The tagline for the Harford Salamander Team is “an excuse to go out and play in the rain in the middle of the night.”
It’s a fun way to describe the important work the team of volunteers does in the spring by escorting amphibians across busy roadways in Hartford and collecting data as part of a larger citizen science project. People can learn more about the team during an online training session on Google Meet from 7 to 8 p.m. Thursday taught by naturalist Zac Cota-Weaver of Montpellier’s North Branch Nature Center. The link and more information can be found at hartfordsalamanderteam.org or on the organization’s Facebook page: “Hartford Salamander Team.”
“If it’s been raining all day and if the temperature stays above 42, then that triggers something we call ‘Big Nights’ which is mass migration of amphibians — that’s frogs and salamanders,” explained Ben Fletcher, who describes himself as the “Head Salamander Person” for the team, now in its second year.
On those nights in March through May, volunteers — sporting reflective vests and headlamps — go to popular amphibian crossing spots throughout Hartford, such as Lily Pond Road in White River Junction. Once there, they literally help frogs and salamanders cross the road to prevent them from becoming roadkill victims, either one by one or using a bucket if there’s a crowd. They also record their data for North Branch’s Amphibian Road Crossing Project, which assists conservation efforts throughout Vermont.
“The key is clean hands. They breathe through their skin, most of these amphibians do, so if you have any kind of chemicals, these creatures are very sensitive to that,” Fletcher said. The salamanders and frogs are not poisonous and do not bite. “The frogs try to hop out of your hand occasionally and take a little more skill. … Salamanders are very cooperative.”
The ideal breeding grounds for amphibians are stagnant bodies of water without fish, which eat their eggs. Hartford and its five villages have plenty of these spots. Among the amphibians they come across are spotted salamanders, wood frogs, spring peepers and — if they’re lucky — Jefferson salamanders.
“If you have a really dense forest next to a road and on another side of the road you have that still water, you find so many amphibians on the side of the road and those are the main hotspots we’re trying to map,” Fletcher said.
Some people stay out for a few hours while some of the most dedicated will by the roadsides until midnight. Safety is imperative, and volunteers should wear reflective gear including vests and headlamps while being aware of moving vehicles at all times. They are also asked to choose locations that are close to their homes.
“If you have to drive to a spot on one of these nights it’s often counterproductive because the driving increases the risk of running one over in transit,” Fletcher said.
It is a system that can easily be replicated in other communities throughout the Upper Valley, and Fletcher has heard from residents in neighboring towns about starting up teams of their own.
Last year, the Hartford team helped 135 frogs and salamanders make it to safety, with a record-high of 60 on a particularly busy night.
“That was crazy and overwhelming and motivated us to try to find more volunteers,” Fletcher said.
Liz Sauchelli can be reached at esauchelli@vnews.com or 603-727-3221.
