Vernal Pool Walk and Explore with Don Miller at Kurmes

For more than forty years, naturalist and founding PHLT member Don Miller has explored the early spring awakening of life in the headwaters of Paradise Creek and throughout the landscape of the Poconos.

Join Don for a walk to discover the rich ecology of vernal pools. These temporary spring wetlands support a remarkable variety of species. They host familiar early‑season residents such as spring peepers, wood frogs, and spotted salamanders while also providing habitat for many other local organisms: caddisfly larvae, other emerging insects, and the birds and mammals that rely on these seasonal wetlands for food and shelter.

Vernal pools appear only in spring, lingering just long enough for a burst of life to emerge. By summer, they dry up, creating a predator‑free refuge where young amphibians, insects, and other small creatures can safely develop. Many Pocono species take advantage of this brief window, and some rely on it…