(JONAS)
YOU KNOW WHEN YOU GET
TO A NEW PLACE AND RIGHT
AWAY YOU FEEL THAT
THERE'S SOMETHING
SPECIAL ABOUT IT BUT YOU
CAN'T QUITE PUT YOUR
FINGER ON WHAT IT IS?
THAT'S EXACTLY HOW I
FELT THE FIRST TIME I
VISITED THE DRIFTLESS
REGION.
(? )
(KAITLYN)
THIS LAND IS ANCIENT
(? )
(OFF CAMERA)
HOLDING ONTO THE
YELLOW.
ALRIGHT,
THERE'S THE CAMERA.
AND HERE'S YOUR SAFETY.
(JONAS)
THIS IS ME.
MY NAME IS JONAS
STENSTROM AND I'M FROM
SWEDEN BUT RIGHT NOW I'M
HANGING ON THE EDGE OF A
CLIFF BY THE MISSISSIPPI
RIVER IN SOUTHERN
MINNESOTA.
WHY?
WELL,
WE'LL GET TO THAT IN A
LITTLE BIT.
THIS HERE IS MY BEST
FRIEND AND BUSINESS
PARTNER,
ROB NELSON.
(ROB)
WE GOTTA FIGURE OUT
WHICH WAY DEEPER WATER
IS.
(JONAS)
WE'RE BOTH BIOLOGISTS
AND FILMMAKERS.
TOGETHER WE TRAVEL ALL
OVER TO FIND AND
DOCUMENT INTERESTING
WILDLIFE STORIES.
IT STARTED AS A PASSION
TO DOCUMENT NATURE AND
NOW WE FEEL IT'S OUR
MISSION TO SHOW OUR
CHILDREN THAT
INTERESTING NATURE
STORIES CAN BE FOUND
EVEN IN PLACES YOU DON'T
EXPECT IT.
WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW
IS ONE OF THOSE.
WE ARE IN THE DRIFTLESS
REGION AN AREA LOCATED
BY THE UPPER MISSISSIPPI
RIVER FROM SOUTHERN
MINNESOTA AND WISCONSIN
TO NORTHERN IOWA,
AND A SMALL SECTION OF
NORTHWESTERN ILLINOIS.
THE REASON THIS REGION
IS SPECIAL IS IN ITS
NAME: DRIFTLESS,
DRIFT,
OR MORE SPECIFICALLY,
GLACIAL DRIFT,
IS A GEOLOGICAL TERM FOR
MATERIAL TRANSPORTED AND
LEFT BEHIND BY GLACIERS.
AT DIFFERENT TIMES IN
HISTORY,
MUCH OF THE LAND HAS
BEEN COVERED BY GLACIAL
ICE.
TIMES WE OFTEN REFER TO
AS GLACIAL PERIODS OR
MORE COMMONLY THE ICE
AGES.
DURING THE LAST GLACIAL
PERIOD,
WHICH IS BELIEVED TO
HAVE ENDED ABOUT 11,000
YEARS AGO,
THE MILE THICK PACK OF
ICE MOVED SOUTH FROM
CANADA AND COVERED MUCH
OF THE NORTHERN PART OF
THE U.S.
IT'S DESTRUCTIVE FORCE
CRUSHED EVERYTHING IN
ITS WAY AND WHEN THE ICE
EVENTUALLY DISAPPEARED,
THE LAND UNDERNEATH WAS
FOREVER CHANGED.
LITERALLY LEVELED TO THE
GROUND EXCEPT HERE.
OF ALL THE KNOWN GLACIAL
PERIODS,
THE AREA WE TODAY CALLED
THE DRIFTLESS REGION
NEVER GOT COVERED BY THE
ICE.
SOMEHOW THIS REGION GOT
SPARED AND WHAT WAS LEFT
BEHIND WAS AN
ENVIRONMENT FILLED WITH
INTERESTING STORIES.
WITH GREAT ENVIRONMENTAL
AND CULTURAL IMPORTANCE.
BUT WHY DID ALL THESE
GLACIAL ADVANCES MISS
THE DRIFTLESS REGION?
THIS IS UNIQUE ON EARTH.
WE'RE HERE TO FIND SOME
ANSWERS.
ROB IS REALLY THE ONE
WHO TOLD ME HOW TO COME
AND SEE THIS.
HE WAS HERE FILMING A
FEW YEARS AGO AND THE
MORE THE TEAM STARTED
DIGGING INTO IT THE MORE
THEY REALIZED THAT THIS
WAS A TRULY UNIQUE PART
OF THE WORLD AND THAT
MOST PEOPLE HAD NO IDEA
ABOUT IT.
THE TEAM LEFT WITH TOO
MANY UNANSWERED
QUESTIONS,
STORIES THAT SEEMED TOO
INTERESTING TO STAY
UNDOCUMENTED.
ROB CALLED ME UP AND
SAID,
“HEY JONAS,
GET THE CAMERA'S READY.
WE HAVE SOME PLACES TO
VISIT.” SO HERE WE ARE
BUT NONE OF THIS WOULD
HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE
WITHOUT OUR TWO LOCAL
GUIDES,
GEORGE HOWE AND TIM
JACOBSON.
AS A BIOLOGIST BORN AND
RAISED IN THE DRIFTLESS,
GEORGE IS LIKE A WALKING
BOOK OF STORIES ABOUT
THE REGION.
(GEORGE)
COUNTLESS FRAGMENTS OF
MARINE ORGANISM LIFE
CYCLE OF FRESHWATER
MUSSELS.
AND TIM,
EQUALLY AS FILLED WITH
KNOWLEDGE ABOUT THE INS
AND OUTS OF THE
DRIFTLESS AND ALWAYS
ARMED WITH THE CAMERA
AND READY IF THERE'S
SOMETHING TO DOCUMENT.
THEIR PASSION FOR THE
DRIFTLESS IS REALLY THE
REASON THIS STORY
STARTED IN THE FIRST
PLACE.
RIGHT NOW WE'RE ITCHING
TO START LOOKING FOR
SOME OF THE ANSWERS TO
THE MANY QUESTIONS WE
HAVE AND WHAT BETTER
PLACE TO START THAN FROM
THE SKY?
LUCKY FOR US,
TIM IS ALSO A PILOT.
(? )
IT'S PRETTY AMAZING TO
SEE THE MISSISSIPPI
RIVER FROM THIS
PERSPECTIVE.
THE HUGE AMOUNT OF WATER
MOVING DOWNSTREAM AND
CONSTANTLY RESHAPING THE
RIVER VALLEY IN ITS WAY.
THE WATER PUSHING
SEDIMENT AROUND,
CUTTING THROUGH LARGE
FLOODPLAIN FORESTS,
AND CREATING A NETWORK
OF LITTLE ISLANDS AND
WINDING CANALS
EVERYWHERE IN BETWEEN.
ONE EXCEPTION IS LAKE
PEPIN,
THE LARGEST LAKE IN THE
WIDEST NATURAL SECTION
OF THE ENTIRE
MISSISSIPPI RIVER.
ANOTHER INTERESTING
OBSERVATION WE MADE,
WERE SMALL DOTS ON THE
LANDSCAPE,
SINKHOLES,
THAT SEEM TO PEPPER THE
FIELDS.
BUT THE MOST STRIKING
FEATURES OF THE AREA ARE
WITHOUT A DOUBT THE
STEEP BLUFFS LINING THE
MIGHTY MISSISSIPPI
RIVER.
FROM THE GROUND THEY
LOOK LIKE IMPRESSIVE
HILLS,
WITH SECTIONS OF
VERTICAL EXPOSED ROCK
THAT IS LAYERED IN BANDS
WITH DIFFERENT COLORS,
BUT FROM THE AIR THERE'S
ALSO SOMETHING ELSE
ABOUT THE BLUFFS THAT
STANDS OUT.
ALL THE BLUFFS LINING
THE RIVER AS WELL AS
FURTHER INLAND ARE THE
EXACT SAME HEIGHT.
LIKE THE PEAKS HAVE ALL
BEEN SHAVED DOWN TO THE
SAME LEVEL BUT INSTEAD
OF JUST A FLAT PLATEAU,
THE LAND IS DISSECTED BY
VALLEYS BETWEEN THE
BLUFFS CREATING THE
STRIKING TOPOGRAPHY THAT
IS CHARACTERIZING THE
DRIFTLESS.
AND ALL THE STREAMS AND
RIVERS SEEM TO ALSO
EVENTUALLY LINK UP WITH
THE MISSISSIPPI.
WHAT WE ARE SEEING ARE
THE RESULTS OF THE
UNIQUE GEOMORPHOLOGY
THAT HAS SHAPED THE
DRIFTLESS REGION.
“HOW?” IS THE DIFFERENT
QUESTION.
BUT EVERYTHING IS
LINKED.
THE STREAMS,
THE BLUFFS,
THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER.
AND TO UNDERSTAND THIS,
WE MUST FIRST LOOK AT
HOW THIS LAND WAS FORMED
IN THE FIRST PLACE AND
THE CLUES ARE IN THE
BLUFFS.
(COLLIN)
SO ONE OF THE THINGS I
TALK ABOUT- YOU KNOW-
WITH MY STUDENTS IS
“WHAT DID THIS LANDSCAPE
LOOK LIKE AT THESE
VARIOUS POINTS IN TIME?”
AND ONE OF THE THINGS I
THINK IS REALLY NEAT
ABOUT STUDYING ROCKS FOR
INSTANCES.
THAT'S HOW WE KNOW,
RIGHT?
THAT'S WHERE THAT
INFORMATION COMES UP
FROM ABOUT THE NATURAL
HISTORY OF THE WORLD
THAT WE LIVE IN.
(JONAS)
COLLIN EXPLAINS THAT
THE BLUFFS ARE MADE UP
OF SEDIMENTARY ROCK THAT
DATES BACK TO A TIME
WHEN ALL OF THIS,
AND IN FACT,
THE WHOLE PLANET,
LOOKED A LOT DIFFERENT.
(COLLIN)
WHEN WE LOOK AT THE
ROCKS THAT MAKE UP THE
BLUFFS,
THOSE ROCKS HAVE CLUES
WITHIN THEM THAT TELL US
THAT THIS WOULD HAVE
BEEN A TROPICAL SEA THAT
WE'VE HAD HERE 500 TO
450 MILLION YEARS AGO.
ALRIGHT?
WHICH IS CRAZY TO THINK
ABOUT WHEN YOU LOOK AT
THIS LANDSCAPE THAT WE
SEE TODAY AND WE'RE IN
THE MID LATITUDES IN THE
NORTHERN HEMISPHERE.
(JONAS)
LET'S STOP HERE FOR A
MINUTE AND TAKE THIS IN.
