Daily Toadlet Road-let Detour Starts Tuesday

Two months after to mate in Upper Roxborough, the toadlets are ready to make their first move.

Starting Tuesday night, the will help the finger-nail sized baby toads leave the nest at the Upper Roxborough Reservoir and head into the woods.

From 7 to 9 p.m. from May 15 to June 30, volunteers will nightly close Port Royal Avenue from Hagy’s Mill Road to Eva Street, and Eva Street from Port Royal Avenue to Summit Avenue, according to Claire Morgan from the Schuylkill Center.  

Morgan said the spring commute went well, and hopes the toadlet march will have similar success.

"Our largest count came on March 20 (the first day of spring) with over 700 toads counted that evening alone. Thanks to the many volunteers who came out over the eight week period to help put up barricades and protect the toads from being crushed by cars," she wrote in an email to supporters.

"Now we need your help again! We can’t predict which nights they will move, but we want to be ready to help them."

Interested people can sign up for a volunteer shift by following this link.

Previously, Morgan discussed the process, which will now be reversed.

"On warm and wet nights, toads begin their march through the area's woods around sunset. At about 7:30 p.m., volunteers detour motorist past Port Royal Avenue and Eva Street to Ridge Avenue to prevent toad squashing," she said.

The Schuylkill Center took over the coordination effort this year after toad detour founder and long-time volunteer Lisa Levinson moved to California. In addition to the volunteer effort, the Schuylkill Center organizes walks and lectures around the event—one of several related talks the environmental education center provides.

Visit the group's website or Facebook page for more information.