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The Very Important Pools (VIP) Monitoring Program The VIP volunteer monitoring program was initiated by Maine Audubon Society and the University of Maine in the spring of 1999. The goal of this project is to have volunteers across the state of Maine collect long-term (a minimum of three years) biological and chemical data on pools, to make this information accessible to the public through the development of a web page database, and to begin mapping vernal pools on a Geographic Information System (GIS) database. Our goal is to monitor at least 100 pools over three years (hopefully longer). For more information on the data collection process please see the online Maine citizen's guide to locating and documenting vernal pools. Things are going swimmingly for the vernal pools in Maine! The Very Important Pools (VIP) volunteer monitoring project keeps gaining momentum. Originally, we had hoped to have 100 pools being monitored across the state by the end of the 2001 season. At last count, we already have over 120 pools being monitored this year (September 2000)! Vernal pools are being monitored all over the state, from South Berwick in southern Maine to Fort Kent on the northern tip of the state. There are pools being watched Downeast in Cutler, Machiasport, and Cherryfield, and as far west as Brownville. These VIP's are being monitored by 82 dedicated volunteers. They are a diverse group of people including teachers, scientists, farmers, librarians, students, fulltime mothers, and retirees, all with a common goal to learn about, monitor, and protect vernal pools and their surrounding habitat. Our volunteers donate a considerable amount of their time and energy to achieve this goal. They go out into cold mucky wet places to observe the pools' inhabitants and collect data. They provide a considerable portion of their own equipment and they bravely ignore the bane of spring in Maine-blackflies and mosquitoes. They are enthusiastic and even the adults are filled with the wonder of these ephemeral habitats. The volunteers make this project possible. Their efforts have provided us with excellent data on a large number of pools across the state. Without them, we could never have exceeded our goal for the number of pools being monitored. With their help the VIP monitoring program will provide protection for a critical wetland habitat through education, Best Management Practices (BMP), cooperation with municipalities, and with the sheer determination of this small but growing group of amazing volunteers. To help students and interested individuals or
groups monitor vernal pools in their areas, Wetland Connections
has published the Maine Citizen's Guide to Locating and Documenting
Vernal Pools, available in hard copy through Wetland Connections
and soon, downloadable in Adobe PDF format through this website.
For more information or to get a copy of the Citizen's Guide, |
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