Vernal Pool Patrol

Vernal Pool Patrol in Action

It's spring!  The rain is here. The sun is warming the frozen ground and we are hearing and seeing signs of awakening with peepers, trillium and trout lilies.  Best of all, the vernal pools are erupting with new life, filled with fairy shrimp, wood frogs and salamanders. “Vernal Pools are like our Coral Reefs of the Forest,” states Katie, Vice Chair and Program Manager of the Newaygo County Environmental Coalition (NCEC). 

You can join Katie as she coordinates the Newaygo Region of the Michigan Vernal Pool Patrol, a pioneering program to monitor the health of this valuable resource.  Anyone can participate as a citizen scientist to help protect and understand the benefits of vernal pools.  You may have a vernal pool on your property.  The health of that pool can reflect the health of your land. If you are interested in learning more please join Katie as she and others in our community inventory Newaygo as part of the Vernal Pool Patrol.  Dates for training events are listed below.  
 
MI Vernal Pool Patrol of Newaygo Region Training Events.  Each will have a family-friendly version and advanced patrol training options. These events are free, but have limited space:
-Saturday, April 19-12 pm-4 pm at Kropscott Farm and Environment Center. Register here:
https://www.facebook.com/share/12Gr23n4umB/ 
or contact. Katie Clark at [email protected].

-Saturday, April 26-10 am – 2 pm at McDuffee Creek Nature Preserve. Register at: https://www.facebook.com/share/18mSDoYLgG/

-Sunday, May 4th- 11 am to 2 pm at Nichols Lake, Bitely MI. Register here:  https://www.facebook.com/share/1BcRk8gqjR/

-Saturday, June 14th, 10 pm-2pm at Kropscott Farm and Environmental Center. Registration link to come soon.

-Saturday, August 23- 1 pm to 4 pm at Kropscott Farm and Environmental Center. This is a fall training and MI Vernal Pool Patrol “Pool Party” to celebrate the 2025 monitoring season and all those who participated. Registration to come soon.

“Vernal pool mapping and monitoring is like a treasure hunt in the woods,” chirps Katie Clark, MI VPP of Newaygo Region coordinator. “Except the treasure is something we get to help protect and preserve for future generations of creatures and humans.” Participation in this year's Vernal Pool Patrol is a partnership between the Newaygo County Environmental Coalition and the Newaygo Conservation District with a grant that provides Vernal pool Patrol kits for people to check out from the NCD that has all the equipment necessary for monitoring a Vernal pool.  

To become an official MI Vernal Pool Patrol Member. Contact coordinator, Katie Clark at [email protected]  or go to 
https://vernal-pool-patrol-mnfi.hub.arcgis.com/ 
before 5/4/2025 to register for the training and program. 

A Salamander