Natural Magic

To be filed in the category of You Learn Something New Every Day:

vernal pools

I was wandering around the internet, minding my own business, when I stumbled onto this post from the Patapsco Heritage Greenway:

Check out these photos of a vernal pool found in the Patapsco Valley last March! Want to learn more?Join PHG for a Vernal Pool Guided Hike on Friday, March 10th at the Trolley Trail #9 in Ellicott City. For more information visit: ow.ly/eoJy50MGEwk

Images from Patapsco Heritage Greenway

For some reason the words “vernal pools” evoked in me something more poetic than scientific. It felt more like something vaguely magical, like fairy rings, for instance. 

We must meet at midnight, under a full moon, by a vernal pool that lingers yet near the forest…

Yes I know that’s dreadful. I just woke up. But you get my drift.

As it often it with new words, once you see them, they’re everywhere. A Facebook friend (and Oakland Mills neighbor) posted about a walk by vernal pools just yesterday. Clearly I need to learn more.

WHAT IS A VERNAL POOL?

Vernal pools are ecosystems that contain water for only a portion of the year and support specially adapted animals.

They usually fill with water in the spring and dry up in the summer. Despite their small size vernal pools are important as breeding sites for amphibians and insects. Their eggs and larva are safe here because the temporary pool does not support fish. Once the pool dries up the amphibians find shelter under leaves in the nearby forest.

Here’s the image where I found that simple definition.

Image credit Pulse Design Nature Series

I suspect most of my readers already knew about this annual phenomenon but for some reason the specifics of it weren’t a part of my education.

The Patapsco Heritage Greenway must have gotten a pretty good response to their event because they have added a second date. Here’s the link to the PHG Eventbrite page: 

https://www.eventbrite.com/o/patapsco-heritage-greenway-10868892373

Truth in advertising: Trolley Trail #9 is technically in Baltimore County. 

If any of my nature-minded readers know of Columbia/HoCo vernal pool events/hikes/experiences, let me know and I will add them in to this post. As they are ephemeral, I imagine time is of the essence. The rites of Spring wait for no man (or woman, etc.)

It turns out that vernal pools are magical, but not in the way I had thought. Just ask Google.

Alas, I’m not much of a hiker these days but I did find an interesting film from the Delaware Department of Natural Resources:

Wetlands of Wonder : The Hidden World of Vernal Pools 

Maybe it will inspire me to get out and about. Or write a poem.