Researchers are examining mountain bogs in Georgia and other
parts of the southeastern United States to gain historical clues
about the climate. The Georgia Department of Natural Resources
says a team of researchers visited remote mountain bogs in the
Chattahoochee National Forest in Rabun County last month. Their
goal was to look for deep sediments that are undisturbed by
human activity. Those sediments can include important
information for scientists. Over time, organic material from the
uplands gets washed into bogs and potential trapped. If
conditions are right, that organic material can be fossilized,
giving researchers a tool for tracking changes in local climates
over time. Officials said future explorations have been planned
for bogs in Union County.