Maine Audubon Wins National Grant for Vernal Pool Conservation

TogetherGreen Funds Community-based Action in Maine

Falmouth, Maine, October 21, 2008-The term “vernal pool” doesn’t always leap to mind when people think of priorities for conserving Maine’s natural resources. That could change thanks to one of 41 newly announced TogetherGreen national Innovation Grants to help local organizations empower residents to better protect these important, but poorly understood resources across Maine.

The $47,000 grant will enable Maine Audubon, an affiliate of National Audubon Society, Inc., and Maine towns including Brunswick, Orono, Readfield, Scarborough, Wayne, and Yarmouth to work with a leading environmental consulting firm, Stantec, to launch a major effort to identify and protect vernal pools, which are temporary wetlands, and create material to educate communities about their importance. Plans include new, lower-cost digital mapping of vernal pools in 4 communities, and training local residents as citizen scientists in 12 communities to help assess the importance of particular sites and their suitability for conservation protection. The groups will help local officials and landowners to begin protecting significant vernal pools.

“We need to protect vernal pools to safeguard the variety of wildlife that makes Maine so special,” said Maine Audubon Conservation Director Dr. Sally Stockwell. “This grant will help us engage the landowners, community leaders, and concerned residents who can make it happen.”

The grant to Maine Audubon is part of the first $1.4 million awarded by the TogetherGreen initiative, a national Audubon project with funding from Toyota. Grantees were selected from scores of applicants across America. Funds were awarded to Audubon organizations that demonstrated exceptional innovation in working with other groups on projects that will produce tangible benefits for environmental quality.

“We’re glad to help fill the real need for conservation action to protect vernal pools and all the wildlife they support in Maine,” said TogetherGreen Project Manager Judy Braus. “Hopefully this effort will serve to remind local residents that they can all take an active part in shaping the future of our environment.”

“We’re delighted this grant is bringing our town the resources to work with Maine Audubon scientists on this important project,” said Nat Tupper, Yarmouth, Maine town manager. “Residents will welcome an opportunity to engage in voluntary hands-on conservation that promises long-term benefits for our community.”

Vernal pools are temporary wetlands that serve as critical breeding habitat for species such as spotted, blue-spotted, and four-toed salamanders; wood frogs, and fairy shrimp. Some of these species already are listed as threatened species in three New England states, and could decline to that level in Maine if their habitat is not protected. Vernal pools also provide essential feeding and resting areas or food sources for endangered Blanding’s turtle, threatened spotted turtle, eastern ribbon snake, northern ribbon snake, wading birds, waterfowl, deer, moose, and numerous small mammals. Despite the importance to Maine’s wildlife, the ephemeral nature and small size of vernal pools makes them especially susceptible to sprawl and deforestation. Maine’s Wildlife Action Plan identifies them as threatened habitat not adequately protected by state law.

Maine Audubon already has had significant success in public education and conservation surrounding vernal pools, creating three different conservation guides to help local citizens, developers, and foresters to conserve them. The organization also led efforts to pass a landmark state conservation law providing protection for significant vernal pools.

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TogetherGreen will invest in both promising environmental projects and outstanding leaders that can shape a brighter tomorrow. Along with Innovation Grants to be awarded each year, TogetherGreen funds and promotes conservation leadership training and volunteer programs designed to equip and engage diverse groups and individuals to take action today to shape a healthier tomorrow. Information on other grantees, along with opportunities to get involved in conservation efforts, showcase successful initiatives, and honor those who are making a difference, can be found at www.TogetherGreen.org.

MAINE AUDUBON works to conserve Maine’s wildlife and wildlife habitat by engaging people of all ages in education, conservation and action. For more than 160 years, Maine Audubon has been connecting people with nature and leading science-based conservation in major projects across the state. An independent affiliate of Audubon’s national organization, Maine Audubon has seven local chapters, 11 nature centers and sanctuaries, and 11,000

members and supporters.

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