Lyndon Township in Chelsea in Washtenaw County, Michigan — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)

The Beauty of Biodiversity

Photographed by John Ridley, March 27, 2024

1. The Beauty of Biodiversity Marker

Inscription.

The rich plant diversity of Park Lyndon is a result of geological features created by glacial activity. Soil types and soil moisture vary a great deal, with the "knobs" consisting of dry, sandy or gravelly soils, and many of the kettles existing as wetlands with organic "muck" or open water. Temperatures can also vary considerably in the park, partly due to elevation changes. Some of the higher, south-facing slopes receive substantial sunlight, while nearby shady low areas can be "air sinks", retaining cooler temperatures. On a winter day in 1980, the temperature recorded on a sunny hillside near the parking lot was 50 degrees warmer than the temperature recorded from a low wetland area! The diversity of moisture and temperature creates many microclimates in Park Lyndon, allowing plants with very different growth requirements to exist in close proximity to one another.

What Good is a Swamp?
The soils in swamps and other wetlands are rich in nutrients and organic matter. Swamps provide important habitat for a wide range of unique plants and animals. The wetlands and wetland edge communities north of where you are

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standing are so diverse that over 400 species of plants have been documented in the Embury Swamp preserve.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Environment • Parks & Recreational Areas.

Location. 42° 22.943′ N, 84° 3.499′ W. Marker is in Chelsea, Michigan, in Washtenaw County. It is in Lyndon Township. It can be reached from North Territorial Road 0.2 miles north of North Territorial Road. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 18880 N Territorial Rd, Chelsea MI 48118, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Southeast Michigan

and in Greater Detroit.

It is also in the American Midwest

and on the Great Lakes.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Northwest Territory.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 4 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: The Power of Ice (approx. ¼ mile away); History of Lyndon Township (approx. 0.3 miles away); A Good Home for Oaks

Photographed by John Ridley, March 27, 2024

2. The Beauty of Biodiversity Marker

(approx. 0.3 miles away); Shaping the Land (approx. 0.4 miles away); North Lake Methodist Church (approx. 2½ miles away); Park Lawn Beach (approx. 2.7 miles away); Unadilla Baseline Cemetery (approx. 2.9 miles away); First Presbyterian Church (approx. 3.2 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Chelsea.

Another marker is no longer nearby. John Cassidy House (was approx. 3.2 miles away but has been permanently removed).

Credits. This page was last revised on April 7, 2024. It was originally submitted on March 29, 2024, by John Ridley of Chelsea, Michigan. This page has been viewed 155 times since then and 11 times this year. Photos: 1. submitted on March 29, 2024, by John Ridley of Chelsea, Michigan. 2. submitted on March 31, 2024, by John Ridley of Chelsea, Michigan. • J. Makali Bruton was the editor who published this page.