April 2nd:
It's mating season in the Landlocked Forest. This past week wood frogs have been heard making their distinctive "quacking" mating call in the vernal pools that are located in the forest.

If you want to hear the mating call of the wood frog, go this week to the Landlocked Forest. The easiest way to reach a vernal pool in this forest is to park at Turning Mill Rd. in Lexington, walk 2/3 way up the hill under the power lines and you will see bushes marked with white ties. The vernal pool is 400 ft. long on the right side of the clearing. Maps and directions to get there are available elsewhere on this website.

Vernal pools are generally temporary bodies of water that are filled by spring rains ("vernal" means spring), that dry out during the summer. These pools are a unique type of wetland inhabited by various wildlife species, many of which require the vernal pool for their survival. There are no fish in these pools because they dry out, therefore they allow other species to breed and survive. Vernal pools are protected by the Massachusetts Wetlands Protection Act, and there are already three "certified" vernal pools in Burlington's Landlocked Forest.

Friends of the Landlocked Forest is in the process of certifying the rest of the vernal pools in the Landlocked Forest.This involves walking in the potential areas to look for the posible vernal pools, and listening forthe sounds of the woodfrogs mating call. This can be heard sometime in March or April. If you sight any potential vernal pools in your walks through the forest, and hear the woodfrog mating call, please email us.

The vernal pools that have already been identified are coded blue on the map (right, or download pdf) and potential vernal pools are coded green.

So keep your eyes and ears open, and thanks for your help! Please email us if you hear or see anything!

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