Mitchell Jones, PhD student, University of Maine Every spring wood frogs thaw out and migrate to vernal pools to breed. The males are the first to arrive to pools and begin the chorus. Perhaps less infamous than the impressively loud call of the spring peeper, the wood frog’s call is no less [...]

Jessica Balukas, Graduate Researcher, University of Maine  The graduate students on the Of Pools and People Team are researching very different topics, ranging from amphibian movement and health to the conservation decisions of private landowners, but collaboration and coordination are necessary to accomplish the project objectives. We meet on a weekly [...]

Tess Howard, Undergraduate Research Assistant Habitat fragmentation can have a large impact on the genetic diversity of vernal pools and the survival of their populations. Human activities, as well as natural features such as rivers and streams, can cause habitat fragmentation and lead to negative outcomes for of vernal pools [...]

Mitchell Jones, PhD student, University of Maine After a the coldest Maine winter on record the last few days have brought hope for spring at last. Walking the bike path on Friday and Sunday my wife and I came across dozens of people out and about. Whether they were walking their dog, [...]

Kathleen P. Bell, Associate Professor, School of Economics, University of Maine Jessica Balukas, Graduate Researcher, School of Economics, University of Maine Landowners are vital to vernal pool conservation efforts in urbanizing, private landscapes. In this setting, landowners often bear the costs of pool conservation. Interestingly (at least from a social science [...]