MEDIA ADVISORY

Weekend Trip in Maine Mountains Chance to Learn About Vernal Pools

HIGHLAND PLANTATION, Maine, April 5, 2005

From Friday, April 22 to Sunday, April 24, Maine Audubon is offering a weekend trip to explore and learn about vernal pools in the foothills of Maine's Bigelow Range.

Breeding habitat for salamanders, frogs and a host of invertebrates, vernal pools play a vital role in Maine's environment.

EDITORS: Maine Audubon can provide an image of vernal pool wildlife; reply to this e-mail or call (207) 781-2330, ext. 241.

Led by a knowledgeable guide and equipped with a copy of Maine Audubon's "Maine Citizens' Guide to Locating and Documenting Vernal Pools," participants will find hundreds of amphibians in full breeding activity near Claybrook Mountain Lodge in Highland Plantation.

"After a full day of mucking about, turning over stones and searching for emerging spring wildlife, you'll return to the cozy wood-heated lodge to enjoy great home-cooked meals, good company and the sound of spring peepers as you fall asleep," said Margi Huber, trips and tours coordinator for Maine Audubon.

A biodiversity specialist at the Biodiversity Research Institute at the New York State Museum in Albany, trip leader Mary Beth Kolozsvary has a doctoral degree in ecology and environmental sciences from the University of Maine at Orono and has worked as a vernal pool biologist.

The trip is limited to 12 participants and is $235 for Maine Audubon members, $250 for nonmembers. Price includes food, lodging and booklet. Proceeds benefit wildlife conservation in Maine.

For more information on this or other Maine Audubon trips and programs, call (207) 781-2330 or email info@maineaudubon.org

MAINE AUDUBON works to conserve Maine’s wildlife and wildlife habitat by engaging people of all ages in education, conservation and action.

With a 160-year history of connecting people with nature, Maine Audubon today is affiliated with Audubon’s national organization and has seven local chapters in the state. Support for Maine Audubon comes from 11,000 members and supporters, including individuals, foundations and corporations. Its headquarters are in Falmouth, Maine, five minutes from Portland.

Maine Audubon offers hands-on environmental education programs and activities that reach people of all ages throughout Maine. Through its two environmental centers and 11 sanctuaries statewide, Maine Audubon provides a diverse range of learning activities, classes, seminars, walks and trips designed to build lasting relationships between people and nature.

For more information or to become a member of Maine Audubon, call (207) 781-2330 or visit www.maineaudubon.org.

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