Wildlife habitat has been greatly enhanced, in the wetland itself, and through the prairie and woodland restorations surrounding the pond as bio-filter strips. Professors Gene Bakko, Kathy Shea, and Charles Umbanhower, Jr., have been leading this effort, and many student researchers and field workers have gained valuable experience under their guidance. As many as 14 varieties of waterfowl have been observed on this body of water in one day. Students are actively working on many projects, their own and their professor's, on the wetland and surrounding land restoration projects. Bluebird research, studies of prairie plants and animals, woodland restorations, and others are going constantly, and these projects provide on campus laboratories.
Water is one of man's most important substances.
Physically, it supports all life. Water is powerful symbollicly in our religious life. Proximity to water can also have profound physical and emotional effects. Being able to sit quietly by a pond, listening to the bird and insect life as the sun drops below the woods to west of the pond, and still being able to turn to look up at our campus on the hill can help us to keep our personal, academic, or business lives in perspective. Most of us would agree that the opportunity to stroll along a quiet pond or stream refreshes us in a way that few other experiences can, and we are grateful for the opportunity to experience this at St. Olaf.