OEC Vernal Pools Central Ohio 2 21 09
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The document provides an overview and agenda for a workshop on vernal pool monitoring hosted by the Stratford Ecological Center and the Ohio Environmental Council (OEC). The workshop covered topics like the importance of vernal pools, how to identify and construct them, and how to monitor wildlife populations within vernal pools. It also listed many plant and animal species that use vernal pools for breeding habitat and provided information on the OEC's vernal pool program and opportunities for citizens to get involved in monitoring and conservation efforts.
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OEC Vernal Pools Central Ohio 2 21 09
- 1. Vernal Pool Monitoring Workshop Stratford Ecological Center February 21, 2009 David R. Celebrezze Director of Air & Water Special Projects
- 2. The OEC The Ohio Environmental Council advocates for healthy air, land, and water to make Ohio a better place in which to live, work, and play.
- 3. Overview » Registration/welcome » OEC’s Vernal Pool Program This is a space for a photo or » Vernal pools in the age of graphic or more text. development » Lunch » How to construct a vernal pool » State overview » Creature feature » How to monitor » Field trip » Conclusion » Vernal pool stickers » Central Ohio Vernal Pool Monitoring Team sign up form
- 4. Thank you! » Columbus Foundation » Stratford Ecological Center » Ohio EPA » Franklin Soil and Water Conservation District » MAD Scientist & Associates, LLC
- 5. OEC’s Water Program » Great Lakes Restoration » Ditches » Wetlands » Ohio River » Statehouse
- 6. OEC’s Water Program » Raise awareness of vernal pools and the links that make it an integral part of a healthy ecosystem and improve quality of life. » Ohio Vernal Pool Partnership (w/listserv) (www.ovpp.org)
- 7. Wetlands- Historical Aspect » Original around 5,000,000 acres » Acreage lost: 4,517,200 » Less than .05% of Ohio is now wetlands 90+%
- 8. Main Culprits » Poorly planned developments » Ignorance: » Vernal pools are dry by summer’s end
- 9. Solutions: Ohio EPA 401 proposed rules » Every 5 years the Agency reviews the rules that govern how a permit to impact a wetland is issued/denied. » The OEC participated in the many wetland and stream external advisory groups » The good: » Performance standards for mitigated wetlands » The bad: » No avoidance language » The ugly: » Many wetlands are mitigated outside the watershed
- 10. Solutions: Ohio’s Vernal Pool Mitigation Program » Compensatory mitigation program » Developers who destroy a wetland must replace them » Focused on vernal pools to increase their numbers
- 11. Vernal Pool Quiz #1 » What animal that relies on vernal pools is considered to be the “coldest” animal on the planet (outside bacteria and crustaceans)? Photo: ODNR
- 12. What is a vernal pool? » Seasonal wetland that are separated from other bodies of water » Usually dry up by summer’s end » NO FISH!! » Meet hydric soil, hydrology, flora criteria
- 13. Better definition A mini ecosystem that plays out every spring. A small but dynamic, wetland that fills with water, blossoms with life and hosts a cacophony of sounds and a plethora of life forms every spring, only to disappear into the forest floor every autumn.
- 14. Caddisfly American Bullfrog Predacious diving Wood frog Who lives in a vernal pool? beetle Green frog Crawling water Northern Leopard frog beetle Pickerel frog Water scavenger Gray Treefrog beetle Spring Peeper Whirligig beetle Spadefoot toad Common green American toad darner Fowler’s toad Water mites Black-tipped Spotted salamander Amphipod Dragonfly Isopod Marbled salamander Fairy shrimp Yellow-legged Blue-spotted Clam shrimp meadowhawk salamander Ostracod Common Jefferson salamander Daphnia baskettails Re-spotted newt Copepod Frosted whiteface Four-toed salamander Amphibious snails Four-spotted Redback salamander Fingernail clam Skimmer Northern water snake Horsehair worm Backswimmers Eastern garter snake Planaria Water boatman Ribbon snake Leech Water scorpion Spotted turtle Aquatic Giant water bug Wood turtle oligochaete worms Water strider Blanding’s turtle Photo: L. Lee Cerny Swamp white oak Fishfly Snapping turtle Sweet pepperbush Mayfly Eastern painted turtle Three-way sedge Chironomid midge Eastern box turtle Phantom midge Mosquito Springtails
- 15. Who lives in a vernal pool? Balsam fir Tussock sedge Beggar’s-ticks, stick- Viburnum tights Water lilies Birches White oak Black ash White pine Black willow White spruce Black spruce Willows Marsh fern Bladderwort Winterberry Northern white Bluejoint Withered, wild raisin cedar Box elder Yellow birch Pin oak Bulrushes Sedges Pitch pine Burreed Sensitive fern Poison ivy Buttonbush Sheepberry Pondweeds Cardinal flower Sheep laurel Red maple Catbriar Silver maple Red spruce Cinnamon fern Smooth alder Reed canary grass Eastern cottonwood Stinging nettle River birch Green ash Speckled alder Rushes Hemlock Swamp loosestrife, Mallard Duck Highbush blueberry walter Willow Wood Duck Leatherleaf Alders Raccoon Maleberry Photo: Ray Stewart American elm Canada Geese Manna grasses Arrowwood Snow Geese Atlantic white cedar
- 16. Functions and Benefits » Flood control » Mosquito control » Improves water quality » Educational opportunities » Recreational opportunities (photography) » Habitat to hundreds of species » Improves property values and quality of life
- 17. How to find a vernal pool Team up with local watershed group (www.ohiowatersheds.osu.edu/groups/) and/or county soil and water conservation district (www.dnr.state.oh.us/soilandwater/default/sw cds/default/tabid/9093/Default.aspx) Check out National Wetland Inventory - www.fws.goc/nwi/ - Click on “wetlands mapper” - Next “Go to wetalnds mapper” - Click on map of the US Photo: ODNR
- 18. How to find a property owner County Auditor’s office Franklin County: www.co.franklin.oh.us/auditor search by “Property Maps GIS” Scroll to bottom and search by address, point on a map or intersection Write property owner a letter
- 19. Vernal Pool Quiz #2 What animal that occasionally uses vernal pools is considered the smelliest animal on earth?
- 20. OEC’s Vernal Pool Program » Monitoring » Online database » Curriculum » Land owner brochure » Educational DVD » Potential vernal pool mapping
- 21. Monitoring opportunities » Friends of Wetlands » Stratford Ecological Center » Tom Biebeihauser (see handout)
- 22. Vernal pool quiz #3 » What animal is considered the best “water walker” on earth?
- 23. Vernal Pool DVD » Threats to Protection
- 24. How You Can Get Involved » Contact local watershed group » Join the OVPP listserv » Stay on top of legislation and take action on it by signing up for the OEC’s Action Alerts at www.theOEC.org. 1207 Grandview Avenue, Suite 201 Columbus, OH 43212 (614) 487-7506 OEC @theOEC.org www.theOEC.org