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Did You Know? Bog Lakes
 Still Waters is blessed to have three small lakes on its property. One of them is hard to miss, a peaceful reflection at the foot of the hill beyond the old oak tree. Another one is a stone’s throw from one of the cabins, Tiqvah, and has a meandering wooden footpath leading out to it. The third lake is located to the north of the retreat house, and is more hidden in the woods than the other two.
One year ago last winter, a gentleman who had grown up in the Buchanan countryside stopped by and asked if he could admire the “bog lakes”. This piqued our interest and we learned that indeed, it is highly probable that the lakes at Still Waters will not forever remain as they are today.
Bog lakes are characterized by acidic, stained water, the accumulation of debris, and a distinctive shoreline plant community. These lakes are not uncommon in Michigan, particularly northern Michigan. They represent one of the final stages in the transformation of small lakes into mire wetlands.1 Perhaps in one hundred years, the lakes could even become meadows!
1. Rahel, Frank J., “Factors Structuring Fish Assemblages Along a Bog Lake Successional Gradient.” Ecology, Vol. 65, No. 4 (Aug., 1984), pp. 1276-1289.
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