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This is a local subset of the MassGIS NHESP Certified Vernal Pools and Potential Vernal Pools layers. See the MassGIS datalayer description pages for complete documentation. From the Certified Vernal Pools page:

“This datalayer contains points for all vernal pools that have been certified by the Natural Heritage & Endangered Species Program (NHESP) according to the Guidelines for Certification of Vernal Pool Habitat (MA Division of Fisheries & Wildlife, 2000).”

Potential vernal pools are “the locations of more than 29,000 potential, unverified, vernal pool habitats.”

Vernal pools are small, shallow ponds characterized by lack of fish and by periods of dryness. Vernal pool habitat is extremely important to a variety of wildlife species including some amphibians that breed exclusively in vernal pools, and other organisms such as fairy shrimp, which spend their entire life cycles confined to vernal pool habitat. Many additional wildlife species utilize vernal pools for breeding, feeding and other important functions. Certified vernal pools are protected if they fall under the jurisdiction of the Massachusetts Wetlands Protection Act Regulations (310 CMR 10.00). However, the certification of a pool only establishes that it functions biologically as a vernal pool. Certification does not determine that the pool is within a resource area protected by the Wetlands Protection Act. Certified vernal pools are also afforded protection under the state Water Quality Certification regulations (401 Program), the state Title 5 regulations, and the Forest Cutting Practices Act regulations.”

Creation, History and Update Process

Downloaded from MassGIS. Vernal pools in Newton and those within 1000 feet of the Newton City Line are in this layer. The layer is updated when updates are made by MassGIS.

Features and Attributes

Points with the following attributes:

Last Updated: May, 2020