Catherine Violet Hubbard Animal Sanctuary, along with Yale Peabody Museum, The Maritime Aquarium, and Connecticut’s Beardsley Zoo, hosted three different FrogWatch USA training events. All training events were free, fun, educational, and engaging.

FrogWatch USA is a nationwide effort dedicated to collecting information about frog and toad populations, raising awareness about amphibians and wetlands, and involving the public in science. For over two decades, FrogWatch USA volunteers have collected data on the frogs and toads found in their local wetlands every spring.

FrogWatch USA is a community science, or citizen science project. Volunteers in the community obtain data and help scientists understand the health of wetlands in the area. These amphibians play a vital role in wetland ecosystems and are considered indicators of environmental health. Unfortunately, with many of their populations in dramatic decline, data is needed to help inform conservation and management efforts. The data collected by FrogWatch USA volunteers can be used to help understand how amphibian populations are changing over time.

Volunteers are trained to recognize different frog and toad calls, such as the infamous spring peeper, grey tree frog, the American bullfrog, and more. This information will be used at the upcoming event at Dickinson Park on Wednesday, April 9. From 7:30 to 9 pm, volunteers will listen and collect data with FrogWatch USA experts to assess the health of frogs in the area as well as wetlands as a whole.

Jennifer Hubbard, president of Catherine Violet Hubbard Animal Sanctuary, said, “We’re thrilled to bring FrogWatch USA to the community in collaboration with the Newtown Parks and Recreation Department. This program offers a unique opportunity for people to engage in citizen science right in their own backyard.” She continued, “By listening for frog calls and contributing valuable data, families can foster a deeper connection to nature while playing a crucial role in amphibian conservation efforts. It’s a perfect blend of curiosity, education, and environmental stewardship that aligns beautifully with our sanctuary’s mission.”

Amy Mangold, director of Newtown Parks and Recreation, said, “Newtown Parks and Recreation is excited to once again host the annual FrogWatch USA Program at Dickinson Park.” Mangold added, “After attending the program last year, we were inspired by the joy, excitement, and deep connection to spring and nature it fosters.”

Bridget Cervero, associate director of education at The Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk is excited to help share all FrogWatch USA has to offer. “FrogWatch is a really fun program. Frogs and toads have unique calls, and volunteers are trained to identify species by listening for these different calls. Once trained, volunteers are asked to visit a wetland of their choosing through the spring and summer and report what species they hear.”

The training described how volunteers can submit data to the Peabody-Beardsley-Maritime chapter online through FieldScope, an online platform to help collect community science data. Cervero also went over the proper weather conditions for volunteers, and described improper monitoring weather as having too much wind, 4+ on the Beaufort Wind Scale, or being too rainy.

Volunteers only have to monitor frogs for three minutes at a time, including a two minute acclimation period so the frogs can return to their natural calling behavior. Three minutes is not a long time, but it can make a huge difference in how scientists understand wetlands and can even help save endangered populations of frogs, such as the Northern Leopard Frog, Eastern Spadefoot Toad, and the Fowler’s Toad, all three of which can be found in Connecticut.

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Reporter Sam Cross can be reached at sam@thebee.com.