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Vernal Pool Monitoring W orkshop
W est Geauga Middle School
March 7, 2009
D avid R. CelebrezzeD irector of Air & W ater Special Projects
The OEC
The O hio Environm ental Council advocates for healthy air, land, and w ater to m ake O hio a better place in w hich to live, w ork, and play.
This is a space for a photo or graphic or m ore text.
» Registration/w elcom e
» O EC’s Vernal Pool Program
» Vernal pools in the age of developm ent
» Lunch
» H ow to construct a vernal pool
» State overview
» Creature feature
» H ow to m onitor
» Field trip
» Conclusion
» Vernal pool stickers
» Central O hio Vernal Pool Monitoring Team sign up form
O verview
» The Joyce Foundation
» W est Geauga Middle School
» W estern Reserve Land Conservancy
» Friends of W etlands
» Cleveland Museum of N atural H istory
» Geagua Soil and W ater Conservation D istrict
Thank you!The Joyce Foundation
» G reat Lakes Restoration
» D itches
» W etlands
» O hio River
» Statehouse
O EC’s W ater Program
» Raise aw areness of vernal pools and the links that m ake it an integral part of a healthy ecosystem and im prove quality of life.
» O hio Vernal Pool Partnership (w /listserv) (w w w .ovpp.org)
O EC’s W ater Program
» O riginal around 5,000,000 acres
» Acreage lost: 4,517,200
» Less than .05% of O hio is now w etlands
W etlands- H istorical Aspect
90+%
» Poorly planned developm ents
» Ignorance:
» Vernal pools are dry by sum m er’s end
Main Culprits
» Every 5 years the Agency review s the rules that govern how a perm it to im pact a w etland is issued/denied.
» The O EC participated in the m any w etland and stream external advisory groups
» The good:
» Perform ance standards for m itigated w etlands
» The bad:
» N o avoidance language
» The ugly:
» Many w etlands are m itigated outside the w atershed
Solutions: O hio EPA 401 proposed rules
» Com pensatory m itigation program
» Developers w ho destroy a w etland m ust replace them
» Focused on vernal pools to increase their num bers
Solutions: O hio’s Vernal Pool Mitigation Program
» W hat anim al that relies on vernal pools is considered to be the “coldest” anim al on the planet (outside bacteria and crustaceans)?
Vernal Pool Q uiz #1
Photo: ODNR
» Seasonal w etland that are separated from other bodies of w ater
» U sually dry up by sum m er’s end
» N O FISH!!
» Meet hydric soil, hydrology, flora criteria
W hat is a vernal pool?
Better definition
A m ini ecosystem that plays out every spring. A sm all but dynam ic, w etland that fills w ith w ater, blossom s w ith life and hosts a cacophony of sounds and a plethora of life form s every spring, only to disappear into the forest floor every autum n.
W ho lives in a vernal pool?
Am erican BullfrogW ood frogG reen frogN orthern Leopard frogPickerel frogG ray TreefrogSpring PeeperSpadefoot toadAm erican toadFow ler’s toadSpotted salam anderMarbled salam anderBlue-spotted salam anderJefferson salam anderRe-spotted new tFour-toed salam anderRedback salam anderN orthern w ater snakeEastern garter snakeRibbon snakeSpotted turtleW ood turtleBlanding’s turtleSnapping turtleEastern painted turtleEastern box turtle
CaddisflyPredacious diving beetleCraw ling w ater beetleW ater scavenger beetleW hirligig beetle Com m on green darnerBlack-tipped D ragonflyYellow -legged m eadow haw kCom m on baskettailsFrosted w hitefaceFour-spotted Skim m erBacksw im m ersW ater boatm anW ater scorpionG iant w ater bugW ater striderFishflyMayflyChironom id m idgePhantom m idgeMosquitoSpringtails
W ater m itesAm phipodIsopodFairy shrim p
Clam shrim pO stracodDaphniaCopepodAm phibious snailsFingernail clamH orsehair w ormPlanariaLeechAquatic oligochaete w orm sSw am p w hite oakSw eet pepperbushThree-w ay sedge
Photo: L. Lee Cerny
W ho lives in a vernal pool?
Tussock sedgeViburnumW ater liliesW hite oakW hite pineW hite spruceW illow sW interberryW ithered, w ild raisinYellow birchSedgesSensitive fernSheepberrySheep laurelSilver m apleSm ooth alderStinging nettleSpeckled alderSw am p loosestrife, w alter W illowAldersAm erican elmArrow w oodAtlantic w hite cedar
Balsam firBeggar’s-ticks, stick-tightsBirchesBlack ashBlack w illowBlack spruceBladderw ortBluejointBox elderBulrushesBurreedButtonbushCardinal flow erCatbriarCinnam on fernEastern cottonw oodG reen ashH em lockH ighbush blueberryLeatherleafMaleberryManna grasses
Marsh fernN orthern w hite
cedarPin oakPitch pinePoison ivyPondw eedsRed m apleRed spruceReed canary grassRiver birchRushesMallard DuckW ood DuckRaccoonCanada GeeseSnow Geese
Photo: Ray Stewart
» Flood control
» Mosquito control
» Im proves w ater quality
» Educational opportunities
» Recreational opportunities (photography)
» H abitat to hundreds of species
» Im proves property values and quality of life
Functions and Benefits
Team up w ith local w atershed group (w w w .ohiow atersheds.osu.edu/groups/)and/or county soil and w ater conservation district (w w w .dnr.state.oh.us/soilandw ater/default/swcds/default/tabid/9093/Default.aspx)
Check out N ational W etland Inventory- w w w .fw s.goc/nw i/- Click on “w etlands m apper”- N ext “Go to w etalnds m apper”- Click on m ap of the U S
H ow to find a vernal pool
Photo: ODNR
County Auditor’s office
Franklin County:w w w .co.franklin.oh.us/auditorsearch by “Property Maps GIS”Scroll to bottom and search by address,
point on a m ap or intersectionW rite property ow ner a letter
H ow to find a property ow ner
W hat anim al that occasionally uses vernal pools is considered the sm elliest anim al on earth?
Vernal Pool Q uiz #2
» Monitoring
» O nline database
» Curriculum
» Land ow ner brochure
» Educational DVD
» Potential vernal pool m apping
O EC’s Vernal Pool Program
» Friends of W etlands
» Stratford Ecological Center
» Tom Biebeihauser (see handout)
Monitoring opportunities
» W hat anim al is considered the best “w ater w alker” on earth?
Vernal pool quiz #3
» Threats to Protection
Vernal Pool DVD
» Contact local w atershed group
» Join the O VPP listserv
» Stay on top of legislation and take action on it by signing up for the O EC’s Action Alerts at w w w .theO EC.org.
H ow You Can Get Involved
1207 G randview Avenue, Suite 201
Colum bus, O H 43212
(614) 487-7506
O EC @ theO EC.org
w w w .theO EC.org
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