WE ARE NOW ABOUT A
THOUSAND MILES FROM THE
ATLANTIC COAST TO THE
EAST AND MORE THAN 1,700
MILES FROM THE PACIFIC
COAST TO THE WEST AND
ALL OF THIS WAS ONCE
PART OF A SUBTROPICAL
OCEAN.
(COLLIN)
NORTH AMERICA WOULDA
BEEN TILTED ABOUT 90
DEGREES ON ITS SIDE AND
AND WE WOULD HAVE BEEN
LOCATED AT ABOUT 20 OR
SO DEGREES SOUTH
LATITUDE IN THE SOUTHERN
HEMISPHERE,
RIGHT?
AND SO OVER TIME,
NORTH AMERICA SPUN AND
WORKED ITS WAY UP TO ITS
MODERN-DAY LOCATION.
(JONAS)
AND NEW SEDIMENT LAYERS
WERE CONTINUOUSLY BEING
DEPOSITED ON THE BOTTOM,
SEALING IN ANOTHER
CHAPTER IN GEOLOGICAL
HISTORY.
THE RESULTING SEDIMENT
LAYER CAKE WE SEE IN
PLACES LIKE HERE IN THE
DRIFTLESS IS LIKE A
GEOLOGICAL CALENDAR,
LOCKING IN MANY OF THE
MARINE CREATURES THAT
WERE PRESENT IN THESE
WATERS AT DIFFERENT
TIMES.
(JORDAN)
JORDAN KJOME,
FROM DECORAH,
IOWA.
AND THIS IS MY FATHER,
JOHN KJOME.
(JOHN)
WE MET WHEN HE WAS
BORN.
WELL I GREW UP PICKING
ARROWHEADS WHICH BECAME
FOSSIL-PICKING WHEN WE
STARTED CANOEING.
AND SO I TALKED TO
JORDAN ABOUT FOSSIL
PICKING AND IT DIDN'T
TAKE MUCH TO GET HIM
HOOKED.
(JORDAN)
TRUE STORY.
THE FLAT SPIRALS LIKE
THESE ARE CALLED
MACLURITES.
THE ONES WITH THIS
SPIRAL ARE GASTROPODS.
HAVING STARTED AT A
YOUNG AGE I THINK IT'S
JUST A PART OF WHO I AM.
I FEEL LIKE THAT'S MY
MAIN PASSION IS BEING
OUT THERE IN NATURE AND
EXPLORING AND BEING IN
CAVES AND LOOKING FOR
FOSSILS AND ARROWHEADS
AND I THINK AS I STARTED
AT A YOUNG AGE,
YOU HOOKED ME.
(ROB)
THIS IS AMAZING.
LIKE LOOK AT THIS
PARTICULAR ROCK.
I MEAN I GUESS THESE ARE
BIVALVES,
LITTLE SEASHELL TYPE
THINGS AND THE COOL
THING IS THIS WAS 400
MILLION YEARS AGO AND
YOU CAN STILL FIND
THINGS THAT LOOK JUST
LIKE THIS TODAY.
THE OTHER COOL THING IS
THAT WE ARE NOWHERE NEAR
THE OCEAN AND THESE ARE
OCEAN ANIMALS AND THAT'S
PRETTY AMAZING.
HOLY MOLY.
(JONAS)
ASIDE FROM A CHANCE TO
FIND FOSSILS,
THERE ARE OTHER THINGS
THAT INTRIGUE US ABOUT
THIS SEDIMENTARY ROCK
LAYER CAKE.
WHEN DIFFERENT LAYERS OF
ROCK ARE STACKED ON TOP
OF EACH OTHER LIKE THIS,
INTERESTING THINGS CAN
START TO HAPPEN ON THE
GROUND AS WE NOTICED ON
OUR INITIAL FLIGHT OVER
THE AREA.
FOSSILS ARE FOUND IN A
LIMESTONE ROCK,
A ROCK TYPE THAT MAY
SLOWLY START TO DISSOLVE
AWAY AS WATER PASSES
THROUGH IT OVER TIME.
(DYLAN)
AS WATER FILTERS
THROUGH THIS IT'LL
ACTUALLY DISSOLVE PART
OF THE ROCK AND OVER
TIME THOSE CRACKS START
TO GET BIGGER AND BIGGER
BECAUSE WE'RE DISSOLVING
MORE AND MORE OF THAT
ROCK AND SO WHAT HAPPENS
IS WE CREATE THESE
CAVERNS WITHIN THE ROCK.
(ROB)
THAT IS A SINKHOLE
RIGHT THERE.
THAT'S A SINKHOLE.
ALL THOSE,
THOSE ARE SINKHOLES.
ANY TIME YOU SEE LITTLE
PATCHES OF TREES,
THAT'S PRETTY MUCH A
SINKHOLE.
LIKE THIS RIGHT HERE,
RIGHT NEXT TO THE ROAD.
THAT'S A SINKHOLE.
RIGHT NEXT TO THE
CEMETERY WOW THIS WHOLE
LANDSCAPE IS JUST DOTTED
WITH THESE LITTLE
PATCHES OF TREES AND
WHEN YOU GET UP TO THE
LITTLE PATCHES OF TREES
YOU REALIZE THAT IT GOES
STRAIGHT DOWN.
(DYLAN)
A SINKHOLE WOULD BE
SORT OF A BIG ROOM OR A
BIG CAVERN THAT WOULD
FORM AND AS IT DISSOLVES
- AS THAT ROCK
DISSOLVES- AND WE START
TO GET THINNER AND
THINNER.
THE LAYER UP ABOVE IT-
THAT LAYER,
THAT TOP LAYER- CAN THEN
COLLAPSE.
RIGHT AND SO THEN WE
HAVE THE SURFACE LAYER
COLLAPSE INTO THE SUB
LAYER CREATING ONE OF
THESE SINKHOLES.
(ROB)
I'M RIGHT OVER THE TOP
OF THIS SINKHOLE.
LOOK HOW DEEP IT IS.
YEAH THAT'S THE TOP.
THAT'S THE TOP OF THE
TREES IN THAT HOLE.
WHO WOULD HAVE THOUGHT
THAT THERE IS A SINKHOLE
CAPITAL AND WE'RE IN IT
RIGHT NOW.
FOUNTAIN,
MINNESOTA: SINKHOLE
CAPITAL OF THE USA.
WHY ARE THE SINKHOLES
HERE AND NOT OTHER
PLACES?
(TIM)
WELL THEY'RE MUCH MORE
PROMINENT IN THIS
FOUNTAIN AREA HERE
BECAUSE THAT LIMESTONE
THAT SLOWLY DISSOLVES IS
VERY CLOSE TO THE
SURFACE AND IT'S NOT
PROTECTED BY MUCH SOIL.
SO IT'S VERY EASY FOR
THE RAIN WATER,
SURFACE WATER WHICH IS
WEAKLY ACIDIC TO COME IN
CONTACT WITH THE
LIMESTONE AND START TO
DISSOLVE IT.
THERE ARE ALSO PARTS OF
THE DRIFTLESS WHERE YOU
DON'T FIND MANY
SINKHOLES BECAUSE
THERE'S ANOTHER LAYER OF
ROCK OVER THE TOP OF THE
LIMESTONE AND THAT
SOMETIMES CAPS THE
SURFACE.
(JONAS)
WE SOMETIMES HAVE A
TENDENCY TO FORGET THAT
THERE COULD BE A LOT OF
THINGS GOING ON UNDER
OUR FEET WITHOUT OUR
KNOWLEDGE.
THIS REGION IS PROOF OF
THAT.
WHO KNOWS HOW MANY OF
THESE SINKHOLES THAT ARE
CONNECTED UNDERGROUND
AND HOW MANY MORE THAT
ARE GOING TO OPEN UP IN
THE FUTURE.
(ROB)
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
12 13 14- THEY'RE JUST
LIKE ALL OVER THE PLACE.
(JONAS)
WE PROBABLY WOULDN'T
EVEN HAVE KNOWN THAT
THERE WERE GIANT
UNDERGROUND CAVITIES
LIKE THIS IF THE
DISSOLVED LIMESTONE HAD
NOT BEEN SO CLOSE TO THE
SURFACE AS IT IS HERE IN
FOUNTAIN.
BUT SINKHOLES EXIST IN
OTHER PARTS OF THE
DRIFTLESS AS WELL.
WE HAVE BEEN TOLD ABOUT
A SPECIAL ONE HIDDEN
AWAY IN THE FOREST.
(ROB)
THE ENTIRE THING IS
FULL OF VICIOUS PLANTS
NETTLE,
NETTLE.
(JONAS)
WE'RE ACTUALLY GOING TO
THE TOP OF THE BLUFF.
(ROB)
THIS SINKHOLE IS
ACTUALLY ON PRIVATE LAND
SO WE CAN'T REALLY SHOW
WHERE WE ARE BUT I CAN
TELL YOU IT'S UP AT THE
TOP OF THIS HILL.
IT'S VERY STEEP.
WOW,
LOOK AT THIS.
(JONAS)
THIS IS SO DIFFERENT TO
THE OTHER ONES WE'VE
SEEN.
YOU CAN STILL SEE THE
KIND OF ALMOST CUP
SHAPED GROUND.
HOW EVERYTHING IS KIND
OF SUNK IN.
BUT IN CONTRAST TO THE
OTHER ONES THAT WE'VE
SEEN,
THIS IS ACTUALLY GOING
INTO A CAVE THIS TIME
WE'RE BEING GUIDED BY
BUZZ BOCHER,
WHO IS A RETIRED
ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES
INSTRUCTOR AND KNOWS
THIS SINKHOLE CAVE
INSIDE OUT.
(BUZZ)
IF YOU'RE HAVING A
PANIC ATTACK,
YOU NEED TO TELL
SOMEBODY.
(ROB)
SO IT'S TIGHT.
(BUZZ)
OH YEAH.
THERE'S SOME REALLY
REALLY TIGHT SPOTS.
(ROB)
LIKE BY REALLY TIGHT,
YOU MEAN LIKE JOIN YOUR
HANDS-
(BUZZ)
YOU HAVE TO PUT YOUR
HANDS IN FRONT OF YOU
AND WIGGLE THROUGH.
YEAH IF YOU WERE WEARING
A HELMET,
YOU'D HAVE TO TAKE THE
HELMET OFF ‘CAUSE THE
HELMET WOULDN'T FIT.
(JONAS)
AS WE DESCEND INTO THE
CAVE,
WE IMMEDIATELY ENTERED
THE BIG MAIN CHAMBER
THAT LIES JUST A COUPLE
OF FEET BELOW THE
SURFACE.
THIS HOLLOWED-OUT CAVERN
IS ULTIMATELY WHAT
CAUSED THE GROUND TO
COLLAPSE AND EXPOSE THIS
SINKHOLE.
