Yearnin' for learnin'

In the few weeks I’ve been in Menomonie this summer, I’ve already learned so much about it's defining biological systems and the social structures that are embedded in local interactions with the watershed. For the first time in my life I set foot into a canoe, grabbed a paddle, and explored Tainter Lake with my Geography partner and the Bio team. It was breathtakingly gorgeous and I would absolutely love to get more fieldwork in and learn firsthand the inner workings of the wetland ecosystems in Wisconsin. Learning how to canoe was super fun and stepping barefoot into the muck of the lake to find clams, cattails, and curly-leaf pondweed was wonderful.

Canoeing on Tainter Lake, Arthur and Jacey paddling along in the distance

While learning about the current ecosystem of these local eutrophic lakes was quite fascinating, Esther and I were also able to investigate the historical ecology of Wisconsin. We visited the Dunn County Historical Society and cracked open their archive collection. Before I knew it, hours had flown by and I remained just as immersed in the texts before us. Books, interviews, and editorials each offered unique glimpses into the environmental history of the region and documented the prolific lumber, mining, and dairy industries of the state. We're scheduled to visit Barron County's historical archives as well and we hope to learn more about pre-settlement relationships with the landscape. Understanding the complexities of the ecological systems that existed prior to the onslaught of intensive industry will hopefully offer us alternative representations of how relationships with the land directly shape the hydrology and biological diversity of the region.

Formed by post-glacial flooding, the Devils Punchbowl left us in awe

Going into our third week, I especially hope to discover more about the chemical and nutrient systems as they relate to land practices and perceptions of the water bodies in the community. On Wednesday we’re set to tour a nearby CAFO and the day after we plan to get our hands dirty in the local rain garden. Hopefully our team will be able to visit Rice Lake and if we’re really lucky, we’ll be able to hear some oral histories that can further enrich our understanding of the social and environmental intricacies that have molded the Red Cedar Watershed. I have no doubt that there's plenty of learning in store for us in the coming weeks and can't wait to learn alongside this incredible team!