Dr. Mark Edlund, shown above, discussed his findings of the sediments of Poplar Lake and Deer Yard Lake at a recent gathering held at the Schaap Community Center. The Cook County Coalition of Lake Associations sponsored Dr. Edlund’s talk. Photo courtesy of Irene Mullen
Dr. Mark Edlund, senior scientist from The Environmental Research Center of the Science Museum of Minnesota, shared his research at the Schaap Community Center July 22. Edlund presented his work in paleolimnology, the study of lake sediments to reconstruct environmental history of a lake.
Through the process of taking sediment core samples from lakes, Edlund is able to go back tens to thousands of years and determine how much and when did our lakes change. The core samples are a critical tool for guiding management, restoration and decision making for a lake, which has demonstrated a change in water quality.
Recently, Edlund has studied Deer Yard and Poplar Lakes and noted the following are affecting our lakes: development, eutrophication, land use, recreation, exotic AIS, climate and weather.
Attendees received a copy of Shoreland Stewardship Resource Guide, A tool for shoreland property owners to protect our natural resources, 2019, published by Cook County Soil and Water Conservation District. Additional copies of this resource are available through lake associations, Cook County SWCD and online, cookswcd.org.
Cook County Coalition of Lake Associations sponsored Dr. Edlund’s presentation, “Paleolimnology in the North Country.”
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