In 2008, the Northwest Trek started participating in a project to help increase the population of the Oregon Spotted Frog.  Although the Oregon Spotted frogs used to inhabit much of the Puget Sound’s Wetlands, their population has drastically declined due predators and human encroachment on their environment. 

This project started with a five-year pilot program.  The goals of this program were to test the possibility of releasing frogs into the wild from captivity and see them survive and begin to thrive.  At the end of this five-year pilot program, the Northwest Trek took one year to evaluate the project to see if their efforts paid off.

Although working with animals is always unpredictable, according to Lead Naturalist, Allison Abrahamse, and therefore hard to measure the success of a project like this, Abrahamse said, “we have had some success; anything we learn is a success.”

Throughout the course of the project, the Northwest Trek has been able to release about 5,400 frogs into the wild.  “We know for sure we have been able to take them from egg stage, through metamorphosis, into juvenile frogs and been able to release them to the wild,” said Abrahamse.

During their year of evaluation, the Northwest Trek has confirmed that there are egg masses in the wild, meaning the frogs were successful in not only living in the wild, but also reproducing and continuing the efforts to save their species.

Although the Northwest Trek is responsible for a lot of this success, there are many other organizations that have had a hand in helping these frogs.  Abrahamse said, “the shear amount of cooperation…and people working functionally together is so unique in a project like this,” with over 15 public and private organizations working together. 

In 2012, the Northwest Trek received the North American Conservation Award for their efforts in increasing the population of the Oregon Spotted Frog.  Although this project started as a five-year pilot program, the project is ongoing and the Northwest Trek continues their efforts in saving the Oregon Spotted Frog from becoming an extinct species.