There is trouble in Lenawee County!  The wetlands that are found throughout the region are shrinking!  As these areas decrease, it affects the foodchains and the abundant source of living organisims the wetlands support.  Woody the Wolverine needs assistance in determining the cause of the destruction to this ecosystem in Lenawee County.  Your task is to help Woody investigate the problem with your research on the internet.  You will help him make decisions about the problems and assist him in choosing the best solution to save the wetlands!

Find out more about Woody at these sites! http://www.yahooligans.com/content/animals/species/4029.html

http://www.wolverinefoundation.org/

http://www.yahooligans.com/content/ask_earl/20010323.html
 

In your journal:
 

• Draw a picture of a wolverine.
• List what is in their diet.
• Describe their habitat.
• Find another fact about wolverines.

Go to this site and find out all the details about a wetland. Do the crossword puzzle at the end of the activity!

Woody the Wolverine travels each day to his favorite pond in Lenawee County for food and water.  Woody is worried because this wetland is shrinking!  It has been increasingly difficult for Woody to find his food because there is not enough water for all the animals that have always come to the pond. Many of the large and small animals that depend upon the wetland for food and shelter have been leaving.   (In your journal describe the problem and write Woody's question)
 What could be causing this rich source of food and water to disappear? (In your journal write your prediction!)

Woody has noticed a large section of the wetlands are covered with a beautiful, tall,
flowering plant called Purple Loosestrife.

  Could this plant be part of the problem?  Woody wonders about the habitats the humans are building close to the wetland areas.  Could this development be part of the problem?

Woody needs your help!  Check out the web sites about Purple Loosestrife and Human Interaction. Take notes in your journal and choose which one you think is responsible for the shrinking wetlands.
 

http://www.great-lakes.net/envt/flora-fauna/invasive/loosestf.html

http://www.lakeheadca.com/lsstrife.htm

http://www.conservation.state.mo.us/nathis/plantpage/flora/purple/
 

http://www.nypirg.org/enviro/water/sprawl.html
http://www.vbco.org/planningeduc0061.asp
http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/gwsubside.htm