BANGOR DAILY NEWS • March 29, 2022
As winter thaws into spring, Mainers may notice miniature marshes cropping up in their backyards and beyond. These short-lived swamps are known as vernal pools. The small, temporary wetlands appear in the spring when snow melt and precipitation fill shallow depressions in forested landscapes. The pools are usually dry by the end of the summer, but they play an essential role as a breeding ground for wood frogs, spotted salamanders and fairy shrimp.