Two Creeks Buried Forest State Natural Area facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Two Creeks Buried Forest State Natural Area |
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Shoreline at Two Creeks Buried Forest State Natural Area, May 2012
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 Two Creeks Buried Forest State Natural Area
Location in Wisconsin
Two Creeks Buried Forest State Natural Area
Location in the United States
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| Location | Manitowoc, Wisconsin, United States |
| Area | 25 acres (10 ha) |
| Elevation | 614 ft (187 m) |
| Established | 1967 |
| Governing body | Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources |
The Two Creeks Buried Forest State Natural Area is a special place in Wisconsin, USA. It is part of the Wisconsin State Natural Areas Program. It is also a unit of the Ice Age National Scientific Reserve. This area is located in Manitowoc County. It sits right on the shore of Lake Michigan.
What makes this site so unique? You can see layers of ancient forest materials. These include logs, branches, and pine needles. They are stuck between two layers of glacial till. Glacial till is rock and dirt left behind by glaciers. Scientists have used radiocarbon dating to find out how old this buried forest is. It is about 11,850 years old. This site is very important for understanding Earth's history. It helps us learn about when glaciers moved forward and backward.
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Discovering the Buried Forest
The Two Creeks Buried Forest helps scientists study geochronology. This is the science of dating Earth's history. The layers of rock and forest show us a clear timeline. They reveal how glaciers changed the land long ago.
How Glaciers Shaped the Land
The lowest layer of glacial till was left by the Cary substage. This was a part of the Wisconsin glaciation. After this glacier moved away, the climate got warmer. A forest of spruce, pine, and hemlock trees grew here. Scientists counted the growth rings in the logs. They found that these trees were about 60 years old.
The Forest's Burial
Then, the climate got cold again. The Valders substage of the glacier began to grow. A large part of the glacier blocked the water flow from Lake Michigan. This caused the lake's water level to rise. The rising water flooded the forest. It carried in sediment like sand and mud. This sediment buried the forest floor.
After the forest was buried, the glacier kept moving. It flowed right over the buried forest. This flattened the trees. Finally, the glacier left another layer of glacial till on top. This created the sandwich-like layers we see today.
Visiting Two Creeks Buried Forest
The Two Creeks Buried Forest State Natural Area is open for visitors. There is a historical marker at the site. This marker tells you more about the area's past.
The site does not have any marked trails or special displays. However, you can park your car in the northwest corner. From there, you are free to walk around the grounds. Remember, it is against the rules to collect any materials from the site. This helps protect the natural area for everyone.
- Black, Robert F. Geology of the Ice Age National Scientific Reserve of Wisconsin. National Park Service Scientific Monograph, 1974. [1]
- Meyer, Thomas, ed. Wisconsin, Naturally: A Guide to 150 Great State Natural Areas. Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, 2003.
