Dr. Martin to speak at Blissfield library posted 9/24/08
Adrian College professor will present about River Raisin watershed

ADRIAN, Mich. – Adrian College professor Dr. James Martin will present at the Schultz-Holmes Memorial Library as part of its Phyllis Robertson Program Series on Thursday, Oct. 2 at 7 P.M. Dr. Martin will deliver a program on the biological history of the River Raisin watershed.

The River Raisin watershed provides sustenance for various animal species, offers some of the most fertile farmland in the state, and occasionally contains danger and loss when the river floods. The watershed provides the area not only with its livelihood, but with its identity as the Black Swamp at the bottom of a prehistoric lake.

Dr. Martin, an associate professor and the chair of the biology department at Adrian College, directs the River Raisin Watershed Council’s Adopt-a-Stream program. He has made the river and the surrounding watershed a classroom for hundreds of students, who venture into the water, along the banks, and through the grasses in search of plants and animals to study. Dr. Martin will discuss the ecology of the region along with the factors that contribute to and control flooding.

The library’s Phyllis Robertson Lecture Series was made possible by a gift from the estate of Phyllis Robertson, a local writer and photographer, as well as a long-time benefactor to and advocate of the library. Programs this fall will include an overview of Social Security programs and benefits, fall gardening advice from Hidden Lake Gardens, and holiday decorating from Floral Designer Debbie Royal.

The Schultz-Holmes Memorial Library’s address is 407 South Lane Street, located in Blissfield. All library programs are free and open to the public. Governed by an elected board of trustees, the library is an independent affiliate of the Lenawee County Library System, holding over 33,000 volumes, six public internet access computers, a local history archive, and two microfilm readers. In addition to the lecture series, the library offers free book clubs, film festivals, youth programs, inter-library loan and reference assistance, as well as copy and fax services for a small fee.