Wonders of Mackinac: A Natural History of Mackinac Island

Wonders of Mackinac: A Natural History of Mackinac IslandThe natural wonders of Mackinac Island have drawn people to its rocky shores for thousands of years. The island first emerged after the last ice age, about 11,000 years ago. Over millennia, postglacial lakes gradually eroded the islands durable limestone breccia, sculpting fantastic geological formations. At the same time, plants and animals established ecosystems across the landscape and in the freshwater depths of the Straits of Mackinac. This

The natural wonders of Mackinac Island have drawn people to its rocky shores for thousands of years. The island first emerged after the last ice age, about 11,000 years ago. Over millennia, postglacial lakes gradually eroded the island’s durable limestone breccia, sculpting fantastic geological formations. At the same time, plants and animals established ecosystems across the landscape and in the freshwater depths of the Straits of Mackinac.

This volume presents the story of the “Wonderful Isle” from a nature-based perspective. Sections examine how people discovered, defined, and interacted with various aspects of Mackinac’s natural world through time. Intersecting tales of scientific discovery, utilitarian consumption, poetic inspiration, and habitat conservation from a narrative which endures in the 21st century. Each section concludes with sampling of notable wonders to look for, including geological formations, natural springs, wildflowers, trees, mammals, and birds.

Author: Kyle W. Bagnall