Vernal pool patrol training at Iron Creek Preserve

Vernal pool in Manchester area. Photo courtesy of Sybil Kolon.

from Legacy Land Conservancy 

Come join Legacy Land Conservancy and River Raisin Watershed Council in learning about a magical yet common wetland: vernal pools! Vernal pools are wetlands that are small and often seasonally flooded, meaning they do not contain water all year round. They play a critical part in maintaining the health of our northern forest ecosystems, yet they often get overlooked and little is known about them.

On April 11 from 4 to 6pm, we will be hosting a training on how to collect survey information for a vernal pool at Legacy’s newest nature preserve, the Iron Creek Preserve! Iron Creek Preserve, located at 11703 Noggles Rd, is not yet open to the public, and attendees to this event will get a special early look at the preserve.

This training will involve identifying vernal pool indicator species, soil, and habitat types, which means getting a bit muddy! Please dress for the weather and in clothes you don’t mind getting dirty. Be prepared to get wet by bringing your muck boots or waders as we will be collecting water samples and looking at what we find under microscopes. Additionally, we suggest you bring field supplies like a water bottle, sunscreen, and bug spray.

This event is for people interested in learning how to monitor vernal pools as part of the Michigan Vernal Pool Patrol. We also want to open this event to families and people of all ages with a curiosity to look deeper into the biodiversity these unassuming pools contain.

This is Legacy Land Conservancy’s third year as a Michigan Vernal Pool Patrol (MVPP) partner. Having been trained in surveying for vernal pools, we continue to document and map them on our preserves. By partnering with Michigan Natural Features Inventory, you can become a part of the statewide citizen science program, the MVPP, in gathering information on the distribution and status of vernal pools.

RSVP online at https://form.jotform.com/250506175748158. Questions? Call 734-302-5263 or email volunteer@legacylandconservancy.org

For as little as $1 a month, you can keep Manchester-focused news coverage alive.

by Sara Swanson

Sara Swanson is an editor, writer and founder of the Manchester Mirror.