Trail Observations Between Stops 1 and 2 - March 12, 1998

From the shelter building, head north along the trail. Note how the vegetation changes from predominantly grasses to forest. Shortly after reaching the trees, we see a pond on the east side of the trail.
	This pond provides an indication of the general hydrologic conditions within Schmeeckle. In the spring, the pond is generally full (today it's frozen over). In the late summer, it is often dry.
Continue going north along the trail. For a view of this trail in the summer, click here. On the west side of the trail just ahead of us, is a patch of dead trees. Let's stop and take a closer look.
	Although it is difficult to distinguish the dead trees from the dormant ones at this time of year, there are quite a few dead trees just behind the row of trees in the foreground. A group of dead trees may be evidence of a disturbance. What could have killed these trees? Insects? Possibly, but then we'd probably see more wide-spread tree deaths.
Fire? Perhaps, but then we'd see fire scars, and there are none here. Flooding? This is most likely the type of disturbance that killed these trees. Although trees like wetter conditions than grasses, they generally cannot tolerate standing water. As Schmeeckle Reserve was constructed, the drainage patterns throughout the Reserve were altered and resulted in flooding at this site (there is some standing water here, albeit frozen).
	Lets continue on to Site 2. We follow the trail a bit farther north, and just around the bend shown in this photo, we turn right, heading off to the east and to stop number 2.

Created by Karen A. Lemke (klemke@uwsp.edu). Last modified July 13, 2000.