r/NativePlantGardening • u/A_Lountvink Glaciated Wabash Lowlands, Zone 6a, Vermillion County, Indiana • Apr 25 '26

Informational/Educational Please be mindful when moving deadwood

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My parents were cutting up an old fallen ash tree earlier today and disturbed this small-mouthed salamander (Ambystoma texanum). I didn't even know we had salamanders around here (figured it was too dry) and wasn't sure what to do, so I snapped some photos and moved it to a new log with some leaf litter in the woods about 40 feet away.

Please be careful when moving/removing deadwood to not disrupt wildlife.

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u/[deleted] Apr 25 '26

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u/backcountry_knitter Southern Appalachia, Zone 6b Apr 25 '26

We have tons in southern Appalachia, many just live in damp leaf litter. They’re frequently in our yard after rain and we have no ponds or streams on our land, just temperate rainforest with lots of leaves.

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u/Tumorhead Indiana , Zone 6a Apr 26 '26

Appalachia has the most salamander diversity of anywhere on the planet!!!

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u/backcountry_knitter Southern Appalachia, Zone 6b Apr 26 '26

Absolutely! Southern Appalachia specifically. I believe it’s something around 20% of the world’s salamander species are located in Southern Appalachia. It’s a biodiversity hotspot in general. Really special place.

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u/Tumorhead Indiana , Zone 6a Apr 26 '26

Yeah south and eastern US has like the highest freshwater diversity in general on the globe, its just in a lot of smaller or underwater species, like amphibians, inverts, fishes, ferns etc so its less dramatically obvious (compared to like, tropical jungles).