By Hannah Schneekcloth
Tucked away in the heart of America there is an area called the driftless area. Covering the areas of southeast Minnesota, northern Iowa, southwestern Wisconsin, and northwestern Illinois, this area of the country is known for the river valleys, bluffs, winding roads, and the multitude of outdoor activities for every season, from boating and hiking in the summer months to snowshoeing and skiing during the winter. There is so much going on here that we never really stop and think about what is unique about the area that we live in.
Thousands of years ago, glaciers slowly came down from the north, reshaping the land as they moved south. Along the way, they scraped out depressions into the earth that later filled with water, creating the lakes that Minnesota is proud of. But the glaciers didn’t make it into the driftless area. Factors that contributed to the glaciers going around the area are the bedrock being warped by Lake Superior and the weak rock in the east of Wisconsin.
In the area, there is a rare type of ecosystem called Algific talus slope. On steep hillsides with fractured rocks, ice and snow hide in the cracks of the rocks. As summer goes on the ice and snow slowly melt. While the ice and snow melt, the air is cooled and leaves the surrounding area cooler. The cooler ecosystem allows small pockets of northern species to thrive. According to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources there are a few threatened species of plants and snails that are found in these Algific talus slopes. Plants like the Northern Monkshood or Muskroot are considered threatened, along with the Wing Snaggletooth and Cherrystone Drop snails.
Another ecosystem that isn’t found in many other places around the country is goat prairie, also known as hill prairie. These occur on the southern side of the steep hills and bluffs. With little to no trees, these slopes have a thin soil layer with the bedrock very close to the surface, and with outcroppings of rock that reptiles like to hide in for shelter and hunting. The thin layer of topsoil makes these hillsides a great place for native grasses to grow along with small shrubs and prairie flowers.
With all the steep hills and bluffs we can’t forget about the rivers. There are many rivers that flow through the region, but the most well known would have to be the Mississippi River. Other rivers would include the Kickapoo River, Root River, Bad Axe River, and the Wisconsin River. The rivers are a great place for fishing, swimming, boating, and just hiking alongside. On the Mississippi, there are wildlife refuges that are places for native wildlife, plants, and fish. Migratory birds like the Tundra Swans also use these refuges as a place to eat and rest before they continue on their migration.
Recently, there have been two documentaries made that highlight the area: Mysteries of the Driftless and Decoding the Driftless. These two documentaries highlight things about the region that I had never known. It opened my eyes to the area that we live in and made me investigate more about what happens right here in my own backyard.
Hannah Schneekcloth is a student at Mabel-Canton High School. She is one of eight area students participating in the Journal Writing Project, now in its 20th year.
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