Token Creek Sedge Meadow Trail

Token Creek Sedge Meadow Trail. . , This half-mile trail loops through a colorful meadow along Token Creek, a tributary of the upper Yahara River. Supporting the lush vegetation are deep, alkaline peat deposits which formed when the drainage of the river was blocked, probably as the glaciers melted ten to twenty thousand years ago., Dredging of the creek in the 1930’s significantly lowered the water level around its basin. One result was that water-loving sedges have been replaced by prairie-like plants such as the lavender asters, sunflowers and goldenrods seen blooming in late summer. Another common invader of drained lowlands is aspen, the original saplings have now spread into thickets of trees from a network of underground stems., When pussy willows sprout in spring, watch for the “sky dance” of woodcocks in open areas in the meadow. This robin-sized bird with a long bill repeats a loud “beep” or “peent” sound from the ground. After a few minutes, it flies slowly upward in a wide spiral, making twittering and warbling sounds. Then it drops suddenly to the ground and begins the performance again., One of the summer flowers is the tall, square-steamed cup plant. Each pair of leaves catches rain water where they join around the stem. As fall approaches, look for the bushy succulent-looking jewelweed. It has tiny seed pods that explode when touched. In the winter notice the animal “roads” in the snow, winding through the meadow. Winter is also a good time to learn shrub identification by observing the buds.