CNHP Botanist Pam Smith, along with CNHP Director David Anderson attended the Biodiversity Without Boundaries Conference this year. The conference was from April 25-30, in Traverse City, Michigan. Pam and Dave went on a field trip to see vernal pools. The trip was led by Yu Man Lee and Peter Badra from the Michigan Natural Features Inventory. We visited two vernal pools, from which Yu Man and Peter netted some amazing creatures, including fairy shrimp. We were just in time to see the fairy shrimp, as adults can only be seen in the vernal pools for three weeks of the year. They emerge early to avoid predation, and lay eggs which can persist through complete drying of the pool until the following spring. The presence of fairy shrimp can be an indicator of a healthy vernal pool ecosystem.
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| Fairy shrimp from a vernal pool in Michigan. |
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| A vernal pool in Michigan in early spring that contains dense leaf litter. The litter provides important habitat for fairy shrimp, as well as salamander and frog egg masses. |
CNHP’s former Director, Chris Pague, won the NatureServe Network Alumni of the year award this year! We are so happy for Chris, who is one of the most enthusiastic, knowledgeable, and effective advocates for biodiversity.
Our good friends at the Nevada Natural Heritage Program won this year’s Collaboration and Mentoring Award, and it was fun to celebrate their achievement and contributions to the NatureServe Network.
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| Kristin Szabo (Director, middle of photo) and former director Jennifer Newmark (far right) from the Nevada Natural Heritage Program accept the Collaboration and Mentoring Award from NatureServe director Mary Klein (far left). |
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