Norah’s Pond Revitalization Project underway at Vernon's Allan Brook Nature Centre

Norah's Pond to expand

Photo: Wayne Emde

Work on the Norah’s Pond Revitalization Project is underway.

Work on the Norah’s Pond Revitalization Project is underway.

A ground-breaking ceremony for the pond at Vernon's Allan Brooks Nature Centre was held Wednesday.

Beginning in September 2025, ABNC began work to expand the pond to three times its current size, increasing habitat for amphibians, aquatic invertebrates, waterfowl and other species in the Okanagan.

The enhancement supports ABNC’s mission to foster biodiversity, environmental stewardship, and public engagement in nature.

The redesigned pond will serve both as a critical habitat — especially during dry summer months when natural wetlands are scarce — and as an outdoor classroom. Visitors will be able to observe changes in plant and animal life over time, strengthening the connection between the community and the local ecosystem.

In the Okanagan's sunbaked summer, water is life. Natural wetlands and vernal (seasonal) ponds — those shallow, temporary pools that appear in spring and vanish by midsummer — have always been vital to the region’s wildlife.

Yet, as those habitats shrink and disappear, man-made ponds are stepping up as critical lifelines for countless species.

“Vernal ponds are small, seasonal wetlands that fill with rain and snowmelt in spring, then dry up as the weather warms. While they may look like little more than muddy puddles, their ecological value is immense,” said a post on the ABNC website.

“Because these pools don’t last year-round, they remain free of fish, giving amphibians like the Spadefoot Toad, frogs, and salamanders a safe place to breed and lay eggs without fear of their young being eaten. Invertebrates — think dragonfly nymphs, water beetles and aquatic insects — also thrive here, forming the foundation of a food web that supports birds and mammals.”

But vernal ponds are unpredictable and in dry years may not form at all, or they might dry up before tadpoles and larvae have time to mature so the larger pond will be beneficial to area critters.