Forum Nature Area, in Columbia, Missouri, stretches across the floodplain of Hinkson Creek. Covered by a restored prairie and seasonal wetlands, the preserve catches drainage from surrounding uplands and its ecosystem is in constant flux as water levels rise and fall.
Having not visited the refuge for the past two weeks, my wife and I were surprised by the carnage along the southwest border of the seasonal lake. Heavy thunderstorms, abundant over the last month, had clearly sent a raging torrent through the preserve, uprooting willows, scouring away the gravel trail and covering numerous shrubs and saplings with silt and plant debris. High winds had also taken down several large trees and the refuge vistas had suddenly changed.
Unfazed, bullfrogs and green frogs croaked along the shoreline, green-backed herons stalked prey from the downed trees and a family of Canada geese plied the still waters. Away from the flood's path, prairie wildflowers adorned the grassland and resident songbirds moved through the woods, oblivious of the altered habitat. Of course, such seasonal floods created the valley in which the refuge lies; now and then, we are fortunate to witness the natural forces that have molded (and continue to mold) our planet.