SEEING THE SINKHOLE FROM
THIS SIDE ADDS A WHOLE
NEW PERSPECTIVE AND
UNDERSTANDING TO WHAT WE
SAW EARLIER,
BUT ALREADY AT THE BACK
OF THE MAIN CHAMBER
THINGS STARTED TO GET
TIGHTER.
(ROB)
JUST TRYING TO GET A
FEEL FOR WHERE MY LEGS
ARE AND IF I CAN GET IN.
(JONAS)
IN THE SO-CALLED BIRTH
CANAL,
MARKS THE BEGINNING OF
WHERE THE WATER DRAINS
OUT OF THE LARGE
SINKHOLE CAVERN AND A
COMMON PLACE FOR
CLAUSTROPHOBIA TO KICK
IN.
TIM IS STARTING TO HAVE
BAD FLASHBACKS FROM AN
EARLIER VISIT.
(TIM)
I'M SERIOUS.
NOBODY CRACK JOKES ABOUT
THE TIGHTNESS OF THIS
THING.
I'M SERIOUS.
JUST- I'M CHILL AND I
WANT TO STAY CHILL.
(JONAS)
THIS IS AS FAR AS WE
CAN MAKE IT THIS TIME,
BUT THE TUNNEL SYSTEM
CONTINUES.
WE'RE TOLD THAT OTHER
CAVERS HAVE MADE IT
ALMOST THREE TIMES AS
FAR IN THE PAST.
THIS IMPRESSIVE SINKHOLE
CAVE HAS GIVEN US A
GLIMPSE INTO THE
UNDERGROUND ACTIVITY OF
THE DRIFTLESS BUT IT'S
ONLY THE BEGINNING AS
SINKHOLES ARE NOT THE
ONLY WAY INTO THIS
HIDDEN WORLD.
(? )
IN THE FALL OF
1967,
CAVE EXPLORERS STEVE
BARNETT AND DAVE JANO
ARE ABOUT TO MAKE AN
INCREDIBLE DISCOVERY AND
UNCOVER ONE OF THE
BIGGEST AND MOST
IMPRESSIVE HIDDEN
SECRETS OF THE DRIFTLESS
REGION.
BARNETT HAD SCOUTED THE
LOCATION BEFORE FREE
DIVING THE 47 DEGREE
WATER,
HE FOUND THAT THE SPRING
AT THE BASE OF THE BLUFF
SEEMED TO BE THE OUTFLOW
OF A POTENTIAL CAVE
SYSTEM.
THE TWO HAD BEEN
INVESTIGATING SPRINGS
ALL OVER NORTHEAST IOWA
WITH HOPES OF FINDING
UNDISCOVERED CAVES.
THE VOLUME OF WATER AT
THIS SPRING SHOWED
POTENTIAL OF A
GOOD-SIZED TUNNEL
INSIDE.
AT THIS POINT,
THE TWO HAD NO IDEA THAT
THE CAVE SYSTEM THEY
WERE ABOUT TO ENTER
WITHIN THE NEXT COUPLE
OF YEARS TAKE THEM MILES
UNDERGROUND UNDER THE
IOWA FARMLANDS.
THIS IS WHAT THE LAND
LOOKS LIKE ONLY A COUPLE
OF MILES FROM THE
SPRING.
TOOK A WHILE FOR US TO
FIND THIS BECAUSE THIS
IS RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE
OF KIND OF NOWHERE.
IN THE MIDDLE OF A
FIELD,
JUST LIKE A BUNCH OF
TREES RIGHT HERE,
(ROB)
ALL RIGHT,
SO LET ME JUST FILL YOU
IN ON WHAT WE'RE DOING.
THIS LITTLE STRUCTURE
BEHIND US IS WHERE THE
ENTRANCE TO THE CAVE IS.
IT GOES DOWN ALMOST A
HUNDRED FEET.
(? )
(JONAS)
TO THIS DATE,
NO NATURAL SURFACE
ENTRANCE TO THIS CAVE
HAS BEEN FOUND AND THE
SPRING RESURGENCE HAS
BEEN GATED OFF FOR
SAFETY REASONS.
THE ONLY WAY TO GET TO
THE CAVE SYSTEM TODAY IS
HERE.
(? )
(GEORGE)
SEE YOU DOWN BELOW
GUYS.
(? )
(JONAS)
AT SOME POINT,
SO YOU DRILLED THIS HOLE
DOWN.
SOMEHOW THEY HAD FIGURED
OUT THE DOWN HERE IS THE
BEST PLACE TO ACTUALLY
GET TO THE CAVE SYSTEM.
THE SINKHOLE CAVE GAVE
US AN IDEA WHAT WAS
GOING ON,
BUT THIS IS JUST
INCREDIBLE.
WE'RE STANDING IN AN
UNDERGROUND RIVER
RUNNING THROUGH A TUNNEL
LARGE ENOUGH TO FIT A
TRAIN.
AND WE'RE LUCKY THERE
HASN'T BEEN A WHOLE LOT
OF RAIN LATELY SO THE
WATER'S WAIST-DEEP AT
MOST.
(ROB)
BASICALLY WE'RE TRYING
TO TRAVERSE BACK INTO
THIS CAVE AND IT'S
TRICKY BECAUSE EVERY
STEP IS DIFFERENT.
(GEORGE)
THE BIGGEST HAZARD IS
TRIPPING SO JUST GO
REALLY SLOW.
TRY NOT TO DUMP THE
CAMERAS.
OH THAT'S GONNA BE COOL
(JONAS)
HOLD IT AT 3 2 1.
THE TUNNEL ALMOST LOOKS
DUG OUT BUT NO HUMAN HAS
HAD ANYTHING TO DO WITH
MAKING THIS.
ONLY WATER SLOWLY OVER
TIME,
ERODING AWAY THE
LIMESTONE SEDIMENTARY
ROCK AND CREATING A
NETWORK OF TUNNELS AND
PASSAGEWAYS.
IN SEVERAL PLACES WE CAN
SEE HOW WATER IS
LITERALLY COMING OUT OF
THE ROCK AND FEEDING
MORE WATER TO THE
UNDERGROUND RIVER.
AND JUST A SHORT WALK
UPSTREAM,
WE COME ACROSS A WHOLE
ROCK COVERED IN FOSSILS.
THESE ARE CRINOIDS:
ANCIENT SEA LILIES.
RELATIVES OF TODAY'S SEA
STARS.
THESE WERE COMMON IN THE
SUBTROPICAL SEA THAT
COVERED THIS PART OF THE
PLANET AROUND 300 TO 500
MILLION YEARS AGO.
(ROB)
YEP.
CLEAR.
(JONAS)
AND EVEN IF IT FEELS
LIKE WE'VE SEEN A LOT ON
THIS VISIT,
IT'S ONLY A SMALL PART
OF THE MORE THAN 17
MILES OF TUNNELS THAT
HAVE BEEN EXPLORED SO
FAR.
I JUST WANT TO REMIND
EVERYONE WHAT WE'RE
ACTUALLY STANDING ON
HERE.
CHECK THIS OUT.
17 MILES OF TUNNELS
UNDER THIS.
(? )
(JORDAN)
HAVING SEEN THIS SPRING
RESURGENCE AND KNOWING
WHAT IT IS LIKE INSIDE
THIS CAVE.
HOW VAST,
HOW BEAUTIFUL THE
FORMATIONS.
WHENEVER I SEE ANOTHER
SPRING,
I HAVE THE SAME THOUGHTS
AND VISUAL EMOTIONS THAT
COME AND JUST FLOOD ME
WITH WHAT IS THAT
CAVE SYSTEM LIKE?
THERE ARE A LOT OF CAVES
SPRING RESURGENCES IN
THE AREA,
SOME OF THEM WITH HIGHER
FLOW RATES OF WATER THAT
ARE EXITING OUT AND THAT
ONLY LEADS YOU TO
BELIEVE THAT THE CAVE
SYSTEM IS EVEN LARGER
THAN THIS CAVE SYSTEM
AND THIS ONE IS ALREADY
AT 17.2 MILES SO FAR.
(JONAS)
THE INTERACTIONS
BETWEEN THE UNIQUE
GEOLOGY AND WATER HAVE
UNDOUBTEDLY GIVEN RISE
TO MANY HIDDEN MYSTERIES
IN THE DRIFTLESS REGION
AND THERE ARE LIKELY
MANY MORE THAT ARE YET
TO BE DISCOVERED.
WHAT IS EVEN MORE
INTERESTING IS HOW THIS
SUBTERRANEAN NETWORK OF
CRACKS AND TUNNELS
CONTINUES TO SHAPE THE
REGION ALSO ON THE
OUTSIDE.
AS IT TAKES SEVERAL
YEARS FOR THE WATER TO
FILTER THROUGH THE
SEDIMENTARY ROCK,
THE TEMPERATURE OF THE
SPRINGS THAT EVENTUALLY
EXIT THE BLUFFS STAY
COOL ALL YEAR-ROUND.
AND HAS GIVEN RISE TO
RICH AND DIVERSE
ABUNDANCE OF WILDLIFE.
ONE EXAMPLE IS THE
NATIVE BROOK TROUT WHICH
IS A SPECIES THAT
DEPENDS ON COLD AND
CLEAN WATER TO SURVIVE
AND THIS IS AN AREA
WHERE THEY THRIVE.
THE DRIFTLESS IS TODAY
ONE OF THE BEST TROUT
FISHING DESTINATIONS IN
THE COUNTRY AND IT HAS
THE HIGHEST DENSITY OF
COLDWATER STREAMS IN THE
WORLD.
THE SPRINGS AND RAIN
WATER GROWS INTO STREAMS
AND EVENTUALLY LARGE
RIVERS AND JUST LIKE
UNDERGROUND AS THE WATER
MOVES OVER THE LANDSCAPE
IT SLOWLY EATS ITS WAY
INTO THE LOOSE
SEDIMENTARY ROCK LAYERS.
IT IS THIS PROCESS THAT
OVER A FEW MILLION YEARS
HAS CREATED THE
DRIFTLESS AND THE BLUFFS
AS WE SEE THEM TODAY.
(DYLAN)
WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT
A MOUNTAIN IS USUALLY AN
UPLIFT EVENT THAT FORCED
THE THE LANDSCAPE
UPWARDS.
HERE,
WE HAD SEVERAL EROSION
EVENTS THAT CARVE THE
RIVER CHANNEL WITHIN THE
SURROUNDING LANDSCAPE SO
WE HAVE WHAT WE CALL
INVERSE TOPOGRAPHY.
(JONAS)
THIS IS THE EXPLANATION
TO WHY ALL THE BLUFFS
ARE THE EXACT SAME
HEIGHT.
(ROB)
THE BLUFFS LOOK TOTALLY
DIFFERENT FROM HERE.
THEY'RE ALL ABOUT THE
SAME HEIGHT.
