What is a vernal pool and why is it special?
Vernal pools are isolated wetlands that hold water in most years for two continuous months in spring or summer. Because vernal pools dont support populations of fish, several unique species of amphibians and freshwater amphipods make their homes there. They live in the leaf litter surrounding the vernal pool and reproduce in the pool in the spring. The State and the Sherborn Conservation Commission extend additional protections to vernal pools. Instead of the usual 50 no-alteration/100 buffer zone regulation, vernal pools have setback requirements of at least 150 feet.
