Spring has officially begun, snow has melted, and we’re hopeful rain is coming to quench the current drought. In parks and more rural areas of the state, a longer day and warmer temperatures bring sounds of frogs and insects chirping in the evening air. But these sounds are in danger of disappearing if we don’t take adequate measures to protect the 16 species of amphibians that naturally call New Jersey home.

Between February and April, when evening temperatures hover around 45 degrees, amphibians wake from hibernation and trek to breeding grounds during rainy nights. These grounds are ephemeral, only emerging in spring and summer, and are called “vernal pools.” Natural or manmade, these pools provide key breeding areas for every species of frog in New Jersey. In much of the northeast, natural vernal pools can trace origins to kettle ponds created by melting glaciers. Many such pools have been used by generations of amphibians for thousands of years.

The temporary nature of vernal pools is precisely why they’re such important habitats for a wide range of amphibians. Although they dry out in late summer, these pools re-establish themselves every spring. Without water for up to half the year, the ponds are inhospitable to fish who would eat the eggs amphibians lay in the shallows.

According to the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protections (NJDEP), there are nearly 1,500 confirmed and more than 12,000 potential vernal pools throughout the state. Potential locations are determined through remote sensing, using a combination of aerial imagery, topography, and geology to identify places where vernal pools may exist. Although NJDEP states there are likely 3,000-5,000 vernal pools throughout the state, it’s important to note that science staff at the Raritan Headwaters Association (RHA), a nonprofit clean water watchdog organization, feel this number underrepresents the actual number.

Through wetlands and New Jersey Highlands regulations, confirmed vernal pools are afforded special protection, including a 1000-foot buffer where no development can take place.

These measures are important to ensure an intact habitat for the sensitive obligate species which require vernal pools for their breeding and early development.

But how do vernal pools go from potential to confirmed?

Since the early 2000’s, NJDEP has partnered with volunteers trained to confirm the presence of a vernal pool by visiting the site at least 4 times throughout the year and monitoring when it’s watered and what species are present. To be certified, the pool must be continuously watered for at least two months between March and September, devoid of fish or completely dry for at least 2 months, located in a confined basin or depression without a permanently flowing outlet, and have documentation of at least one obligate or two facultative species using the pool. An obligate species relies on vernal pools to complete their life-cycle, whereas a facultative species can use a vernal pool for some or all of their life-cycle but is not necessarily reliant on the pool.

Unfortunately, the vernal pool certification program has been underfunded and rendered effectively inoperable for more than a decade. As a result, many of the resources for certification are no longer in place. In fact, the NJDEP website link which would have taken volunteers to the data sheet, required in the volunteer vernal pool certification process, is no longer functional.

Fortunately, there is a renewed effort by environmental nonprofit organizations to support the NJDEP in their certification process. The New Jersey Highlands Coalition (NJHC), RHA, and the Pinelands Preservation Alliance are in the process of creating a vernal pool certification program utilizing the power of trained citizen scientists to verify the location of vernal pools throughout the state. Currently, the program is being tested by the RHA and the Mendham Alliance for Preservation and Conservation, where they are monitoring the 461 potential vernal pool locations in the Raritan watershed. This effort was invigorated by the State Supreme Court’s ruling that backed the use of data collected by citizen scientists when over 600 miles of streams were upgraded to Category One in 2020.

Eventually, this program will assist with vernal pool certification throughout the state and will ensure that these delicate habitats are afforded the protections they need to preserve a vital niche in our natural environment.

For additional information regarding the status of the program, visit the RHA website, or reach out to the NJHC.  If you would like to be involved in our efforts, including trained as a volunteer vernal pool certifier, please email me, ian@njhighlandscoalition.org.