2026-2027: The Year of The Frog with Three Pines Project

Every year at Three Pines Project we choose an animal or plant to become our focus for the program year. It gives us a new lens through which to explore the natural world, build skills, ask questions and make connections we might otherwise miss. For 2026-2027, that focus is …. FROGS!

We’ve had the Year of the Bird, the Year of the Snake and most recent, the Year of the Tree. Each one had a purpose. Birds helped us welcome new birders and discover the fun of community science through projects like Great Backyard Bird Count. Snakes gave us an opportunity to turn fear and myths into facts and understanding. The Year of the Tree celebrated our transition from Nature Connect to Three Pines Project and opened the door to learning about pines, fire-adapted southern forests and the many native trees that share our landscape. 

So, why frogs?

The idea for the Year of the Frog came while facilitating Nature Explorers and watching frogs along the pond, at Abbey Nature Preserve. As Kevina, founder of Three Pine Project, and Christy, Program Director, watched frogs, an idea began to take shape. “We decided it would be fun to make frog and toad costumes since the two of us are always together and share similarities with that classic duo, including that one of us is tall and the other small,” Kevina recalls. “I feel like it clicked in both our minds, and we just knew 2026-2027 would be the Year of the Frog!”

Since making that decision, the frogs have taken over in the best possible way. “We can’t stop learning frog facts, skills, ideas and games!" Kevina laughed. 

But frogs are more than a fun theme. They give us an opportunity to look closely at the ecosystem around us and understand how different plants, animals and fungi share space and resources. 

“Our yearly focus provides a lens to look through as we move through our program year and facilitate skill building, naturalist knowledge and connection,” explains the team.

Throughout the year, we will look at what frogs fit into different landscapes, what adaptations help them survive, what hazards affect their populations and what they can teach us about the places we explore locally. 

Our programs will include many different initiatives, like FrogWATCH, guest speakers, kid-made frog field guides, frog studies, games, nature journaling, stories, songs and plenty of time outside observing these wonderful animals. 

“With the Year of the Tree, it allowed us to zoom out and look at time on a much slower scale,” Kevina explains, “whereas frogs let us zoom in, with big transitions happening within weeks and months instead of years and decades”, Kevina explained.

Frogs also have important stories to tell. They are, among many things, environmental indicators, they help control insect populations and play an important role in the food chain. Their sensitive skin can respond quickly to changes in the environment, making them valuable clues about the ecosystem's health. 

If we were to send one message when it comes to frogs, it is that THEY MATTER! 

They may be small, but they have a big role to play, and they are “cute, prolific and easily observable”, making them a perfect creature for a year of outdoor learning. 

And of course, our facilitators already have their favorites.

Ms. Erin loves toads, Ms. Kevina the Squirrel Frog, Ms. Christy the Bullfrog, Ms. Trina the Coqui Frog, Ms. Oana the Green Treefrog, Ms. Sarah the Pine Barrens Treefrog, Ms. Stephanie the Little Grass Frog and Ms. Britt the Southern Leopard Frog.  

We’re ready to follow the frogs wherever they take us this year. 

Welcome to the Year of the Frog!