CORP Author |
Minnesota Univ., St. Paul. Sea Grant Program.; Wisconsin Univ.-Extension, Madison.; National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Rockville, MD. Office of Sea Grant.; Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC. |
Abstract |
Submerged under saltwater-layered with lava-scoured by mile-high glaciers-the history of the landscape of the Lake Superior region is as varied and colorful as the progression of seasons across its current cloak of temperate forest. Lake Superior, born of ancient Glacial Lake Duluth whose old shoreline can be found high on the ridges of the North Shore, has changed over time, also: species have waxed and waned; peoples have come and gone; water levels have risen and fallen. Whether by natural or human forces, a common theme for the Lake Superior watershed is change. There are many things we still do not fully comprehend, but humans are at a point in this dynamic history where we have an unprecedented understanding of the natural environment, and an ability to predict the consequences of the alterations we make to it. Knowledge coupled with foresight gives us the means to create and evaluate options for protecting our resources as our communities grow and the environment changes. Changes to this region and its human population are inevitable. This book will give the reader a better understanding of how these changes may affect communities and Lake Superior and provide ideas and tools to help plan for these changes. |