Ice Ages in the Finger Lakes

 Understanding the geological history of our region enhances the study of our native flora.  Many of the unique aspects of our flora arise from the varied topography left by glaciers (e.g. eskers, kettle holes).  These glacial landforms were deposited during the Ice Ages, a time of profound climatic and environmental change, when a continental ice sheet extended southwards from Canada into New York on multiple occasions and substantially altered the landscape of the Finger Lakes region.  David will focus on how this ice sheet interacted with a pre-existing system of valleys to produce the Finger Lakes, gorges and outburst flood channels that comprise our local landscape.