(JONAS)
THE TOP OF THE BLUFFS
IS SIMPLY THE BASELINE
WHERE EVERYTHING WAS AT
SOME POINT AND ANYTHING
BELOW IS WHAT HAS BEEN
CARVED OUT AND REMOVED
THROUGH EROSION.
(DYLAN)
BY THAT PROCESS OF
CHEMICALLY DISSOLVING
MATERIALS AND PHYSICALLY
ERODING PICKING OUT
MATERIALS AND
TRANSPORTING THAT,
YOU ULTIMATELY GO FROM
HAVING THIS RELATIVELY
FLAT SEDIMENTARY ROCK TO
HAVING A LANDSCAPE THAT
HAS BEEN CARVED UP AND
HAS THIS DENDRITIC
PATTERN OF STREAMS THAT
ARE FOUND ALL ACROSS IT.
(JONAS)
THIS SO-CALLED STREAM
DISSECTED LANDSCAPE IS
WHAT STANDS OUT FROM
SURROUNDING AREAS WHERE
GLACIERS WIPED THE SLATE
CLEAN.
BUT IN SOME RARE PLACES
IT IS NOT THE WATER THAT
COMES OUT OF THE BLUFFS
THAT CREATES A UNIQUE
ECOSYSTEM,
INSTEAD IT'S THE AIR.
GEORGE AND TIM ARE
TAKING US TO A SPOT IN
THE FOREST THAT QUITE
HONESTLY IS A BEAST TO
FIND.
(ROB)
NOW ON THE WAY TO HIKE.
INTO THE WOODS!
(GEORGE)
I WAS GONNA GO THIS WAY
TODAY BUT THIS IS A
JUNGLE SO LET'S HEAD UP
THE BLUFF.
(JONAS)
WE'RE LOOKING FOR A
STRANGE AND RARE HABITAT
CALLED ALGIFIC TALUS
SLOPE.
(ROB)
DID YOU FIND IT?
(JONAS)
HELLO?
(ROB)
HE SAID HE FOUND IT!
TIM FOUND IT!
FINALLY FOUND IT.
THIS IS THE ALGIFIC
TALUS SLOPES.
(GEORGE)
WE WANT TO BE CAREFUL
NOT TO WALK OVER HERE
BECAUSE THIS IS A VERY
FRAGILE GEOLOGY.
THERE'S ALL THIS
FRACTURED ROCK UNDER
HERE THAT THE COLD AIR
MOVES THROUGH THE BLUFF
IS ACTUALLY BREATHING
HERE.
THERE'S AIR BEING TAKEN
IN A VENT PROBABLY 200
FEET UPHILL.
BUT THERE ARE PLACES IN
THIS BLUFF WHERE THERE'S
ICE FROM LAST WINTER.
(JONAS)
LET'S TRY AND EXPLAIN
THIS.
ALGIFIC MEANS COLD
PRODUCING AN TALUS IS A
WORD FOR THE BROKEN ROCK
FRAGMENTS THAT MAKE UP
THE UPPER LAYER OF THIS
SOIL.
INSIDE OF THESE BLUFFS
IT CAN GET VERY COLD.
WATER THAT FLOWS THROUGH
THE LIMESTONE IN THE
WINTER FREEZES AND CAN
FORM ICE CAVES THAT MAY
STAY FROZEN ALL YEAR
ROUND.
AIR GETS COOLED DOWN BY
THIS FROZEN UNDERGROUND
WORLD AND GETS DIVERTED
OUT OF THE BLUFF THROUGH
VENTS IN THE LIMESTONE.
THIS IN TURN GENERATES A
PRESSURE GRADIENT THAT
STARTS WITH AIR BEING
SUCKED IN THROUGH THE
VENTS ON TOP OF THE
BLUFF DOWN TO THE ICE
CAVES WHERE IT GETS
COOLED DOWN AND THEN
PUSHED OUT THROUGH THE
TALUS SLOPE VENTS.
YEAH THIS IS KIND OF
WHAT IT FEELS LIKE.
IF I WAS TO SIT DOWN
HERE.
RIGHT HERE.
IT'S LIKE I'M GETTING
HIT WITH AN AIR
CONDITIONER.
IT IS SUCH AN INCREDIBLY
DISTINCT TEMPERATURE
DIFFERENCE.
JUST FROM STANDING UP TO
SITTING DOWN.
(GEORGE)
SO I HAVE A
THERMOMETER.
I PUT IN THE SLOPE HERE
A LITTLE WHILE AGO AND
LET'S CHECK IT.
OH MY GOD.
IT'S BELOW FREEZING.
THIS THERMOMETER IS AT
25 DEGREES.
YES.
COME AND LOOK JONAS.
THERE.
32 DEGREES AND IT'S DOWN
AT LIKE 24.
OKAY AND IT'S RISING
FAST AS I BRING IT OUT.
NOW IT'S GOING BACK UP
TO FREEZING.
BUT IT WAS IT WAS ALMOST
DOWN TO 20 WHEN I HAD IT
DOWN HERE IN THE VENT.
(JONAS)
2O FAHRENHEIGHT,
- 5.
CENTIGRADE FOR US
EUROPEANS.
IT'S IMPRESSIVE.
ALGIFIC TALUS LOPES ONLY
EXISTS HERE IN THE
DRIFTLESS REGION AND ONE
OTHER PLACE IN WEST
VIRGINIA.
IT IS HARD TO THINK THAT
ANY PLANTS WOULD THRIVE
UNDER THESE CONDITIONS.
BUT THERE ARE SOME
EXCEPTIONS.
LIKE THE BEAUTIFUL
NORTHERN MONKSHOOD.
THIS RARE FLOWER HAS
ADAPTED TO LIVE IN THE
COLD AND FRAGILE SOILS
OF THESE ALGIFIC TALUS
SLOPES.
IN ADDITION TO THE RARE
PLANTS THEY'RE ALSO A
WHOLE COLLECTION OF RARE
SNAILS FOUND ONLY HERE.
PLEISTOCENE RELICS SO TO
SPEAK.
BOTH THE PLEISTOCENE
SNAILS AND NORTHERN
MONKSHOOD ARE LISTED AS
FEDERALLY ENDANGERED.
THE CASUAL OBSERVER
THOUGH MIGHT NOT REALIZE
HOW RARE THEY ARE BUT
WE'RE BASICALLY SEEING
ICE AGE HOLDOVERS.
(TIM)
YOU COME HERE YOU CAN
SEE THE PLANTS,
THE NORTHERN MONKSHOOD,
AND OTHER PLANTS
ACTUALLY QUIVERING
BECAUSE THIS COLD AIR IS
IS POURING OUT OF THE
SIDE OF THE HILL THROUGH
THESE VENTS.
AND SO THE LEAVES ARE
JUST QUIVERING AWAY.
IT'S REALLY WILD.
(JONAS)
I THINK IF I WAS TO
JUST WALK THROUGH THIS
FOREST NOT KNOWING
ANYTHING ABOUT THIS I
PROBABLY WOULDN'T HAVE
YOU KNOW PAID TOO MUCH
ATTENTION TO IT EXCEPT
FOR THESE
BEAUTIFUL,PURPLE
FLOWERS.
I WOULD NOT HAVE
REALIZED HOW RARE THEY
ARE.
I WOULD NOT HAVE
REALIZED HOW SENSITIVE
THIS WHOLE AREA IS BUT
IT IS KNOWING A LITTLE
BIT ABOUT THIS MAKES IT
IT MAKES IT REALLY
SPECIAL TO GET HERE.
(GEORGE)
SO THIS ALGIFIC TALUS
SLOPE IS YET ANOTHER
EXAMPLE OF HOW THE
UNIQUE GEOLOGY HERE IN
THE DRIFTLESS REGION
CREATES THESE NATURAL
COMMUNITIES THAT ARE
INCREDIBLY RARE.
IF WE DIDN'T HAVE THE
SEDIMENTARY ROCK LAYERS
IN THE SEQUENCE THEY ARE
AND IF WE DIDN'T HAVE
TWO MILLION YEARS OF
STREAMS CUTTING DOWN
THROUGH THIS ROCK TO
CREATE A VALLEY AND THEN
THE GLACIERS MISSING ALL
THIS TO LEAVE IT HERE,
WE WOULDN'T HAVE ALGIFIC
TALUS SLOPES.
WITH THE BLUFFS ACTUALLY
BREATHING AIR IN THE
MIDDLE OF SUMMER JUST A
LITTLE OVER 20 DEGREES
FAHRENHEIT.
(JONAS)
AS MUCH AS THESE
HABITATS ARE UNIQUE
BECAUSE THEY'RE COLD.
THE OPPOSITE ALSO
EXISTS.
WE REMEMBERED A STRANGE
OBSERVATION WE MADE FROM
THE AIRPLANE.
ON SEVERAL OF THE STEEP
BLUFF SLOPES THERE WERE
EXPOSED PATCHES OF WHAT
LOOKED LIKE CLEAR-CUT
FORESTS.
BUT CONTRARY TO THE
HIDDEN ALGIFIC TALUS
SLOPES,
THIS AREA SEEMED TO BAKE
IN SUNLIGHT.
SO WE TOOK TO THE GROUND
WITH LOCAL EXPERTS
SCOTTY LEDDY AND
KAITLYN O'CONNOR.
IT TURNS OUT THESE CLEAR
PATCHES ARE ACTUALLY NOT
CLEARED AT ALL.
INSTEAD THEY'RE ANOTHER
NATURAL YET SOMEWHAT ODD
HABITAT.
THE BLUFF PRAIRIES AND
KNOWN BY MANY LOCALS AS
GOAT PRAIRIES.
SIMILAR TO THE ALGIFIC
TALUS SLOPES,
THEY'RE ALSO HOME TO
SOME VERY INTERESTING
WILDLIFE.
(KAITLYN)
OFTENTIMES WHEN YOU'RE
JUST DRIVING THROUGH THE
DRIFTLESS AND YOU LOOK
AT THE BLUFF LAND
REGIONS GOAT PRAIRIES
KIND OF LOOK LIKE BALD
SPOTS IN AN OTHERWISE
FORESTED HABITAT.
BUT THESE BALD SPOTS ARE
VERY ECOLOGICALLY
UNIQUE.
THERE'S A COUPLE OF
CHARACTERISTICS THAT
DEFINE THE GOAT PRAIRIES
AND THE MOST IMPORTANT
ONE BEING THE ASPECT OR
THE DIRECTION THAT THESE
PRAIRIES FACE.
SO YOU'RE ONLY GOING TO
FIND GOAT PRAIRIES ON
SOUTHERN AND WESTERN
SLOPES ON THE BLUFFS.
THE SECOND
CHARACTERISTIC IS REALLY
SHALLOW ROCKY SOILS.
