A wetland is like a wine, he said, as we looked over the blooms to the watery world beyond. See, a wine can range from dry to sweet, and a wetland can range from dry to wet. So, as we rode our bikes from wetland location to wetland location, we learned about a particular wetland and imagined which wine might make a nice pairing. It was a clever outing, to say the least.
To start on the dry end, we explored a shrub wetland. It was so dry, it seemed like a stretch to even call it a wetland. But, there are plant characteristics reminiscent of a wetland, so, wetland it is. We moved next to a sedge wetland, or a wet meadow. We visibly saw the ridges and bumps made by the sedge, and felt the difference between a grass and a sedge. The sedge stem is triangular, while the grass stem is rounded. Side by side, it is an incredible difference, and a wonderfully interactive way to engage with the natural world. Finally, we rode to the wettest of our stops, this marsh lined with cattails. In fact, it is a spot in Madison, Wisconsin which shows the transition of a wetland from dry to wet in the matter of feet. Moving from right to left, you see trees, transitioning to shrubs, then sedges, and then the cattails begin near the water’s edge. This pond is likely teeming with life, although I’d like to go back and dip my net in its waters to make sure.
Dane County, Wisconsin, June 2018
Kelly Green Guilbeau 