NEPARC Conference Recap: Salamanders, Waterfalls, and Conservation Connections

Earlier this month, I attended the Northeast Partners in Amphibian and Reptile Conservation (NEPARC) conference at the Pocono Environmental Education Center in Pennsylvania. NEPARC’s mission is to build a community that values, protects, and conserves local amphibians, reptiles, and their habitats across the Northeast, and the conference was the perfect example of that vision in action.

The first day kicked off with a variety of field trips, and I joined the Vernal Pools and Waterfalls excursion. We explored stunning forest habitats, visited New Jersey’s tallest waterfall, and spotted three salamander species: a northern red salamander, a northern dusky salamander, and a northern two-lined salamander.

Throughout the weekend, biologists, educators, students, and conservationists shared research, restoration strategies, and outreach ideas to help protect these often-overlooked animals. Just as important were the informal conversations, the kind that spark new collaborations and inspire fresh approaches to conservation work.

I left the conference feeling grateful for this passionate network of people and motivated to bring new ideas back to my own work in wildlife conservation. Events like NEPARC remind us that protecting amphibians and reptiles means protecting the ecosystems we all depend on.