Geology & Natural History of Door County & the Niagara Escarpment (Ellison Bay, WI)

The class begins in the “today,” and over the course of the week, will explore what it was like in Door County through geologic time. You will learn basic geologic concepts, delve into the layers of time and discover the rich layers of Door County’s ancient geology and ecosystems. You will walk through glacial deposits and discover what it was like when mammoths and glaciers were a common sight.

Were there dinosaurs in Door County? You’ll find out. But under the veneer of glacial deposits is an incredible story in the dolomite bedrock: ancient coral reefs, amazing fossils and the story of the Silurian ecology in a warm ocean that formed the rocks we now live upon. The class will put together the ecosystem and its components using what is found on field trips. You’ll look at caves and karst (sinkholes and such) that have formed in the dolomite. Through this understanding, you’ll discover how our lakes and rivers are doing, as well as the modern ecosystems.

Finally, the class will step 100 years into the future, to take a peek at what it might look like as we use the land and resources, and as we balance our understanding of sustainable communities.

This is a fun week of discovery, and there will be many great chats in some of Door County’s most beautiful places. The class will also look at Roger’s new feature-length movie on the subject, complete with fun animations and scenes from around the world. Bring comfortable walking shoes, a raincoat, a notebook, a hand lens and, most importantly, a sense of wonder.

https://theclearing.org/wp/classes/summer/class-description/?id=57