IN THE SUMMERTIME THE
SUN BEATS DOWN AND IT
MAKES IT VERY HOT AND
VERY DRY.
SIMILARLY IN THE
WINTERTIME THE SUN IS
GOING TO BEAT DOWN AND
IT MELTS THE SNOW OFF OF
THESE STEEP SLOPES AND
IT MAKES THIS AREA
EXPOSED TO THE VERY
HARSH WINTER CONDITIONS
THAT WE HAVE UP IN THE
DRIFTLESS REGION.
SO ANYTHING THAT THRIVES
HERE IS IS A REALLY
TOUGH COOKIE.
THEY'RE ADAPTED TO VERY
HARSH CONDITIONS.
(JONAS)
NOT ONLY ARE THE BLUFF
PRAIRIES HOME TO
HUNDREDS OF SPECIES OF
PLANTS,
THIS HOT AND DRY HABITAT
IS ALSO PERFECT FOR SOME
OTHER RARE SPECIES.
MOST PEOPLE WOULD NOT
ASSOCIATE RATTLESNAKES
WITH MINNESOTA BUT EVEN
IF THEY ARE HARD TO FIND
THE STEEP BLUFFS ARE IN
FACT HOME TO A
POPULATION OF TIMBER
RATTLESNAKES.
THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A
GREAT SIGN THAT THEY ARE
HERE.
SO LET'S SEE IF WE CAN
ACTUALLY FIND A LIVE
ONE.
I'M GONNA PUT THIS ONE
BACK WHERE I FOUND IT.
BUT AS THEY ARE VERY
WELL CAMOUFLAGED FINDING
ONE REQUIRES SOME WORK.
AND AS THE SUN STARTED
TO HEAT UP THE ROCKS WE
GOT LUCKY.
THERE'S ONE IN THAT
BUSH.
THERE'S A SECOND ONE.
IT RATTLED AT ME.
AND IT'S RIGHT NOW,
OUT THERE.
TIMBER RATTLESNAKES ARE
GENERALLY FOUND MUCH
FURTHER SOUTH BUT
BECAUSE OF THE UNIQUE
HABITAT THIS SOMEWHAT
ISOLATED POPULATION
STILL REMAINS UP HERE.
TIMBER RATTLESNAKES ARE
ACTUALLY QUITE DOCILE
AND NOT AGGRESSIVE AT
ALL.
UNFORTUNATELY THEIR
NUMBERS HAVE DECLINED A
LOT MOSTLY DUE TO
HABITAT LOSS AND THE
GENERAL PUBLIC FEARING
THESE ACTUALLY GENTLE
SNAKES.
IN THE EARLY 1900'S THIS
LED TO A BOUNTY ON
TIMBER RATTLESNAKES IN
MINNESOTA AND WISCONSIN.
A BOUNTY THAT HAS NOW
FORTUNATELY BEEN
REPEALED.
NOW WORK IS FOCUSED ON
RESTORING THE PRAIRIES
SUCH AS THROUGH THE
REMOVAL OF INVASIVE
SPECIES AND RESTORING
FIRES TO THIS HABITAT.
THIS PROVIDES IDEAL
PLACES FOR BIRDS LIKE
THE MEADOWLARKS,
BOBOLINKS,
AND HENSLOW SPARROW.
IN ADDITION TO THE
AMAZING FLOWERS AND RARE
REPTILES,
ANOTHER INTERESTING
REPTILE THAT LIVES UP
HERE IS THE SIX-LINED
PRAIRIE RACE RUNNER.
AFTER GETTING HEATED UP
THEY'RE EXTREMELY FAST
AND VERY SHY.
THE SLIGHTEST MOVEMENT
AND THEY'RE GONE.
LUCKILY WE
MANAGED TO FIND A COUPLE
THAT HAD OTHER THINGS ON
THEIR MIND THAN WORRYING
ABOUT US.
A RARE THING TO WITNESS
FOR SURE.
AS ALL REPTILES THESE
SNAKES AND LIZARDS NEED
HEAT FROM THE
SURROUNDING ENVIRONMENT
TO KEEP THEM ACTIVE.
TO SURVIVE WINTERS,
THEY LOCATE ROCK
CREVICES OR BURROWS
BELOW THE FROST LINE AND
GO INTO A STATE OF
HIBERNATION.
TO CONSERVE HEAT EVEN
MORE,
SEVERAL SNAKES EVEN
DIFFERENT SPECIES OFTEN
SHARE WINTER DENS,
LIKE THIS MOLTING
BULLSNAKE.
AS THE WEATHER WARMS UP
IN SPRING AND PROVIDES
ENOUGH HEAT THE REPTILES
EMERGE FROM THEIR LONG
WINTER SLEEP.
BECAUSE OF THE LONG
WINTERS UP HERE AND THE
ABUNDANCE OF NATURAL
DENS BENEATH THE GROUND,
THE HABITAT THAT IS
FAVORED BEFORE ALL
OTHERS BY THESE REPTILES
ARE THE HEATED
SOUTH-FACING HILLSIDES
OF THE BLUFF PRAIRIES.
(SCOTT)
YOU KNOW IT'S ALL ABOUT
HABITAT.
DON'T HAVE IT AND YOU'VE
GOT NOTHING.
IT'S ALL ABOUT PLACES
LIKE THIS.
(JONAS)
FOR US IT IS ANOTHER
EXAMPLE OF HOW THESE
BLUFFS PROVIDE UNIQUE
OPPORTUNITIES FOR LIFE
THIS FAR NORTH THAT
OTHERWISE WOULD NOT HAVE
BEEN POSSIBLE.
(ERIC)
WITH THE CYCLES OF
GLACIERS THAT CAME AND
WENT,
WE'RE ACTUALLY SEEING
FEATURES THAT HAVE
WITHSTOOD THOSE ICE
AGES.
WE'RE SEEING EXAMPLES OF
PLACES WHERE THERE'S
WHAT WE CALL REFUGIA,
WHERE THEY'RE SPECIES
THAT LIVED HERE DURING
THE COLDER CLIMATE AND
THEY'VE ACTUALLY HUNG ON
HERE IN LITTLE POCKETS
BECAUSE IT IS AN OLD
LANDSCAPE AND BECAUSE IT
WASN'T OVERRUN BY ICE.
(JONAS)
BUT TO CLAIM THAT WE
ARE JUST NOW FIGURING
THIS OUT AND HOW SPECIAL
THIS AREA IS COULDN'T BE
MORE WRONG.
THE TRUTH IS THAT THESE
BLUFFS WERE THE CAVES
AND THE CAVERNS,
GREEN VALLEYS,
AND COOL FRESHWATER
STREAMS HAD BEEN SACRED
PLACES FOR HUMANS AND
WILDLIFE ALIKE FOR A
VERY LONG TIME.
ROCK PAINTINGS HAVE BEEN
FOUND IN CAVES DEEP
UNDERGROUND AND ROCK
SHELTERS BY THE SOFT
SEDIMENT BLUFFS DISPLAY
ROCK CARVINGS THOUSANDS
OF YEARS OLD.
(WILLIAM)
IF YOU LOOK AT THE
UNDERSIDE OF A HAWK OR
AN EAGLE OR OTHER BIRDS
OF PREY- IF YOU'VE EVER
SEEN THE WAY THAT THEY
FAN OUT- PERHAPS THAT'S
WHAT YOU HAVE HERE.
AS FOR THE ROCK ART,
SPECTACULAR ROCK ART.
WE HAVE BOTH ROCK ART
THAT'S BEEN DONE WITH
PIGMENTS AS WELL AS ROCK
ART THAT'S INCISED INTO
THE ROCK ITSELF.
SO WE HAVE DIFFERENT
WAYS WE HAVE THESE VERY
ELABORATE COMPOSITIONS.
SOME OF WHICH CAN BE
LINKED UP TO HO CHUNK
ORAL TRADITIONS FOR
EXAMPLE.
AND SO THE OVERALL
CONTEXT OR PACKAGE IS
SOMETHING THAT'S
ABSOLUTELY UNIQUE
ANYWHERE.
(JONAS)
THE HO CHUNK WERE ONE
OF THE EARLIER
INHABITANTS OF THE AREA
AND ONE OF SEVERAL
NATIVE AMERICAN TRIBES
THAT RESIDED HERE.
THE BLUFFS OF THE
DRIFTLESS MADE FOR GREAT
NATURAL ROCK SHELTERS,
PROTECTING THE EARLY
INHABITANTS FROM THE
FORCES OF NATURE.
THEIR IMPORTANCE IS
DISPLAYED BY THE
DIVERSITY AND NUMBER OF
ROCK ART FOUND ACROSS
THE REGION.
THE SEDIMENTARY
SANDSTONE WAS EASY TO
CARVE,
YET STRONG ENOUGH TO
PRESERVE THE ARTWORK
GIVING US A GLIMPSE INTO
THE CULTURAL HISTORY OF
THE AREA.
BUT THE MOST IMPRESSIVE
AND MYSTERIOUS REMAINS
OF EARLY HUMANS MAY
STILL BE THE SEVERAL
HUNDREDS OF SO-CALLED
EFFIGY MOUNDS FOUND ALL
THROUGHOUT THE DRIFTLESS
REGION.
FROM ILLINOIS TO
MINNESOTA.
(MARK)
WE ARE STANDING ON
SACRED GROUND.
THIS IS INDISPUTABLE TO
ME.
AND IF YOU STAND AT THE
HEAD OF THE BIRD MOUND
ON THE FIRST DAY OF
SPRING,
THE VERNAL EQUINOX,
AND LOOK TO THE EAST AT
SUNRISE,
THERE'S A SMALL NOTCH IN
THE FAR RIDGE AND THAT'S
WHERE THE SUN RISES.
AND IT LOOKS LIKE THIS
BIRD IS GIVING BIRTH TO
THE SUN.
IT'S AN ABSOLUTELY
INCREDIBLE SIGHT.
BUT IF YOU CAN IMAGINE A
THOUSAND YEARS AGO IF
YOU WERE ON THIS SITE,
THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN
MANY FEWER TREES AND
THERE WOULD HAVE
LITERALLY BEEN HUNDREDS
OF MOUNDS VISIBLE.
YOU WOULD HAVE PROBABLY
SEEN A LARGE CENTRAL
VILLAGE SITE,
PERHAPS SOME SATELLITE
VILLAGE SITES.
SMOKE RISING FROM
CAMPFIRES AND THE HUMAN
ACTIVITIES GOING ON THAT
WOULD HAVE BEEN PART OF
DAILY LIFE.
AND IT WOULD HAVE BEEN
QUITE AN INCREDIBLE
SIGHT TO SEE.
(STEVE)
WE KNOW THE EARLIEST
PEOPLE IN THIS AREA CAME
TO THIS RESOURCE-RICH
PART OF THE WORLD.
