On Monday, April 13, more than 25 students braved a damp Vermont evening to help salamanders safely cross the road. Donning jackets and mud boots, participants searched the underbrush for salamanders, frogs and other amphibians, carefully guiding them across Morgan Road in Salisbury.
Each spring, salamanders across Vermont undertake a perilous migration from their wintering grounds to breeding wetlands. The journey typically occurs between March and late April, when temperatures are above 40 degrees Fahrenheit, and rainfall softens the ground. But for many amphibians, the route is deadly: crossing roadways often results in high mortality.
To address this issue, Middlebury EcoReps organized a two-hour salamander crossing event, inviting students in an email titled “Salamander Crossing!!!!!!!” to assist local wildlife. Participants traveled by van and car to an area known for high salamander activity, where forest lines both sides of a half-mile dirt road — a common migration corridor.
“Every spring, in March and April, there are salamanders that cross over to wetlands, and over 50% of them die because they cross the road and get hit by cars,” Eleanor Harrison ’26, assistant director of EcoReps, said. “So we hosted a salamander crossing event where you move them across the road so that they don’t get hit by cars.
Cassie Pfitzenmayer ’26, an intern with EcoReps, emphasized the ecological importance of the location and timing.
“As it gets warmer and rains more, amphibians move across roads toward water. Because it’s dark and rainy, drivers often can’t see them, and many get killed. We help guide them in a way safely from one side to the other,” Pfitzenmayer said.
EcoReps is a student-led organization that falls under the jurisdiction of the Department of Sustainability and Environmental Affairs, which aims to connect Middlebury students to the world of environmental consciousness and sustainability. The group hosts events that support this goal throughout the year, including movie nights, holiday celebrations, baking sessions and more. This past fall, they helped host a block party, providing refreshments and featuring several popular student bands in partnership with the Solar House.
“EcoReps is completely student-run, and we collaborate with Environmental Affairs to run events for the Middlebury community, both on campus and externally,” Pfitzenmayer said. “The goal is to meet students where they are through fun, friendly events done sustainably and inspiring people to practice sustainability and participate in climate action.”
Beyond environmental impact, the event also fostered community. Harrison noted that the turnout exceeded expectations and brought together a wide range of students.
“We had a pretty good turnout,” Harrison said. “I got to chat with underclassmen and other people I usually wouldn't get to talk to, so that was fun.”
For some participants, the experience had been long anticipated. Bernadette Osborne ’26.5 described the event as a personal milestone.
“I’m a senior Feb, and attending a salamander crossing has been on my bucket list since I first heard of it Freshman year,” Osborne said. “I have wanted to learn more about how I can protect them, which I definitely got to do!”
Looking ahead, EcoReps plans to host additional events this spring, including community circles, Earth Day programming and an international food festival aimed at fostering sustainability through cultural exchange.
For those interested in helping salamanders independently, warm and rainy evenings near wetlands offer the best opportunity. More broadly, the Otter Creek chapter of the Vermont Audubon Society hosts events to assist amphibian migration. And for drivers on Vermont’s backroads after dark, slowing down and staying alert can make a critical difference.
Editor's Note: Editor in Chief Mandy Berghela ’26 helped contribute reporting to this article.
Katrina Schwarz '26 (she/her) is a Senior Local Editor.
Katrina has been a local editor for the three semesters, recently becoming the section's senior editor. She is a Psychology and Italian double major and was a marketing intern at Penguin Random House this past summer.
Anna Doucet ‘26 (she/her) is a Staff Writer.
Anna is from Bristol, Vermont. At Middlebury, Anna studies Psychology, French, and Global Health. She is on the board of the Sunday Night Environmental Group, volunteers for Language in Motion, and is a research assistant in the Psychology Department. Off campus, Anna works as an educator at the Expanded Learning Program at Bristol Elementary.
