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