Helping toads safely cross the road...

Upper Roxborough Reservoir Preserve Toad Detour

The Toad Detour works to protect the local toad population of the Schuylkill Center and the surrounding Roxborough, Philadelphia neighborhood as the toads migrate to and from their breeding grounds each spring. When the toads emerge from hibernation in the early spring, hundreds of them cross Port Royal, Hagy's Mill and other nearby roads to mate in the Roxborough Reservoir or the Schuylkill Center's ponds. The Detour's volunteers erect barricades and help divert traffic during busy toad crossing evenings, saving hundreds of toads from being hit by cars.

Join us--to protect wildlife, to learn about toads and the critical role they play in the forest ecosystem, and for fun.

Volunteer for Toad Detour

We are looking for volunteers for evening shifts from March through June. You can volunteer for one shift or several, and all ages are welcome. If you're interested, it's a good idea to attend our Volunteer Orientation to get started. You'll learn fun facts about toads and toad biology and see how easy it is to volunteer.

The toads are moving! Contact volunteer@schuylkillcenter.org or call 510-410-2897 to get involved.

To sign up for a Toad Detour shift, register at SignUp.com by clicking the button below.

Toad Detour Volunteer Orientations are in person on Saturday, February 24, 2024 at 3-4 pm with a virtual training on Saturday, March 2, 2024 3-4pm.

Know before you go

Please check out the Toad Detour Facebook before coming to a volunteer shift - whenever possible, we post updates there about whether the toads are moving or not.

Toad Detour in the news

KWY Radio - Toad Road Detours On The Way To Upper Roxborough

The Wall Street Journal - Why Do the Toads Cross the Road? It's Mating Season in Philadelphia

WHHY NewsWorks & NBC10 - Roxborough Toads Out in Droves

Toad Detour Adopted

Schuylkill Center takes over Roxborough's Toad Detour

In Philly, It's Toad Detour Time Again

Toadily Awesome – Volunteers work to protect annual toad migration in Northwest Philly

Check out a photoblog of Toad Detour action through the years, courtesy of dedicated Detour volunteer Janet Lippincott.

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