Geology at Pope Farm Conservancy
Video Series
Our video series “Geology at Pope Farm Conservancy” highlights the variety of landscape features at Pope Farm that were shaped by nature’s mightiest forces: the glaciers. Imagine thick sheets of ice marching over the land, overrunning and changing the landscape, and retreating…many, many times! The glaciers that once covered our state have left behind geological features that make Wisconsin an ideal place for geologists to study and learn about the work of glacial ice. Watch along as we journey through time and discover the geologic history of the land.
These videos were developed and funded by the Friends of Pope Farm Conservancy.
Glaciers, Glaciation, and the Ice Age
What is a glacier, and where do they come from? And why is Wisconsin the ideal place for geologists to study and learn about the work of glacial ice?
How Do Glaciers Work?
How do glaciers form and grow to continental proportions? What makes them move and become the most powerful force ever known.
How Glaciers Formed the Landscape
What would it have been like to stand here 25,000 years ago? Can you see where the glacier stopped? How were the hills formed at Pope Farm Conservancy, and what are they called?
Driftless Area
What is the driftless area? You can see the edge of the driftless area from the Conservancy, can you find it? Why is the driftless area different from other areas in the state?
Modern Streams and Valleys Nearby
From atop of the hill at Pope Farm Conservancy, you can see three watersheds: Black Earth Creek Valley, Lake Mendota in the Yahara River Watershed, and the Sugar River Watershed.
The Legacy of the Glaciers
When the glacier retreated, how did living things adapt to the new landscape? What are some of the gifts the glacier left us, and how do they impact our lives today?