SO THIS WAS A HABITATION
SITE FOR THE EARLIEST
AMERICANS.
THINK ABOUT HOW YOU
WOULD MOVE ABOUT THE
LANDSCAPE WITHOUT
VEHICLES OR HORSES OR
ANY OTHER WAY TO GET
AROUND.
YOU'D BE USING THE
CORRIDORS OF THE WATER.
BEING NOMADIC,
THEY'RE LOOKING FOR WAYS
THAT THEY CAN GET TO
PLACES WHERE THERE'S
RICH GAME AND RICH LAND
IN THE FALL.
AND PROTECTED AREAS IN
THE WINTER.
SO A LOT OF THESE RUGGED
BLUFFLANDS AND DRIFTLESS
AREA PROVIDED BOTH OF
THOSE THINGS IN CLOSE
PROXIMITY.
(JONAS)
THE MOUND BUILDING
CULTURES LIVED AROUND A
THOUSAND YEARS AGO.
THE PURPOSE AND SHAPE OF
THE MOUNDS VARIED.
SOME WERE BUILT AS
BURIAL MOUNDS AND OTHERS
WERE MADE FOR DIFFERENT
CEREMONIAL AND SPIRITUAL
PURPOSES.
USING LIDAR TECHNOLOGY A
TECHNIQUE OF SCANNING
THE GROUND WITH LASER WE
NOW KNOW THAT THERE ARE
MANY MORE EFFIGY MOUNDS
THAN ANYONE EVER KNEW.
IN FACT THERE ARE MORE
OF THEM HERE THAN
ANYWHERE ELSE IN THE
WORLD.
AND BECAUSE OF THAT THE
EFFIGY MOUNDS NATIONAL
MONUMENT WAS ESTABLISHED
HERE IN 1949.
(MARK)
YOU HAVE TO RECOGNIZE
THAT THE BUILDING MOUNDS
IS NOT AN EASY TASK.
YOU HAVE BUFFALO SCAPULA
HOES AND REED BASKETS
AND IT TAKES A LOT OF
CALORIES AND ENERGY TO
BUILD A MOUND.
SO YOU HAVE TO HAVE A
CHARISMATIC ENOUGH
LEADER THAT SAYS WE'RE
GONNA BUILD A MOUND
TODAY AND THEN YOU HAVE
TO HAVE THE BUY-IN FROM
THE PUBLIC,
OR YOUR PEOPLE.
OK WE'LL BUILD A
MOUND.
(ROB)
WERE THEY TAKING THAT
DIRT FROM HERE AND JUST
PUTTING IT THERE OR WERE
THEY BRINGING IT FROM
DOWN IN THE RIVER
VALLEY?
(MARK)
IN SOME CASES,
THEY WOULD ACTUALLY DIG
SUBSURFACE INTO THE
SHAPE THEY WERE SEEKING
TO IDENTIFY.
AND THEY WOULD LAYER
SPECIAL SOILS IN SOME
CASES BROUGHT FROM SOME
DISTANCES.
IN SOME CASES PERHAPS
CLEAN SANDY SOILS FROM
SPRINGS.
YOU KNOW YOU GIVE THAT
VERY SUGAR-SAND LOOK.
AND IN SOME CASES,
THEY WOULD SCRAPE SOIL
UP FROM AROUND THE
MOUNDS AND IN OTHER
CASES THEY MAY INDEED
TOTE THEM WITH BASKETS
FROM THE NEARBY WETLAND
OR WHEREVER.
AND THEN THE ENGINEERING
ACUMEN TO SAY A THOUSAND
YEARS AFTER THEY'VE BEEN
BUILT THEY'RE STILL HERE
ON THE LANDSCAPE TELLING
US A STORY THAT WE WANT
TO KNOW MORE ABOUT.
BUT THEY'RE STILL HERE
AS PART OF THEIR
CULTURAL LANDSCAPE.
AND THEN OF COURSE THE
KNOWLEDGE OF THE SKIES,
THE SUN,
THE STARS,
AND THE MOON,
TO HAVE ALIGNMENTS WHERE
THOSE ALIGNMENTS DO
OCCUR.
IT'S REALLY INCREDIBLE.
(ROB)
THAT'S INCREDIBLE.
THANKS FOR SHOWING THIS
ALL TO ME.
(JONAS)
THAT THE EFFIGY MOUNDS
ARE OFTEN MADE IN SHAPES
OF SYMBOLIZED ANIMALS.
WHY THERE'S SUCH A HIGH
CONCENTRATION OF THEM
HERE IS STILL NOT FULLY
UNDERSTOOD,
BUT MAYBE NOT SO
SURPRISING.
THE COMPLEX TOPOGRAPHY
AND VEGETATION CONTAIN A
RANGE OF HABITATS THAT
IN TURN SUPPORT A RICH
DIVERSITY OF LIFE.
BUT THE BIG QUESTION IS
STILL HOW IT IS POSSIBLE
THAT THIS AREA GOT LEFT
UNTOUCHED BY THE
GLACIERS,
ALLOWING THIS COMPLEX
TOPOGRAPHY TO REMAIN
WHEN EVERYTHING AROUND
IT GOT LEVELED.
YEAH THIS IS THE PLACE.
THIS IS A NICE SPOT.
(JONAS)
THIS IS DEVIL'S LAKE,
ONE OF ONLY TWO LAKES IN
THE DRIFTLESS AND A BODY
OF WATER CREATED BECAUSE
OF THE ADVANCING
GLACIERS.
IT ALSO MARKS THE
EASTERN EDGE OF THE
DRIFTLESS REGION.
AND SO RIGHT HERE THIS
IS JUST A REALLY QUIRKY
FORTUITOUS PLACE THAT
THE ICE CAME FAR ENOUGH,
THAT IF YOU LOOK OFF
HERE,
WE CAN SEE,
THE EDGE OF THE
DRIFTLESS AREA THERE.
AND THEN IT EXTENDS
BEHIND US TO THE WEST
ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE
MISSISSIPPI RIVER AND
BEYOND.
(JONAS)
I THOUGHT ABOUT THIS SO
MANY TIMES.
THAT THE GLACIERS MISSED
THIS PART OF NORTH
AMERICA.
IT IS UNIQUE AND THERE'S
DIFFERENT EXPLANATIONS
FOR WHY THE ICE STOPPED
IN DIFFERENT AREAS.
OFF TO THE WEST THE ICE
WAS FLOWING DOWN OUT OF
THE CANADIAN ROCKIES.
AND IT FLOWED TO
DIFFERENT DISTANCES OVER
DIFFERENT ICE AGES.
AND IT'S PARTLY A
FUNCTION OF HOW FAR THE
ICE WAS ABLE TO FLOW
WITH THE SUPPLY OF ICE
AND PARTLY IT WAS
PROBABLY STEERED BY THE
WAY THE BEDROCK OUT
CROPS IN IN IOWA IN
MINNESOTA.
IF YOU GO TO THE NORTH
OF US THE ICE WAS TRYING
TO FLOW ACROSS THE LAKE
SUPERIOR LOWLAND WHICH
IS A TREMENDOUSLY DEEP
HOLE IN THE GROUND.
AND SO THAT WAS IN
ITSELF JUST A NATURAL
IMPEDIMENT TO ICE COMING
DOWN TOWARDS THE
DRIFTLESS AREA FROM THE
NORTH.
AND THEN OFF TO THE EAST
OF US THERE'S THE GREEN
BAY LOWLAND AND THE LAKE
MICHIGAN LOWLAND WHICH
ARE TROUGHS THAT ARE
ORIENTED NORTH-SOUTH AND
KIND OF STEERED THE ICE
STRAIGHT TO THE SOUTH
OFF TO THE EAST OF US.
AND IN ADDITION THE
BEDROCK IN CENTRAL
WISCONSIN HAS BOWED UP
INTO AN ARCH THAT
DEFLECTED THE ICE AROUND
THE DRIFTLESS AREA.
AND FARTHER NORTH THE
HARD ROUGH CRYSTALLINE
ROCK WAS A FURTHER
IMPEDIMENT TO STOPPING
THE ICE FROM FLOWING ANY
FARTHER SOUTH.
CORES SHOW THAT THERE
WERE FLUCTUATIONS THAT
INDICATE THERE WERE AS
MUCH AS A COUPLE DOZEN
ICE AGES OVER THE LAST
TWO AND A HALF MILLION
YEARS.
SO YEAH WHEN WE TALK
ABOUT THE ICE AGE WE'RE
THINKING OF THE LAST
ONE.
BUT THERE WERE A COUPLE
DOZEN THAT PRECEDED IT
AND ALL OF THEM MISSED
THE AREA.
(JONAS)
THERE ARE A COUPLE OF
IMPORTANT RESULTS FROM
THIS WE HAVE ALREADY
SAID THAT THE DRIFTLESS
EXISTS BECAUSE IT WASN'T
COVERED BY GLACIAL ICE.
BUT IT'S NOT EXACTLY
RIGHT TO SAY GLACIERS
LEFT THE AREA UNTOUCHED.
SIMPLY PUT THE DRIFTLESS
REGION IS NOT WHAT IT IS
ONLY BECAUSE IT GOT
SPARED BY THE GLACIERS,
BUT ALSO BECAUSE THERE
WERE GLACIERS NEARBY.
AT THE CENTER OF THE
WHOLE DRIFTLESS LIKE A
MIGHTY ARTERY THROUGH
THE REGION CONNECTING
THE VEINS OF WATER THAT
CARVES THROUGH THE BLUFF
LANDSCAPE IS THE MIGHTY
MISSISSIPPI RIVER.
(? )
JUST LIKE THE
REST OF THE LAND THIS
WAS ONCE FLAT GROUND
COMPOSED OF LAYERS OF
ANCIENT MARINE SEDIMENT.
THE HUGE AMOUNT OF
MELTWATER COMING FROM
NEARBY GLACIERS IS WHAT
STARTED THE FORMATION OF
THIS IMPRESSIVE RIVER
VALLEY.
ROB AND I HAVE HAD A
CHANCE TO SEE IT FROM
ABOVE SEVERAL TIMES AND
EVERY TIME IT'S JUST AS
AMAZING.
JUST THE THOUGHT THAT
WATER ALONE HAS CARVED
ALL THIS OUT IS SOMEWHAT
MIND-BLOWING.
THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER
WAS IMPORTANT ALREADY TO
EARLY SETTLERS USING THE
WATERS TO GET AROUND.
AND IT'S JUST AS
IMPORTANT TO THE PEOPLE
OF THE DRIFTLESS TODAY.
AND THE REST OF THE
COUNTRY TOO FOR THAT
MATTER.
AS IT IS ONE OF THE
LARGEST RIVER SYSTEMS IN
THE WORLD CONNECTING THE
NORTH OF THE U.S.
