Vernal Pools
To protect the environmentally sensitive habitat and rare species,
JK Black Oak Wildlife Sanctuary is not open for general public access.
What are vernal pools? They are shallow depressions filled with water for variable periods from winter to spring, but are usually dry for most of the summer and fall. They provide unique wildlife habitats best known for the amphibians and invertebrate animals that use them to breed.
A vernal pool through the seasons: March (l), June (m) and August (r).
Photos by S. Ferguson and G. Hoogeweg
According to the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, the vernal pools at JK Black Oak Wildlife Sanctuary support a globally rare wetland community type endemic, or nearly so, to six counties in the Culpeper Basin of northern Virginia and adjacent Maryland Piedmont. The vernal pools at this site are part of the only known occurrence on karst features formed by the dissolution of limestone. Although the site and its wetlands have been extensively disturbed, the unique geological setting and wildlife make the wetlands even more significant and worthy of conservation, restoration, and long-term management.
Take a tour of the vernal pools below (using the scroll bar to proceed through the story) or view the full frame version.