Abstract: Habitat fragmentation is a common effect seen worldwide from intensive construction of roads and from deforestation. Fragmentation is defined as the reduction of total habitat area and connectedness. Fragmentation has severe effects on populations of animal species primarily due to isolation of sub-populations from each other and from a reduction in gene flow due to lack of migration. I studied whether open habitats (e.g. fields, mountaintop balds, and suburban development) fragmented the forest habitat of red-backed salamanders, Plethodon cinereus. More specifically, I created "islands" of salamander habitat in open fields, and I studied the ability of these terrestrial salamanders to colonize the new habitats. I also compared the abundance of salamanders 25 m and 100 m into the forest from the forest/field edge. Through the end of September 2002, all six habitat islands 5 m into the field were colonized, but only one of six islands 25 m into the field had been colonized. None of the fenced control plots were colonized, indicating that salamanders had moved into the habitat islands, rather than just moved up from below the ground. Finally, there was a marginally significant difference between salamander abundance 25m and 100m from the open habitat (into the forest). I will continue this research through May 2003, but preliminary data suggest that salamanders are at least marginally successful at moving through open habitats.