WITH THE GULF OF MEXICO.
250 MILES OF THE UPPER
MISSISSIPPI RUNS THROUGH
THE DRIFTLESS AREA.
BUT THERE'S ALSO BEEN
TIMES IN HISTORY WHEN
THE RIVER WAS A LOT
DEEPER.
GEOLOGISTS HAVE MEASURED
THAT THE ACTUAL BOTTOM
OF THE RIVER LIES
ANOTHER 300 FEET DEEPER
THAN THE BOTTOM OF THE
RIVER TODAY.
(DYLAN)
WHEN THE GLACIERS WERE
MELTING AND CARRYING
SEDIMENT,
THAT SEDIMENT ENDED UP
IN THIS RIVER VALLEY.
AND IT ACTUALLY FILLED
IT UP TO A LEVEL MUCH
HIGHER THAN IT IS RIGHT
NOW WITH GLACIAL OUTWASH
SEDIMENT.
(JONAS)
THE SAME GLACIAL WATER
THAT CARVED IT OUT ALSO
REFILLED IT WITH MASSIVE
AMOUNTS OF SEDIMENT THAT
CAME WITH THE WATER.
THE HUGE AMOUNT OF
GLACIAL SEDIMENTS ALSO
RESULTED IN MAKING THE
UPPER MISSISSIPPI UNIQUE
IN SOME OTHER RATHER ODD
WAYS.
(DYLAN)
SO WE'RE AT LAKE PEPIN
RIGHT NOW.
IT'S ACTUALLY A REALLY
UNIQUE FEATURE BECAUSE
IT'S THE WIDEST PART OF
THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER
AND IT'S ALL NATURAL.
THE LAKES ARE VERY RARE
IN THIS AREA.
WELL HERE WE HAVE A
NATURAL RIVERINE LAKE.
IT'S BEEN IN EXISTENCE
SINCE THE SINCE THE
GLACIERS WORK CLOSE BY
HERE A LITTLE OVER
10,000 YEARS AGO.
AND WE HAVE THIS NATURAL
SYSTEM WHERE THE
CHIPPEWA RIVER IS
DAMMING THE MISSISSIPPI
RIVER CREATING LAKE
PEPIN.
AND IT'S A PRETTY RARE
RARE AND INTERESTING
PHENOMENON.
(JONAS)
WE CAN SEE HUGE AMOUNTS
OF GLACIAL SEDIMENTS AND
SAND THAT ARE STILL
PARTIALLY DAMMING UP THE
MISSISSIPPI TODAY.
AND FUN FACT IF NONE OF
THIS HAD HAPPENED
THERE'S A RISK WE
WOULDN'T HAVE
WATERSKIING TODAY.
(ROB)
IT SAYS“LAKE CITY,
THE BIRTHPLACE OF
WATERSKIING.” WELL WE
COULDN'T REALLY PASS
THAT UP SO WE GOT TO GET
OUT ON THE RIVER.
(? )
(JONAS)
CAN YOU IMAGINE?
WHO WOULD HAVE GUESSED
WE WOULD HAVE THE LAST
ICE AGE TO THANK FOR ALL
THIS?
NOW THERE'S A FUN FACT
TO SHARE AT DINNER
TONIGHT.
OKAY SO NOW LET'S GET
BACK TO THE MAIN STORY.
(ROB)
EVERYBODY IN.
HOPEFULLY WE CAN SEE
SOME COOL THINGS WE'RE
OUT HERE YOU POINT OUT
YOUR FAVORITE BITS.
I'M EXCITED TO JUST BE
OUT HERE AND SEE SOME OF
THE DIVERSITY IN
HABITATS.
(? )
(KENDRA)
PEOPLE ARE ALREADY
SETTING UP FOR THE
WEEKEND.
STARTING TO USE THE
BEACHES.
THE MISSISSIPPI IS A
WETLAND OF INTERNATIONAL
IMPORTANCE.
WE CALL "RAMSAR"
WETLAND.
SO THAT MEANS GLOBALLY
IT'S BEEN RECOGNIZED AS
BEING THAT IMPORTANT.
(ROB)
REALLY?
(KENDRA)
YEP.
(ROB)
SO WE'RE IN A NATIONAL
WILDLIFE REFUGE RIGHT
NOW.
SO WHAT DOES THAT MEAN
FOR THE RIVER.
(KENDRA)
YEAH WHAT THAT MEANS IS
PROTECTION FOR
CONSERVATION.
SO REFUGES ARE MANAGED
FOR WILDLIFE FIRST.
WE ALSO DO HAVE
RECREATION YOU KNOW
PEOPLE CAN COME AND FISH
AND HUNT BUT
PREDOMINANTLY MOST OF
WHAT WE'RE DOING OUT
HERE IS MANAGING IT FOR
WILDLIFE.
(JONAS)
THAT ALSO INVOLVES
INFORMING THE PUBLIC
ABOUT THE SENSITIVE
ANIMALS IN THE RESERVE
LIKE THE MANY SPECIES OF
TURTLES THAT COME AND
NEST ON THE SANDY
BEACHES.
(ROB)
COME ON UP HERE.
OH IT'S HOT!
OH!
OW THAT'S HOT!
YOU CAN SEE ALL OF THE
EGGS THOUGH.
RIGHT HERE.
THEY'VE BEEN PREDATED.
EATEN BY SOMETHING.
WHAT DO YOU THINK ATE
THESE THINGS?
SNAKES OR RACCOONS?
ONE THING YOU YOU CAN
ACTUALLY SEE RIGHT AT
THE MOMENT THOUGH AS YOU
CAN SEE THE DUG OUT NEST
AND THEN AND
OCCASIONALLY YOU CAN SEE
THE SLIDE MARKS OF THE
TURTLES COMING BACK
DOWN.
(JONAS)
BUT THE MAIN ATTRACTION
WHEN IT COMES TO VIEWING
WILDLIFE HERE MUST BE
THE BIRDS.
(ROB)
OH MY GOODNESS!
LOOK AT THAT,
WE'RE SO CLOSE.
I'VE NEVER BEEN THAT
CLOSE TO TO A FALCON
BEFORE.
(JONAS)
THIS IS FOR EXAMPLE,
THE SUMMER DESTINATION
FOR OVER A HUNDRED
SPECIES OF MIGRATORY
NEOTROPICAL SONGBIRDS.
LIKE THE CHESTNUT-SIDED
WARBLER,
NORTHERN PAULA,
AND AMERICAN
GOLDFINCHES.
WINTERS ARE SPENT
FURTHER SOUTH BUT IN THE
SUMMER THEY COME UP HERE
TO NEST AND BREED.
IN ADDITION THE
MISSISSIPPI RIVER IS
ALSO A MAJOR FLYWAY FOR
MIGRATORY BIRDS.
THAT MEANS THE RIVER
FUNCTIONS AS A GUIDANCE
FOR THE AERIAL HIGHWAY
USED BY MILLIONS OF
BIRDS ON THEIR WAY
BETWEEN SUMMER NESTING
GROUNDS IN NORTHERN
CANADA AND THE SOUTHERN
PARTS OF THE FLYWAY
WHERE THEY SPEND WINTER.
IN FACT MORE THAN 320
BIRD SPECIES HAVE BEEN
RECORDED USING THE
MISSISSIPPI FLYWAY EACH
YEAR.
IT IS NOW MID-JUNE WHICH
MEANS RIGHT IN BETWEEN
MIGRATION TIMES.
NOW LET'S FAST-FORWARD
SIX MONTHS.
(? )
IT IS SAID THAT
OVER 40% OF THE TOTAL
POPULATION OF WATERFOWL
IN THE U.S.
PASSED THROUGH THIS
MIGRATORY FLYWAY.
DURING PEAK MIGRATION
HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF
TUNDRA SWANS AND OTHER
WATERFOWL CAN BE SEEN
FEEDING AND RESTING IN
THE POOLS OF THE
RESERVE.
AND THE ABUNDANCE OF
FOOD HERE MAKES IT A
GIVEN STOPOVER.
AS A PHOTOGRAPHER
VIDEOGRAPHER THIS IS
SOMETHING YOU'VE GOT A
DREAM ABOUT.
YOU'RE SURROUNDED BY
THIS ENVIRONMENT,
THE COLORS OF THE
BLUFFS,
THE WHITE SWANS,
THE CONTRASTS OF WATER.
THIS IS WHY I BECAME A
WILDLIFE FILMMAKER,
PHOTOGRAPHER.
(THOMAS)
THE DRIFTLESS AREA IS
AN EXTREMELY UNIQUE AREA
AND BIRDWATCHERS HAVE TAKEN
NOTE FROM ALL OVER THE
COUNTRY AND EVEN THE
WORLD.
BIRD WATCHERS LOVE TO
KEEP A LIFE LIST WHERE
THEY KEEP TRACK OF HOW
MANY DIFFERENT SPECIES
THEY'VE SEEN KIND OF
CHECKING OFF EACH
SPECIES AND THE
DRIFTLESS AREA IS A
GREAT PLACE FOR BIRD
WATCHERS THAT COME TO
SEE A VARIETY OF SPECIES
IN WINTER,
SPRING,
SUMMER,
AND FALL.
(JONAS)
I REALIZE IT MAY LOOK
LIKE WE'RE PAINTING A
PICTURE OF A WILDLIFE
REFUGE FREE FROM
PROBLEMS,
BUT THE REALITY IS NOT
THAT EASY AND IT'S NOT
WITHOUT HELP.
FOR EXAMPLE,
PROGRAMS LIKE THE
DRIFTLESS AREA TROUT
UNLIMITED RESTORATION
EFFORTS ARE WORKING TO
RESTORE COLDWATER
SPRINGS DAMAGED BY
EROSION.
(DUKE)
WHERE WE CAN DO
RESTORATION,
WE CAN REALLY RESTORE
THEM TO SOMETHING THAT
IS REALLY RARE IN THE
WORLD.
(JONAS)
BLUFF PRAIRIES HAVE
BEEN DISAPPEARING DUE TO
LACK OF WILDFIRES AND
THE INTRODUCTION OF
INVASIVE SPECIES.
THROUGH PRESCRIBED BURNS
AND THE REMOVAL OF
NON-NATIVE VEGETATION,
GROUPS LIKE THE PRAIRIE
ENTHUSIASTS HAVE MANAGED
TO RESTORE AND PROTECT A
LOT OF THIS RARE
HABITAT,
ALLOWING SOME OF THE
UNIQUE BIODIVERSITY TO
REMAIN.
AND EVEN PRIVATE
LANDOWNERS ARE SIGNING
UP TO PROTECT THEIR LAND
FROM FURTHER
DEVELOPMENT.
(MICHAEL)
WE FEEL STRONGLY THAT
WE WANT TO BE GOOD
STEWARDS OF THE LAND.
