A Natural Field Guide to the Plants of Carlisle Lake
Visitors walking the refurbished trail around Carlisle Lake in Onalaska now have the opportunity to learn about the plants that surround the lake, thanks to the hard work of a few local students.
Members of the Onalaska High School Science Club collaborated on a book titled, “A Natural Field Guide to the Plants of Carlisle Lake,” which explores the history of the lake and ecosystem surrounding it.
The 44-page, large format book has been published through Amazon with all of the proceeds benefitting the Onalaska High School Science Club.
The book started as a project between Onalaska high students Riley Dolan, Madison Girt, Caleb Huffman and Bernie Hayden last summer. Each student voluntarily wrote several chapters on different topics, which were then edited by Onalaska High School teachers.
“I definitely learned a lot through this process,” said Dolan, a senior at Onalaska High School. “Since it’s a science kind of book, you have to do a lot of research for it. I think the other members would agree.”
The goal now, Dolan said, is to see an expanded second edition written by incoming juniors and seniors.
“Our goals is for it to be an annual thing,” said Dolan. “Every year specific members from the science club and environmental science class will add chapters to the book.”
Dolan said the book was meant to be a fundraiser for the school’s science club and to make an impact on the student body and the community at large.
“To teach them to value the area's natural beauty and ecosystems, in hopes people in the community and school will appreciate area around them and be more environmentally conscious,” he said.
The book can be viewed at http://goo.gl/pi0Rbc.
