Tracey Hall, BRLT
Spotted salamanders swim amid egg mass. Courtesy of Dr. John Burns
Spring has arrived on the Boothbay peninsula and our local vernal pools are a flurry of activity. These seasonal bodies of water are a desirable place for some species of frogs, salamanders and insects to reproduce, as they lack the egg eating fish found in ponds and streams. For portions of the year vernal pools dry up, but each spring they fill with snow melt and rain. Each spring, amphibians migrate from the surrounding forest to mate and lay their eggs in dense jelly masses.
Many of us on the Boothbay peninsula live within walking distance of a vernal pool with its many sights and sounds. If you have never looked closely at a vernal pool, this is the time to do so. Locally wood frogs, spring peepers, and spotted salamanders are finishing up mating, and their eggs are visible in the pools waters. Frog calls can also be heard on warm nights some from miles away, so be sure to crack your windows
Robert Mitchell photo
Having lived in the Boothbay region most of my life and been at the forefront of knowing what has transpired as the editor of this newspaper for over three decades, I am still amazed at the amount of volunteerism that goes on to help nonprofits function.
I have experienced the joy that comes with being a volunteer as a former active Rotarian and youth sports coach. Helping others, whether it is through teaching/coaching, raising money for those in need, helping with community projects, or just lending your expertise and experience to an organization s focus, is what s important.
Friday, April 30 Each spring the vernal pools throughout our region host a flurry of activity just below the surface. Amphibians meet in these locations to reproduce, leaving behind their eggs and offspring. Dr. John Burns of Bigelow Laboratory for.
Wednesday March 31
Interested in practicing conservation in your own backyard? Boothbay Region Land Trust is hosting an online Zoom presentation from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. to learn about the newly developed Certification Program for Conservation Landscapes offered by the Knox-Lincoln Soil Water Conservation District. This program will help you implement recommended conservation practices in a systematic way, with guidance and one-on-one help from the staff at KLSWCD. Following conservation practices in your backyard attracts wildlife to feed and raise young while also bringing beautiful changes in the landscape. To register and receive the link for this presentation, visit www.bbrlt.org/events or put the following in your browser: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZcqdeCvrj0iH9fwE-Hw19XYeLHHD OUCKjc
Don’t be fooled. It’s mostly mud.
Congratulations to Wendy B. and Ari L. for correctly identifying Zak Preserve at Wildcat Creek in our February Contest!
Test your knowledge of the Boothbay Region Land Trust Preserves in a Do-or-Die, Winner-Take-All Killfest for scrumptious Bare Bites! Good Luck! We ll also announce the winners from last week! Could you have won? Well, not if you didn t play, Knucklehead.
WE post a photo of a Boothbay Region Land Trust preserve (above). YOU be a person who guesses the BRLT preserve correctly. If your correct guess is drawn out of a filthy gunnysack with all the other correct answers, WE give YOU a FREE 3oz bag of Bare Bites! It s THAT simple! We ll even mail it to you!