More than eight decades ago, two enterprising biologists from UW-Madison opened a modest little research outpost on Trout Lake, deep in the heart of Wisconsin’s spectacular northern lake region. The goal was to peer into the fundamental mysteries of freshwater lakes, from their basic chemistry to their elaborate circle of life.
Lake research was virtually uncharted territory back then, and Trout Lake Station helped cement Wisconsin’s place as “the birthplace of limnology.”
Today, research at Trout Lake is thriving more than ever, and many of the fundamental mysteries still remain. But with the profound growth of development and recreational pressure on pristine lakes throughout Wisconsin — and indeed, the world — the research is increasingly aimed at protecting a cherished resource.
This feature package by science writer Paroma Basu explores some of the research in progress in the Trout Lake region, and how findings may lead to better policies protecting what people love best about their lakes.