Amphibian Monitoring

Why Should We Monitor Amphibians?
The easy answer is because it’s fun and we can learn a lot about our environment through observing the life and times of our amphibians. Amphibians live a dual life, on both land and in water and as such are terrific indicators of environmental heath.

Because they require both habitats, they also give us insights into the effect of habitat loss or preservation. We recognize the need to develop an inventory of the species present in Loudoun, track populations and trends, and identify areas of critical habitat.

Our Program Goals outline what we hope to accomplish through this program in terms of environmental education and habitat protection. Amphibian Monitoring Poster!

How it Works 

This program offers 3 monitoring tracks summarized below. Click on the titles of each to read more.

– Frog Call Survey: Conducted by driving along an established route with set monitoring spots. At each stop, monitors record data on the environmental conditions and frogs and toads heard. This survey typically occurs at sunset and into the evening when frogs and toads are calling.

– Site Surveys: Conducted by visiting an established monitoring location either on your own property or at a public wetland area. This approach uses both visual and auditory senses to survey the area. These surveys occur during the day or evening.

– Migration Mapping: Two types of volunteer roles: “Volunteer A”: Participates in 1 or more night crossings to monitor and rescue individual frogs, toads and salamanders crossing roads. “Volunteer B”: Scouts a selected area for “Big Night” events (large amphibian migrations).

Let’s Help Our Amphibians!

If you’d like to become involved in amphibian monitoring, watch for our event announcements for workshops in February or March.