include, Fort Mill Ridge Wildlife Management Area, the WV Botanic Garden, Kanawha State Forest, New River Gorge National Park, and a privately-owned site along the Greenbrier River in Pocahontas County, in partnership with the Greenbrier River Watershed Association. Participants are encouraged to take surveys and submit their findings to the WVDEP’s vernal pool network to help get a better understanding of these ecosystems within the Mountain State.
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For more information about watersheds and wetlands in West Virginia, visit the WVDEP website and the Watershed Improvement Branch and Wetland Resource Guide pages.
To register for one of the vernal pool workshops, email SaveOurStreams@wv.gov and include your name and the workshop you wish to attend.
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