Preserve manager Joe Villari holds a spotted salamander found at a restored vernal pool at Bull Run Mountains Preserve on March 2, 2021. Salamanders have very fragile skin so you should take care not to handle them, or at least make sure your hands are wet before picking one up. "They desiccate easily," Villari said.

Every spring, the amphibian uses vernal pools—seasonal forest wetlands—to breed and lay eggs. Because vernal pools dry up every summer, they don't support predatory fish that would otherwise pose a threat.

The 2,500-acre preserve, located in Fauquier and Prince William counties, is owned and managed by the Virginia Outdoors Foundation. It serves mainly to protect a range of important habitats, and visitors can enjoy six miles of trails on a 600-acre parcel with a rich cultural history.

(Photo by Will Parson/Chesapeake Bay Program)