News, Culture and NPR for Central & Northern Michigan
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
91.7FM Alpena and WCML-TV Channel 6 Alpena are off the air. Click here to learn more.

Your Kodak Moments could further environmental research

Mike Eaves|https://flic.kr/p/9PEtzC
/
Flickr

Researchers are searching for your Kodak moments. A new research project wants your old vacation photos to track sand dune changes in Michigan.

The project is asking people to send in photos of Michigan sand dunes taken at least 25 years ago.

 

Through a process called repeat photography, researchers will track ecosystem changes by comparing old pictures with how the dunes look now.

 

Tom Zimnicki is a researcher with the Michigan Environmental Council.

 

“We know that sand dunes are a living ecosystem and are very dynamic. So by looking at a photo from 1900, the dune is going to look alot different than it does today.”

 

Zimnicki said the public can help further research by retaking old photos.

 

“We are actually asking residents to go out and if they have an old photo to actually conduct repeat photography. So to go out there and take a photo from the same vantage point, the same location that the old historic photo was taken from.”

 

Zimnicki said the data collected will help the long-term preservation and conservation of coastal areas.

 

People interested in submitting photos can find the online form here.