<html><body><div style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10pt; color: #009900"><div style="color:#000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;text-decoration:none;font-family:Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;font-size:12pt;"><div style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10pt; color: #009900"><div><p style="margin: 0px;"><br></p><p style="margin: 0px;"><br></p><p style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img src="cid:60e502e39da96242d057a53a1c7b0345bd5dff60@zimbra" height="276" width="369"></span></p><p style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br></span></p><p style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Fairy shrimp, wood frogs and spotted salamanders seem like mythical creatures, but these are some of the real animals that depend on vernal pools. Come learn about these ephemeral wetlands that are full of water in the spring and dry out over the summer at a talk titled <strong><i>“Vernal Pools our “Backyard” Ecosystems”</i>.</strong> It will be presented by Ian Ives, Director at Mass Audubon’s Long Pasture, Ashumet, Barnstable Great Marsh & and Skunknett River Wildlife Sanctuaries at the Oyster Pond Environmental Trust (OPET) Annual Meeting on <span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);">Thursday, August 6<sup>th</sup> at 7pm</span>. The talk and meeting will be held at the <strong>Falmouth Artists Guild located at 137 Gifford St. Falmouth</strong>. All are welcome to attend. Light refreshments will be served.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px;"><br></p><p style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">OPET will be protecting two vernal pools on the 22 acre Headwaters of Oyster Pond land we are purchasing. Vernal pools provide critical habitat for frogs and salamanders to breed and lay their eggs in the spring. It is fortunate that not only can OPET protect these two vernal pools once this land is purchased, but also the forest where these critters live the rest of the year.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br></span></p><p style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Ian Ives is leading environmental advocacy and conservation projects across the Cape to help protect rare wildlife and the threatened natural resources they depend on. One of his primary goals is to engage the community in Mass Audubon’s mission work and expand activities at the wildlife sanctuaries he oversees. Formerly, Ian was a Field Biologist for Hyla Ecological Services in Concord MA, and was a zookeeper at the Franklin Park Zoo in Boston.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px;"><br></p><p style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">OPET is a non-profit dedicated to conserving and protecting the natural environment and ecological systems of Oyster Pond in Falmouth. For more information see our web site www.opet.org or email <a href="mailto:info@opet.org" target="_blank">info@opet.org</a>.</span></p></div><div><br></div><div><span></span>******************<br>Wendi Buesseler<br>Executive Director<br>Oyster Pond Environmental Trust<br>508-540-8162<br>P.O. Box 496<br>Woods Hole MA 02543<br>http://opet.org/<span></span></div><div><br></div></div></div><div><br></div></div></body></html>