Vernal pools are seasonal pools of water that provide habitat for distinctive plants and animals (“vernal” meaning: “of, in, or appropriate to spring”). Vernal pools are a type of wetland usually devoid of fish, and forms a great habitat for amphibians, especially frogs and insect species. Most pools are dry for at least part of the year, and fill with the winter rains, spring snowmelt and rising water tables. Some pools may remain at least partially filled with water over the course of a year or more, but all vernal pools dry up periodically. Vernal pools favor native species because many non-native species cannot tolerate the extreme seasonal changes in environmental conditions.
Scarlett Mitchell Woods has a number of vernal pools. In the spring, this vernal pool abounds with the sounds of spring peepers (frogs). (FSMW – Sping Peepers)
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