Dr. Richard Frost hosted an event on Wednesday, Nov. 15 where the audience was able to capture a new perspective on our Campus’s popular green space otherwise known as the Marsh. The Marsh has seen many battles over development in the area which many of us may not know about. Frost touched on those topics throughout his presentation and brought several current issues into the spotlight.

The Marsh is often the center of conversation when it comes to new development. Frost frequently commented on the desire of some to build in the marsh region and how the multiple times those plans were shut down.

To some, the marsh is ripe for development, while others hold value in the green space, but that typically depends on the generation that you’ve come from.

“In the old days, marshland was seen as a wasteland. Now, we have quite a different view on wetlands because we see the tremendous value of them, particularly in times when there are floods,” said Frost.

What makes the marsh such a desirable piece of land? “Because of the marsh’s location, right within a city, you have this situation where a marsh is where a city wants to be and a city where a marsh wants to be,” Frost stated. “People have wanted to develop this marsh ever since the city has been here, from the earliest part of our history; that’s why we call it an Urban Wetland in Conflict.”

Despite several attempts to develop on the marsh, the community has held strong and expressed their desire to keep the marsh intact. Why is that? The marsh is home to many critters who thrive and make the La Crosse community what it is today. It also is a place for college students to escape.

“For me, the Marsh is a place to escape to when life gets too chaotic,” UWL Junior Chelsey Sloan comments. “It’s a vital part of our city, giving the community members a chance to explore and appreciate the beautiful scenery around us.”

Plans for development might seem like they happened long ago, but plans are still being put through, attempting to sway the public of the need to build in the area. Frost reminded the audience of the important to check in on what’s going on through the city council and to be aware of what we might not be seeing.

“I would definitely urge other students to learn as much as they can about the Marsh!” Sloan stated.

Keeping up on current events is the best way to stay informed. You can also stop down at the Myrick Park Center where you can learn all about the marsh and what it has to offer.

One thing Frost is sure of is that the marsh isn’t going anywhere, for now, because of its uniqueness from the other landmarks of La Crosse. “Go to the marsh and see how many people are there. There are lots of people; there are always people in the marsh,” Frost remarked. “It’s central to the life of this city.”