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The Nature Conservancy in Africa - Conservation in Africa

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The Nature Conservancy in the Caribbean - Conservation in the Caribbean

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The Nature Conservancy in North America - Conservation in North America

The Nature Conservancy in the United States - Conservation in the United States

The Nature Conservancy in South America - Conservation in South America

Vernal Pools

Vernal pools are ephemeral, isolated wetlands that hold water for about half the year, usually from spring into summer. They are shallow depressions in forested bottomlands that fill annually from precipitation, runoff or rising groundwater, and then dry out for some part of the year. Vernal pools do not harbor fish, but they are an important resource for many amphibians and macroinvertebrates who lay their eggs and spend the early part of their lives there. Although these depressions may not look like important habitat, they are vital to many species of salamander, frog and insect that get a relatively predator-free start in life there.

Like other types of wetlands, the number of vernal pools has been greatly reduced as humans destroy lowland forest areas in favor of other land uses. Some urban areas have lost entire populations of some animals dependent on vernal pools. The Conservancy has been working with partners to bring back wood frogs to the Metro Parks in Franklin County. Because of the ongoing threat to vernal pools, The Nature Conservancy and the Ohio Environmental Council created the Ohio Vernal Pool Partnership.

 

Eastern Tiger Salamander
The easter tiger salamandar breed in vernal pools in  early spring
© Ohio Department of Natural Resources
Cardinal Flower
The cardinal flower can be found at high quality vernal pool sites
  © Mick Micacchion 

Vernal pool conservation in Ohio

  • Ohio has lost over 90% of its original wetlands over the past 200 years.
  • Ninety-five percent of Ohio used to be covered by forests. This dropped to just 10% in the early 1900’s. Currently, 30% of the state is forested, mostly in the hill country.
  • Over 90% of all trees in Ohio are on private land, so cooperation of landowners is essential to saving vernal pool habitat.
  • Salamanders and frogs breeding in vernal pools also need the surrounding forest to survive. Most of them use an area up to 200 meters from the pond as feeding and overwintering grounds, and for this reason forest and wetland protection need to be planned together.
  • The distribution of species adapted to vernal pools, such as wood frogs and marbled salamanders, has decreased recently in agricultural areas.