Frog Week
Frog Week is a Citizen Science Project
Frogs and toads are declining worldwide, and the frogs most common to backyards across Pennsylvania are typically overlooked for their abundance and often not funded for conservation projects. Frogs are declining due to climate change, deforestation, disease, and lack of support and care.
Cambria, Somerset, Westmoreland, Bedford, and Indiana are home to around eight species of frogs and toads, but they are declining rapidly because of deforestation. It appeared frogs and toads were destined not to have an advocate like game fish and mammals. This was all changed when PA Woods and Forests was founded in 2022 by AAron Capouellez. He saw the beauty and importance of frogs and toads.
"Frog Week" is a yearly project created by AAron Capouellez. This six-month-long project aims to preserve Pennsylvania's wild frog and toad populations. The citizen science project monitors wild populations of American toads, wood frogs, gray tree frogs, and pickerel frogs. At the same time, they are filmed for educational and entertaining videos for a YouTube channel and fieldwork conservation project in collaboration with our partner, Woods and Forests Media.
The Frog Week Conservation Project has led to regional discoveries. Eastern Gray Tree Frogs were documented for the first time in Cambria and Somerset Counties. These discoveries in Frog Week 2021 led to the gray tree frog becoming a target species and a species we now manage. Frog Week 2023 led to the discovery of the northern map turtle and a range extension of the gray tree frog in Cambria County. Other discoveries include American toads and pickerel frogs using a bridge to move between counties and a population of spotted salamanders reproducing twice in Westmoreland County between Frog Week 20 and Frog Week 2021. Frog Week 2024 is sure to uncover more regional discoveries!
Frog Week is a collaborative project with contributions from Woods and Forests Media, Frogs and Toads Facebook Group, Our Reptile Forum, and Josh's Frogs
Key features of the project:
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Documenting frogs to enhance knowledge of wild populations
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Road rescues to move frogs off busy roads
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Rescuing wounded or sick frogs and taking them to wildlife rehabilitation centers
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Hosting Frog Walks (nature hikes) to teach the community about the frogs and toads in their backyards
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Showcasing ambassador animals with Critter Talks
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Creating backyard habitats and monitoring them for suburban frogs and toads
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Relocating tadpoles from drying vernal pools
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Presenting our fieldwork on the Woods and Forests Media YouTube channel to share the results with the community
Frog Week is the first citizen science project of PA Woods and Forests.
Pennsylvania Amphibian and Reptile Survey (PARS) is a database the state of Pennsylvania uses to understand what species of reptiles and amphibians exist in each county. Some of our board members and volunteers actively participate in the survey. We use PARS to understand the target amphibians and reptiles around central and western Pennsylvania. Click the county you live in to see what species were found!
Ambient Weather Network showcases the interest of the citizens of the community in western and central Pennsylvania in the weather around them. We are able to gather more information about the weather in our target counties and understand current weather patterns from a micro-climate perspective. This weather map will help us better understand what is happening around the western and central woods and forests. Zoom out with the map to view the weather in your area!
Frog Week is the YouTube and social media side of our citizen science project. The videos feature road rescues, frogs and toads breeding, and conservation of frogs and toads. Our citizen science project was featured on many news outlets: Tribune-Democrat, Daily American, Tribune-Review, WCRO, WTAJ, Studio 814, and more! Scroll down to watch Frog Week from the Woods and Forests Media YouTube Channel.