AND THERE'S FEATURES ON
THIS LAND RANGING FROM
ROCK ART THAT'S UP TO
2,000 YEARS OLD TO
VIRGIN RED OAK FORESTS.
AND WE WOULDN'T EVER
WANT TO SEE THAT
DEVELOPED.
SO WE WANT TO PROTECT
IT.
(JONAS)
UNIQUE HABITATS ARE
OFTEN ALSO SENSITIVE TO
CHANGE,
WHETHER IT BE CHANGING
CLIMATES,
NEW DEVELOPMENTS,
OR THINGS WE DO THAT
AFFECT THE ENVIRONMENT
EVEN IF OUR INITIAL
INTENTIONS WERE GOOD.
THE STORY OF THE
PEREGRINE FALCON IS ONE
EXAMPLE.
THESE TOP OF THE FOOD
CHAIN PREDATORS ARE THE
FASTEST ANIMALS ON THE
PLANET.
NESTING ON THE STEEP
BLUFF SITES,
PEREGRINE FALCONS HAVE
HAD A GREAT SYMBOLIC
IMPORTANCE TO THE
DRIFTLESS FOR THOUSANDS
OF YEARS.
BUT RECENTLY ALMOST
DISAPPEARED COMPLETELY.
(STATIC)
THE GREATEST POTENIALITY
OF DDT
LIES IN DISPERSAL FROM
PLANES.
(JONAS)
THE USE OF THE
PESTICIDE DDT THAT WAS
DEVELOPED IN THE 1940S
TO HELP FIGHT THE SPREAD
OF DISEASES LIKE MALARIA
AND TYPHUS,
ALMOST CAUSED THEM AND
OTHER RAPTORS LIKE THE
BALD EAGLE TO GO EXTINCT
FROM THE AMERICAN
CONTINENT.
AND THE DRIFTLESS WAS NO
EXCEPTION.
THE ORGANIZATION RAPTOR
RESOURCE PROJECT WAS
FOUNDED IN 1988 BY BOB
ANDERSON WHO
SUCCESSFULLY MANAGED TO
BREED FALCONS AND RETURN
THEM TO THE WILD BY
RELEASING THEM ON THE
CLIFFS.
ARTIFICIAL NEST BOXES
WERE ALSO PUT UP ALONG
THE UPPER MISSISSIPPI
BLUFFS AND TODAY THE
PEREGRINE FALCONS ARE
BACK IN NUMBERS WHERE
THEY ARE NO LONGER
CONSIDERED CRITICALLY
ENDANGERED.
BUT THE CONTINUED WORK
PROTECT AND MONITOR
THEM AND THEIR HABITAT
IS STILL CRUCIAL.
WHICH BRINGS US BACK TO
WHERE THIS STORY STARTED
TO THE STEEP CLIFFS OF
THE DRIFTLESS BLUFFS.
(ROB)
SO WE'RE ON A BIG
SOYBEAN FIELD UP ON THE
TOP OF THIS BLUFF,
BUT OVER THERE IS A BIG
CLIFF THAT OVERLOOKS THE
MISSISSIPPI RIVER AND WE
THINK THAT OVER THERE
MAY BE THE NEST OF A
PEREGRINE FALCON.
NOW WHETHER OR NOT THIS
ONE ACTUALLY HAS CHICKS
IN IT IS YET TO BE
DISCOVERED.
WE HAVE ALL OF OUR
CLIMBING GEAR AND YOU'LL
FIND OUT.
(? )
(DAVE KESTER)
CLIMBER TO TOPSIDE OVER.
FOUR LIVE BABIES.
(AMY)
I COULDN'T BELIEVE IT
WHEN SHE FLEW INTO THAT
POTHOLE I WAS LIKE “OH
MY GOD YOU KNOW SHE WENT
IN”.
THAT'S MUSIC TO MY EARS.
(ROB)
THERE ARE PEREGRINE
FALCONS RIGHT IN THAT
NEST.
HOW COOL IS THAT?
(JONAS)
TODAY IS AN ABSOLUTE
SUCCESS.
ON THE THREE BLUFFS WE
VISITED,
A TOTAL OF SEVEN HEALTHY
FALCON EYASS WERE FOUND
AND TAGGED.
(AMY)
NEXT,
MALE BAND.
K OVER 37.
(CLIMBER)
WITH WITH THE COLOR
MARK THE WAY IT IS AND
THE BIG LETTERS YOU KNOW
THAT K OVER 42 FOR
EXAMPLE,
THAT'S READ MORE READILY
VISIBLE IN A TELESCOPE.
(JONAS)
THE THING THAT GOT US
EXTRA EXCITED,
WAS THAT THE EYASIS WE
FOUND WERE IN NATURAL
NEST SITES ON THE ROCK.
SO THIS IS WHAT'S REALLY
COOL THERE'S ACTUALLY A
NEST BOX MOUNTED ON THE
ROCK FACE JUST MAYBE 40
YARDS DOWN THAT WAY.
BUT THIS IS WHAT THEY
CHOSEN IS NATURAL
CREVASSE RIGHT ON THE
ROCK.
(DAVE)
THEY'VE NEVER USED THIS
HOLE BEFORE AND IT'S A
BEAUTIFUL EYRIES.
IT'S IT'S IT'S DRY.
IT'S OUT OF THE
ELEMENTS.
IT'S PREDATOR FREE.
COONS CAN'T GET HERE
IT'S JUST IT'S ONE OF
THE BEST IRIES I'VE SEEN
IN A LONG TIME.
(JOHN)
YOU KNOW THIS IS A
GREAT STORY TO LET
PEOPLE KNOW.
I THINK IT'S REALLY
NEEDED BECAUSE WE WE SEE
THAT THEY'RE OFF THE
ENDANGERED SPECIES LIST.
YOU KNOW PEOPLE ARE
MONITORING THEM.
THEY APPEAR TO BE
HEALTHY.
WE'VE GOT THEM IN URBAN
AREAS WE'VE GOT THEM ON
NATURAL CAVITIES AND
THINGS LIKE THAT.
AND SO THIS REALLY WAS
THE ULTIMATE GOAL WAS TO
GET BACK TO FALCONS ON
ON THE BLUFFS.
AND WE ARE SO,
IT'S SUCH A GREAT
FEELING TODAY TO HAVE
OUR SECOND SITE THAT
WE'RE OUT HERE TODAY
THAT WE'VE ACTUALLY
FOUND FOUR YOUNG
FALCONS.
THEY'RE IN A REALLY NICE
LITTLE POTHOLE.
IT'S IT'S REALLY WHAT WE
WERE LOOKING FOR.
(JONAS)
HE'S SO CALM.
(ROB)
THAT WAS FRIGGIN
AWESOME.
(JONAS)
THIS IS A SUCCESS STORY
THAT REALLY TOUCHED US.
BUT MAYBE MORE
IMPORTANTLY IT IS
REMINDEDER THAT WE
SHOULDN'T TAKE WHAT WE
HAVE FOR GRANTED.
THE FALCONS AS WELL AS
OTHER BIRDS OF PREY WERE
ALMOST GONE.
AND SEEING FALCONS UP
CLOSE IN THEIR NATURAL
HABITAT IS SOMETHING I
WAS DREAMING OF AS A
KID.
NOW ROB AND I HAVE
BROUGHT OUR KIDS HERE TO
THE DRIFTLESS.
WE WANT OUR GROWING
FAMILIES TO SEE WHAT IT
MEANS TO LOVE A LAND AS
SPECIAL AS THIS.
I WANT MY KIDS TO GET TO
EXPERIENCE THE THINGS I
DREAMT UP WHEN I WAS
GROWING UP.
IN SMALL PLACES LIKE
THIS ECOSYSTEMS ARE VERY
SENSITIVE TO CHANGE.
THE DRIFTLESS REGION MAY
HAVE SURVIVED MANY
CHALLENGES IN THE PAST
BUT THAT IS NO PROMISE
IT CAN DO IT EVERY TIME.
IT IS UP TO US TO MAKE
SURE THESE STORIES LIVE
ON FOR FUTURE
GENERATIONS.
FOR OUR KIDS.
IT SHOULDN'T ONLY BE
SOMETHING THEY JUST
LEARNED ABOUT FROM A
BOOK OR FROM WATCHING A
MOVIE,
BUT TO SET FEET ON THE
LAND AND FLOAT THE
WATERS.
SEE THE BIRDS MIGRATE.
TRAVEL BACK IN TIME AND
WALK IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF
EARLY EXPLORERS.
OR FIND SECRET WORLDS
THAT NO ONE KNEW
EXISTED.
AND TO CONTINUE TO PASS
ON THE DREAMS TO THEIR
CHILDREN.
BUT MAKING SURE THAT CAN
HAPPEN IS UP TO US.
WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE
NOW AND IT STARTS WITH A
KNOWLEDGE OF HOW SPECIAL
THIS PLACE REALLY IS.
I SAID IN THE BEGINNING
THAT I HAD A HARD TIME
PUTTING MY FINGER ON WHY
THE DRIFTLESS REGION
FELT SPECIAL AND I STILL
CAN'T GIVE AN EASY
ANSWER.
IT IS BOTH VERY SIMPLE
AND AT THE SAME TIME
VERY COMPLEX.
ON THE ONE HAND ITS
NATURAL BEAUTY SHOULD
SIMPLY BE ENOUGH OF AN
ANSWER.
BUT LEAVING IT AT THAT
DOESN'T SEEM ENOUGH.
WHAT WE HAVE SEEN AND
WHAT WE HAVE EXPERIENCED
DURING OUR TIME IN THE
DRIFTLESS CAN BE SUMMED
UP AS A WILD RIDE OF
FASCINATING DISCOVERIES.
NOW ROB AND I ARE ACTING
AS THE GUIDES FOR OUR
FAMILIES IN THIS AREA WE
ONLY RECENTLY FOUND OUT
EXISTED.
A RELATIVELY SMALL AREA
PERHAPS BUT NEVERTHELESS
FILLED WITH HIDDEN
STORIES.
THE STORIES OF THE LAND
THAT THE GLACIER SPARED.
(? )
(ROB)
RIVER RAT FOREVER
(TIM)
IT WAS SO FREAKY,
THAT CAVE,
TRYING TO SQUEEZE THROUGH
THAT LITTLE OPENING
? I DANCED AND RAN
? THROUGH THE TALL GRASS
? AND FLOWERS
? IN THE DAYLIGHT,
? I FELT HEAVEN'S RAIN SHOWERS
? I WAS YOUNGER
? I SAW THOSE LOVING
? SPIRITS PLAY
? I WAS YOUNGER
? LIVING AND BREATHING
? AND DREAMING BIG
? AT THE END OF THE DAY
? END OF THE DAY