Goodrich Buttonbush Swamp EarthCache
Goodrich Buttonbush Swamp
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The cache is located in a Washtenaw County, Michigan, preserve. As you enter the preserve take the time to read the information board near the parking lot. Please stay on the developed trail system and note the areas of higher ground (kames) and small wetlands (kettles). This is an example of "Kame and Kettle Topography".
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Kames are usually small hills that can vary considerably in height from a few meters to tens of meters. (a meter is approximately 3 feet). These were formed when a stream at the top of a glacier intersected a crevasse (crack) filling it with sediment (sand, gravel, stones). As the glacier retreated the sediment collapsed and formed a hill. Kames are often mined for their sand and gravel deposits. Several active or former gravel mines are within two miles of this preserve
Kettles are small ponds or lakes that were formed during the retreat of the glacier. Large chunks of ice were left and the weight of the ice depressed the ground surface. The melting ice then produced closed depressions filled with water. These are then maintained by rain and meltwater.
Your hike, on a maintained trail, will take you to an area of the preserve known as the Buttonbush Swamp. Buttonbush (CEPHALANTHUS OCCIDENTALIS) is native to the United States and occurs roughly in the eastern 1/3 of the U.S. as well as small areas of the Southwest, primarily in Arizona and California. This shrub likes to have wet feet and requires an area with a good supply of water.
This swamp (kettle) was formed by the receding Wisconsin Glacial Episode. During the glacier's retreat it formed Lake Maumee, the predecessor of today's Lake Erie as well as kames and kettles. Part of Lake Maumee's beach is only a few miles south of this location. The glacier also left behind debris and some of that includes the number of large and small stones that can be seen near the trail.
It is important to note that without the kettle formed by the glacier the wetland and buttonbush which provide food and cover for several birds and animals including deer, ducks, and hummingbirds, would likely not exist. To complete this cache please e-mail me the following information.
(1) When looking southwest to northwest from the posted coordinates please provide a brief description of what you see. Is the area wet or dry and do you think the season has an impact on the swamps appearance. Also measure the altitude at this location.
(2) Now hike to N 42 19.360, W 083 39.908, which is very near the top of this kame. Note the large stone, which is an example of glacial activity. This stone is a glacier erratic (a stone from some other area of the North American Continent) and likely was transported to this location by the glacier. Describe the stone and estimate its above ground height, width and length. Measure the altitude at this location. Using the data from (1) above estimate the height of this kame above the swamp's surface.
(3) During your hike out to the parking lot stop at N 42 19.355, W 083 39.820 and count the stones that are visible within about 40' of the location. These stones are additional examples of glacial activity.
(4) If you have your camera please post a photo of yourself or your team at some location along the trail. This is an optional requirement and is not needed to complete this cache.
Additional Hints
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