The Lakeland Audubon Society will meet Tuesday, Oct. 24 for a meeting about the history and ecology of Horicon Marsh.
Formed by the glaciers of the last Ice Age, Horicon Marsh was a hunting ground for Native Americans for more than 10,000 years. However, in the past 150 years, this marsh has been dammed and flooded to create a vast lake, over-hunted by market hunters-, and then ditched and drained to convert to agricultural purposes.
Today, Horicon Marsh is a restored wetland that hosts more than 300 species of birds and attracts thousands of people interested in wildlife. The marsh has been recognized as a “globally important bird area” and a “wetland of international importance.”
The program is an overview of the geology, history, wildlife and ecological concerns for maintaining the health and integrity of this vast wetland. Bill Volkert, who worked as naturalist at Horicon Marsh for 27 years, will present the program at 7 p.m. at the Lions Field House in Williams Bay.
The program is free and open to the public. Refreshments will be served before and after the meeting.
