It is a dark and stormy night, and you are driving down poorly-lit back-road in New Hampshire.  The ground is saturated from the recently melted snow and the spring rain.  Suddenly you notice that the road ahead appears to be moving—perplexed, you slow down, and realize that it is not the road, but…amphibians?

     This time of year, thousands of salamanders, frogs, and toads migrate to their breeding grounds on warm, wet nights—in what some people call “big night” migration.  They can often be seen crossing roads at night, risking their lives to reach their respective vernal pools—small, temporary ponds that are critical to the survival of multiple species. Too often, they become victims to oncoming traffic.

     In response to this, local citizens are working with the Ashuelot Valley Environmental Observatory (AVEO) based in Keene, NH, on "Amphibian Crossing Guard Brigades" to help the migrating amphibians reach safety.  Armed with rain gear and flashlights, groups of people including some Franklin Pierce students will be heading out to different designated areas where the traffic of both cars and amphibians is high.

     The weather forecast for this weekend as of Thursday night is looking good for a potential “big night”, and all of us who are "on call" are anxiously waiting.  Yes, they are small, but amphibians are integral to the health of forest and wetland ecology, and even they need a helping hand across the road.  Drive carefully!

      More information about AVEO: http://keeneweb.org/aveo/about/