A meeting to inform citizens about how they can protect unique local wetlands will take place Saturday, March 24, at 1 p.m. at the Pringle Nature Center in Bristol Woods County Park, 9800 160th Ave., Bristol.
Looking for an excuse to explore wetlands next spring? If so, the Wisconsin Ephemeral Ponds Project is for you.
WEPP is an initiative partially funded through the Wisconsin Coastal Management Program to map and monitor SE Wisconsin ephemeral ponds – isolated wetlands that have standing water in spring and dry up during the summer. These wetlands are critically important as breeding habitat to several frog and salamander species as well as to certain insects, crustaceans, and snails.
Not much is known about ephemeral ponds. Traditionally, they have been valued less than other wetland types because they tend to be very small (smaller than two acres) and harder to recognize when they dry up. Perhaps due to their small size, as many as 50 percent of them have been farmed-over, filled-in or drained.
An orientation meeting will take place on March 24 at Pringle Nature Center to showcase the project and let people know how they can get involved next spring. To express interest in this opportunity or for more information, contact Valerie Mann, 857-8008 or naturalist@pringlenc.org.
Pringle Nature Center Pringle Nature Center is located in within the 197-acre of Bristol Woods County Park. This park contains upland forest, wetlands, oak savanna remnants, prairie and lawn areas to explore. Within the woods are four miles of trails that are used for bird and wildlife observation, nature education walks, hiking and cross county skiing. The nature center’s winter hours are Tuesday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday, noon to 4 p.m.
