PA Environment Digest

ClearWater Conservancy is offering an opportunity to witness and explore a distinctive and temporary habitat when it hosts its Adventures in Conservation event at the Scotia Barrens on March 18 from 8:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.

Participants will discover the importance of vernal pools while learning what makes them so unique. (Photo: spotted salamendar taken by Matt Dallos)

“This is a great opportunity for participants to receive a guided tour of something very special,” said Katie Ombalski, conservation biologist at ClearWater Conservancy. “If the weather cooperates, participants will likely see many pool-dependent species including dozens if not hundreds of migrating spotted salamanders. It is a fascinating sight to see so many at one time”.

The evening will be a special opportunity for the group to see examples of vernal pools – also called seasonal pools – that support a diversity of rarely seen species. Vernal Pools are required breeding habitat for many amphibians including spotted salamander, Jefferson salamander, and wood frogs. They are also home to uncommon invertebrates such as fairy shrimp. These seasonal pools offer a reproductive safe haven as they are free of predatory species such as fish.

“Frozen frogs, courting salamanders, raucous chorusing, and home-finding migrations… amphibians have evolved those astounding adaptations to exploit vernal pools, and witnessing the sights and sounds of their seasonal migrations can leave a lasting impression,” said Jim Julian, Ph.D. from Penn State, Altoona. “My program will highlight how the abundance of vernal pools and forested upland habitat at the Barrens allow the vernal pool species there to thrive.”

The event is hosted by ClearWater Conservancy. Jim Julian is a lecturer in Biology at the Altoona Campus of Penn State University, and will lead the tour.

Scotia Barrens is a unique Pennsylvania habitat with one of the largest pitch pine-scrub oak barrens left in the state. It is also one of the largest sources of groundwater for Bellefonte’s Big Spring and a great place for education and study of its natural resources.

Interested participants should register by March 12. Reservations can be made by calling 814-237-0400 or by sending email to Sarah Edge at sarah@clearwaterconservancy.org. Reservations are limited to 40 people.

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