For those of you wanting to know more about the Eastern Spadefoot toad , google East Stroudsburg University Eastern Spadefoot. The university, with a grant from the state, has established the Eastern Spadefoot Assessment Project to study the toad. This research project is led by Brandon Ruhe, one of only a few Spadefoot experts who also works for Ecological Associates, the Jaindl consulting firm. Ruhe did the field investigation that identified the potential Spadefoot breeding pools on the Jaindl land. The Pa Fish and Boat Commission web page should also have information on the endangered toad. Two potential breeding pools were found on the Jaindl land, both on the southern portion near the borough of Alburtis. Another pool was found in the Little Lehigh floodplain owned by the township at the village of Brookdale and the other pool is on the 70 acre tract that Jaindl is giving to the township. Not much seems to be known about this elusive little toad which apparently has sporadic and little understood breeding behavior linked to the weather. The upper part of the Little Lehigh Creek that starts in neighboring Longswamp Township and flows through the Jaindl land was originally called Toad Creek on old maps . We wonder if that had something to do with this toad. A Spadefoot toad preserve was established in Longswamp Township several years ago where a toad breeding pool was found in a farm field. The Berks County Conservancy was put in charge of managing the preserve. Scott Fiegel, the owner of Ecological Associates, said the toads dont live there anymore because the Conservancy destroyed the preserve by allowing natural vegetation to grow in the buffer area around the pool, which he thinks reduced the rain run-off from the farm field that created the pool. Fiegel said Eastern Spadefoot toads are breeding in pools near the new PPL substation being built north of Breinigsville in Upper Macungie Township.
Posted on: Thu, 28 Aug 2014 11:49:41 +0000
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