Growing up in starke county Indiana always in wonder of why there were such Grand ditches in the county.The library in Stark county's seat Town of Knox Indiana has newspaper articles that were edited before and after the draining of the marsh. Some of these newspaper articles are rare interviews with what was referred to as River rats .They told the stories of life in the marsh prior and at the time of the turn of the century. The very region I grew up in was ironically home to the homing pigeons and the draining or depletion of the marsh caused their Extinction along with several other species of wildlife. Would definitely like to think it was just a mistake made by the Indiana Government of the time. Now with light being shed on the subject of how important the marsh was as far as the giant ecosystem that it was in reality. There's hope in the form of Purdue University teaming up with the EPA and Sierra club shedding light on how important this vast ecosystem once was to the environment.. Ironically Purdue University is located at what would have been the upper shorelines of the marsh.Saying it once was the biggest freshwater Marsh in the country at one time using the term the Everglades of the North. It's just so wonderful hearing and seeing younger people addressing this issue. Just hoping more come to see the vital importance of the regeneration of the marsh. Last I knew of Purdue University was definitely gaining some headway on the issue.. Getting local people to join in on something that could upset their way of life is very difficult. Like big land owners that have tilled the soil of the marsh bed would be highly opposed to their way of life being disturbed . I have seen where a few land owners have donated small tracks of land to the regeneration project that is underway. Who would have ever guessed at what was referred to as useless swamp land could be such a vital player in the overall environment as the Grand Marsh was such a vast ecosystem...Great to see a Stuart of the land. The path will be difficult as well as device but definitely worth the effort in the end..Keep fighting the good fight..👍✌️
Growing up in starke county Indiana always in wonder of why there were such Grand ditches in the county.The library in Stark county's seat Town of Knox Indiana has newspaper articles that were edited before and after the draining of the marsh. Some of these newspaper articles are rare interviews with what was referred to as River rats .They told the stories of life in the marsh prior and at the time of the turn of the century. The very region I grew up in was ironically home to the homing pigeons and the draining or depletion of the marsh caused their Extinction along with several other species of wildlife.
Would definitely like to think it was just a mistake made by the Indiana Government of the time.
Now with light being shed on the subject of how important the marsh was as far as the giant ecosystem that it was in reality.
There's hope in the form of Purdue University teaming up with the EPA and Sierra club shedding light on how important this vast ecosystem once was to the environment..
Ironically Purdue University is located at what would have been the upper shorelines of the marsh.Saying it once was the biggest freshwater Marsh in the country at one time using the term the Everglades of the North.
It's just so wonderful hearing and seeing younger people addressing this issue. Just hoping more come to see the vital importance of the regeneration of the marsh. Last I knew of Purdue University was definitely gaining some headway on the issue.. Getting local people to join in on something that could upset their way of life is very difficult.
Like big land owners that have tilled the soil of the marsh bed would be highly opposed to their way of life being disturbed .
I have seen where a few land owners have donated small tracks of land to the regeneration project that is underway.
Who would have ever guessed at what was referred to as useless swamp land could be such a vital player in the overall environment as the Grand Marsh was such a vast ecosystem...Great to see a Stuart of the land. The path will be difficult as well as device but definitely worth the effort in the end..Keep fighting the good fight..👍✌️