Winter 2026 Pool Report: Virtual Training Series Registration & Much More!


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eNews & Updates

January 28, 2026| Issue 19

Brought to you by the Michigan Vernal Pools Partnership

Illustration by Corinne Geyer

Greetings, Vernal Pool People! While you are cozy & nestled underneath a solid layer of leaf litter, you can look forward to vernal pool season with a winter batch of resources. In this Pool Report, you will find...

2025 Annual Meeting Pt. 2 follow-up resources
An invitation to participate in this year's Vernal Pool Season Kick-off!
The Outreach Material Request form for 2026
Registration for the Vernal Pool Patrol virtual training series!
An update to the Vernal Pool Database from MNFI
and a LOVELY vernal pool comic written and illustrated by Corinne Geyer!

The Michigan Vernal Pools Partnership

Thanks for attending the 2025 Annual Meeting Pt. 2!

This past December, the MVPP held our 8th Annual Meeting! A big thank you to all our speakers for sharing your expertise, facilitators for keeping us organized, partners & participants for your continued enthusiasm and engagement in vernal pool conservation.

Please visit our website here for the recording, chat transcript, and presenter slides: https://mivernalpools.com/.../2025-annual-meeting-pt-2.html

If you attended the meeting or watched the recording, we would really appreciate your feedback! We want to make the Annual Meeting a great experience for everyone who attends! (And thank you to all those who have already responded!!)

Evaluation

Want to help us kick-off Vernal Pool Season?

As spring (slowly) creeps up on us, we invite you to join the MVPP in celebrating the kick-off to vernal pool season on March 1st!

In 2022, the MVPP launched the video, “Ephemeral”, by Fauna Creative & the Michigan Nature Association on March 1st. Created as a tool to help increase awareness of vernal pools, for the past three years we have been using the anniversary of the video as an opportunity to draw attention to the value and ecological importance of vernal pools.

We are assembling the 2026 social media toolkit! If you'd like to participate, please share your email below!

Enter an email to be sent the social media toolkit!

Enter

Request Outreach Materials for the 2026 Season

We have a Google Form to request materials for your organization or vernal pool outreach needs. Choose from:

Vernal Pool Brochures
Display Cards
Management & Protection Recommendations

Outreach materials will be distributed while supplies last throughout February and March!

Posters are out of stock but we are re-ordering!

A quick note -- if you requested materials last year and did not receive them, we apologize! The response was greater than anticipated. Never fear, capacity has increased this year!

Request Form

The Vernal Pool Patrol

Registration for the VPP virtual training series is open!

The Vernal Pool Patrol is a community-science program dedicated to mapping and monitoring vernal pools across Michigan. The training will consist of three parts/sessions presented on Tuesday evenings:

Tue, February 10, 17, and 24th from 6:00 - 8:00 pm EST

This virtual training (via Zoom) will provide information and resources to those interested in participating in the Michigan Vernal Pool Patrol or just interested in learning more about these important wetlands. Current Pool Patrollers and local program coordinators are also welcome to attend for a refresher!

Training sessions will be recorded and made available to all registered participants.

If you are interested in participating in the Vernal Pool Patrol, please plan on attending ALL 3 sessions. It is also highly recommended that you attend a field workshop (dates and registration TBD).

Field trainings will be announced soon! Currently, trainings are being planned in the following counties:

Ottawa, Kent, Newaygo, & Oceana

Oakland, Washtenaw, & Lenawaee OR Monroe

Grand Traverse & Benzie

Houghton, Baraga, & Marquette

Plus additional trainings in the Northern Lower and Mid-Michigan areas!

Updates to the Michigan Vernal Pool Database!

The Michigan Vernal Pool Database page on the Vernal Pool Patrol Hub has been updated with a new public viewer application!

Vernal pool points (sorted by pool status) have been aggregated into hexagons to help protect pool locations. Active participants with an MNFI Community ArcGIS Online Account (participants who have submitted data in 2025 via Survey123 OR set up an account during the 2025 virtual training series) now have access to a second version of the viewer application to review the Michigan Vernal Pool Database once they login with their account credentials. The link to the application can be found at the bottom of the Michigan Vernal Pool Database page on the Vernal Pool Patrol Hub. The app will show pool summary and visit information along with visit photos.

If you need assistance with your MNFI Community Account or have yet to set one up, email Courtney rosscour@msu.edu

Resource Spotlight

Explore a vernal pool through the eyes of Sally the Salamander!

In 2025, Corinne Geyer, Holt High School senior, was inspired by her fascination of vernal pools to create an illustrated comic for her Girl Scout 'Gold Award' as an educational tool for young people!

Corinne described her aim for the project: "Vernal pools are relatively underappreciated and under protected, despite being havens for many different species of animals. I would like to address this issue by using education through art."

The MVPP was happy to advise Corinne throughout her project and now are excited to share the finished project, "Jump Into Vernal Pools with Sally the Salamander".

Enjoy the full comic below or follow Corinne's illustration journey on YouTube, https://www.youtube.com/@verna...

View "Jump Into Vernal Pools"

News and Notes

Prep for spring! Check out the vernal pool monitoring supply list for recommended gear.

Ohio Vernal Pool Conference: Venture just across the Ohio border to attend Vernal Poolooza April 9-11th! This popular conference provides great opportunities for networking, learning, and exploring vernal pools and wetlands. Learn more here.

Connect with other Patrollers! Form monitoring groups with patrollers in your area and ask vernal pool related questions by joining the private Facebook group. Must have MNFI Community Account to join

Have something to share or interested in learning more about the MVPP? Fill out our interest form to get in touch.

MVPP Pool Patrol MNFI MNA

The mission of the Michigan Vernal Pools Partnership is to increase awareness, understanding and protection of vernal pools through conservation, research & mapping, education & outreach and collaboration.

The Vernal Pool Patrol is a community science and place-based vernal pool mapping, monitoring, and education program consisting of classroom instruction and data collection in the field. Members learn how to follow a standard protocol to help identify, map, and monitor locations of vernal pools within their local communities.

Michigan Vernal Pools Partnership

[Website]

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