CertificationCERTIFICATION


NHESP Guidelines NHESP
Guidelines
(pdf download)

Procedure for certification Certification
overview
Certification with obligate species Obligate
species method
Certification with obligate species Details (obl)
Certification with facultative species Facultative
species method
Maps needed for certification Maps
Form needed for certification Observation
form

Frequently Asked Questions FAQs
MA Vernal Pool Certification
Required Evidence for Obligate Species

Certification procedures and forms have changed as of March 1, 2009. Download the new guidelines and forms from the Massachusetts Natural Heritage & Endangered Species Program.

Below are examples of the evidence required to submit a Vernal Pool Field Observation Form. Label the photos on the back with location, date, direction being viewed, a caption, and sign them. If you use a digital camera, print out the images,annotate them and sign the printout.

Physical Evidence: Pool Holding Water
vernal pool holding waterA photograph of the pool holding water. The pool photograph (or photographs) should show that the vernal pool has no permanent outlet. This is not always easy to document in photographs. However, your pictures should establish that the pool is isolated from other bodies of water and not just a small area of a large wetland.

Provide photos of inlets and outlets such as streams and culverts. The pool on the left has an overflow shown in the center image which flows downhill to a second pool seen in the third image.

Continue for more information on photographing vernal pools.

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Biological Evidence: Fairy Shrimp

Photograph fairy shrimp from the pool. Here are fairy shrimp in a net, a plastic bag, and in the pool.

and/or

Biological Evidence: Obligate Amphibians

Provide one or more of the following:

Congressing salamanders:
salamander congress Spotted salamanders go through a mating dance or congress in early spring. This breeding evidence is the only one that would need to be gotten at night.
Salamander spermatophores:
Fields of spermatophores are dropped on the pool bottom as the males congress. These are visible for a week or more (during daylight).
A full wood frog chorus:

For about two weeks in early spring, as soon as the ground thaws, woods frogs will chorus at night. When the days warm into the 50's, they chorus during the day. Many cameras can record audio. Click above for a chorus.
Five pairs of wood frogs in amplexus:
Wood frogs might found in amplexus day or night. Photographing five pairs will be difficult as they are skittish and hide when disturbed. Collecting this type of evidence will likely take multiple photographs.
A total of five or more egg masses regardless of species:
A cluster of spotted salamander egg masses.
A raft of wood frog egg masses. The total count for this raft was over 1000 egg masses.
Mix and match to get five.
One MESA-listed salamander egg mass:
The egg mass on the far left is Jefferson salamander, a MESA species. At the top is a spotted salamander egg mass. To the lower right is a wood frog egg mass.
Blue-spotted salamander egg masses. Jefferson and blue-spotteds often have white, unfertilized, dead eggs. The blue-spotted salamander is a MESA species.
Female marbled salamander in her nest with eggs in the fall. The marbled salamander is a MESA species.
Any number of larvae:
Wood frog tadpoles.
Spotted salamander larva.
Transforming juveniles, in pool, with gill or tail remnants:
Wood frog metamorph about ready to leave the pool to venture on to land.
Spotted salamander metamorph with gills still in the pool. Usually, they leave the pool before they develop spots.

Continue for information on photographing vernal pool organisms.

Continue for more information on obligate vernal pool species.

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