Dear Amphibian Friends,
This is our 16th year of helping the amphibians cross St. Peters and Wells Roads. It is going to be the hardest migration year to predict. We have not had a typical winter. There is no snow to melt, and the ground is not frozen. That said, I will do my best to let you know when the frogs and salamanders need some assistance on rainy evenings during the rest of February and March.
On average, we have about 3 or 4 nights that we may need to be outside helping the amphibians cross. Here are the three conditions that need to be met if there is going to be a migration:
- Temperatures above freezing
- Actively raining or very wet
- Dark
The safety of our volunteers is of utmost importance. All children must have VERY close adult supervision and stay on Wells Road. The North Coventry Township and North Coventry Police allow us to close Wells Road so the children can watch and help.
Guidelines for Volunteers
- Please come dressed for the weather. Bring a flashlight, headlamp, rain gear, non-metallic bucket, and safety vests with reflectors.
- Wells Rd. will be closed from Saint Peters Rd. down to a coned-off area. It is best to drive in from Hill Camp Rd., onto Wells Rd. and park on the right side of Wells Rd. up to the cones.
- Walk up and check in at the top of St. Peters Rd. and Wells Rd. before heading out onto St. Peters Rd. I’ll post myself there. You will be given instructions, given a vest, and asked to keep a tally of what you saw crossing.
- Volunteers will position themselves on a segment of St. Peters Rd. and watch that section.
- If a vehicle approaches, you will pick up any amphibians in danger and help them cross the road in the direction they are heading. Bare clean hands are best so it doesn’t interfere with the protective coating on the amphibian’s skin.
- We are NOT allowed to impede traffic in any way.
- Keep a rough tally of what kind of amphibians you see, how many you see, and which way they cross. tallied.
- The migration usually begins at dusk, and the traffic slows by 9 or 10.
A special thank you to all the volunteers, the North Coventry Township officials, and the North Coventry Police. Without your help, we could not have saved all of those amphibian lives.
Thank you,
Kim White, Coordinator of Volunteers
