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neck of the woods | community

In 1888, it was thought lakes needed fish, so rainbow trout and experience we enjoy today. “Crater Lake National Park is a place of
kokanee salmon were introduced into a lake originally fishless. healing and inspiration. We want to make sure we’re protecting it for
The Mazama newt (found only in Crater Lake) was the top everyone—the critters who live here and the people who visit,” says
aquatic predator at that time. Then it was thought a new food Jen Hooke.
source was needed, and in 1915 crayfish were introduced. This
was another poor decision, as the crayfish are dominant omnivores and
very, very difficult to get rid of. A 2008 study found crayfish occupied
about 50% of the shoreline. Today, that figure is about 80%, with cor-
respondingly fewer newts. Crayfish and newts compete for the same
food and space, and the crayfish win. They are basically impossible to
eradicate in a lake approximately six miles across with crayfish found
to a 600-foot depth. While it’s known that the fish’s presence affects
lake dwellers, their ultimate effect on the lake itself is unknown.

Girdner says, “The lake is one of the few remaining large lakes in the
world with little impact from man, other than introduced species.
What we do here is important, because it’s hard to do anywhere else.”
This makes it a great place to study climate change because there is no
water withdrawal, no fertilizer runoff, etc. Crater Lake scientists work
with universities across the globe and are involved with a global lakes
science group that does multi-lake studies around the world.

These individuals do what park visitors cannot do, yet we have a part
to play. One seemingly small thing is to stay on designated trails and
walkways. Consider the effect of every footfall when amplified by the
sheer numbers of park visitors each year. Treating the park with respect
ensures that visitors for generations to come will have the awesome

54 www.southernoregonmagazine.com | summer 2020