Spring 2017 Newsletter
A piping plover on the Lake Michigan shore. © Betty Cottrille
For Members of The Nature Conservancy in Michigan
Minnesota
Lake Super
ior
Ontario
Copper
Harbor
KeweenawMichigamme
Highlands
South Shore
Lake Superior
Two Hearted Watershed
Marquette
Sault Ste. Marie
Munising
Newberry
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Drummond
Island
Cedarville
Michigan –
Green Bay
Escanaba
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Northern Lake HuronPresque Isle Shoreline
Cheboygan
Beaver
Island
Harbor Springs
Grand/Little
Traverse Bays
La
Alpena
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Elk
Rapids
Hu
Traverse
City
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Mio
Frankfort
Lake Mi
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Wi s c on s i n
Saginaw Bay Watershed
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Sagina
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Midland
Bay City
Saginaw
Muskegon
nd
Gra
Holland
Lansing
Saugatuck
Conservation Project Areas
n
Grand
Rapids
Eastern
Lake Michigan
Shoreline
Ontario
Southern Fens and Savannas
Healthy Waters
Thriving Coasts
Grass Lake
Paw Paw
Il l i n oi s
St. Joseph
Resilient Forests
Ann
Arbor
Healthy Waters
Monroe
Toledo
Conservancy-owned
land
Thriving
Coasts
Forests
Resilient
Conservancy
conservation
Land protected
by
easements
The Nature Conservancy
Conservancy-owned
Land protectedland
and transferred
to a Conservancy
Conservancy
conservationpartner
easements
Detroit
Liberty
Tecumseh
Land protected by
Conservation Project Areas
The Nature Conservancy
City of Detroit
Western
Lake Erie
Basin
Lake
Erie
Western Lake Erie Basin
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protected and transferred to a
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partner with
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Where We Work
ince 1960, The Nature Conservancy has protected more than 377,000 acres in Michigan.
This map illustrates how our approach to protecting nature and preserving life has expanded to
encompass priority projects at landscape and watershed scales.
The Conservancy’s work has grown from place-based land protection projects to include sustainable
water and land-use practices and policy; innovative research and tool development; long-term
strategic planning, and ultimately, whole-system conservation worthy of our location in the heart of
the world’s largest freshwater system.
2 Field Notes from Michigan | Spring 2017
© Northern saw-whet owl by Kevin Vance, Flickr, CC by ND 2.0
Birds like this Northern Saw-whet Owl are some of the hundreds of species that can be found in the western Lake Erie area (see more on pages 8-9).
Happy Spring!
As I read through this issue of our newsletter, I am reminded again just how far
your support enables our conservation efforts to reach. From the tip of the
Keweenaw Peninsula all the way down to the Ohio border, we’re working on
conservation in forests, farmlands, coasts, waters and cities for both people and
nature. From the science laboratory to the business boardroom to the Capitol,
we’re working on sound, science-based policies and informing business and public
sector goals and decisions in sustainability.
On pages 4 and 5, you’ll start at the top of the state, learning how sustainable
forestry is protecting one of the most iconic habitats in Michigan’s Upper
Peninsula. Flip to pages 6 and 7 to head further south and get a look at innovative
conservation efforts happening in Detroit and other cities. And on pages 8 and 9,
you’ll read about work in the Western Lake Erie Basin that is protecting wildlife
habitat across state boundaries. Our actions around the state are informed by
science and implemented using a wide array of conservation tools, from modeling
technology to meeting with elected officials and leaders on policy affecting
funding, best practices and management.
Table of Contents
Good Wood..................................... 4
Urban Conservation Stories......... 6
Creating a Vision for
Western Lake Erie Basin............... 8
Land Protection Update.............. 10
Great Lakes Update...................... 11
Spotlight on Upper Peninsula
Preserves........................................ 14
Connect With Nature...................15
The stories in this newsletter and online also demonstrate how broad and multifaceted our approach to conservation has become. While we still incorporate
traditional “boots on the ground” conservation efforts across the state, our new urban
conservation initiatives, policy work and partnerships have allowed us to evolve
and find new pathways to conserve lands and waters across the Great Lakes region.
© Michael D-L Jordan
I hope to see you out in nature this spring and summer!
Yours in Conservation,
Helen Taylor
State Director
P.S. If you don’t have time to travel to our preserves this season, visit them online at
nature.org/mipreserves.
State Director Helen Taylor
Spring 2017 | Field Notes from Michigan 3
Good Wood
Sustainable management strategies lead to healthy forests and a thriving economy. © Jason Whalen/Big Foot Media
The forests of the Great Lakes region, often lovingly known as the “northwoods,” span
northern Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota, spreading onward into Canada. In total, the
northwoods encompass more than 51 million acres of forest.
In addition to providing habitat for iconic and rare species, these forests also provide clean
air, absorb carbon, filter water and provide year-round recreation and tourism opportunities.
Furthermore, they are a key economic asset for the state of Michigan, supporting a timber
industry valued at $17 billion annually.
To protect these important forests,
the Conservancy has developed a
conservation strategy designed to
improve their health. Most of Michigan’s
forests have been timbered at one time
or another, and are second growth, with
many areas that were replanted to favor
specific varieties that are economically
valuable. We are actively restoring some
of these forest lands, and in certain cases,
this work involves sustainable forestry
practices to bring back greater tree
species and age diversity rather than vast
monoculture stands. Sustainable harvest
helps to support the local timber
economy, and a more diverse forest
offers higher quality habitat for other
plants and animals, and is more resilient
to climate change, invasive species
and disease.
Sustainable Harvest
Trees sustainably harvested by certified
foresters can be cut in a manner that
mimics natural disturbance events, such
as wind and ice storms, fire and natural
fallings. By using these techniques, the
Conservancy is stimulating natural
processes and enabling the forests to
re-establish their natural diversity
more quickly.
“Essentially, we’re re-booting the forest,”
explained Tina Hall, director of land
resources. “If we were to leave the land
4 Field Notes from Michigan | Spring 2017
alone, the forests’ natural diversity may
come back in perhaps 100-150 years.
But with threats like climate change
and invasive pests becoming ever more
prevalent, the forests just don’t have
that kind of time. They need to be
resilient now.”
Many of Michigan’s forests are almost
entirely one species, due to hundreds of
years of being managed for maple—
a species long preferred by forestproducts manufacturers.
“Our forests underwent what I call
‘maple-ization’,” said Tina. “If a mapledestroying pest or pathogen were to come
into Michigan’s forests, there would be
Timber sustainably harvested from the Conservancy’s Two Hearted
River Forest Reserve in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan is being
made into floors for the nation’s top college men’s and women’s
basketball championship games in March this year!
Connor Sports, located in Newberry Michigan, has the honor and
responsibility of producing the floors, and, this year, the wood used
in these treasured floors will be sourced primarily from
Conservancy-owned, FSC-certified sustainably harvested trees.
© Richard Baumer
“There are more jobs in the U.P. related to the forest industry than
any other industry,” Jason Gasperich, director of sustainability for
Connor Sports, told WJMN-TV in Marquette. “This is just a small
piece of that industry, but it’s an opportunity to showcase some of
the great things we can do here in Michigan.”
Michigan’s 20-million acres of forestland supply some of the best
hard maple and red oak timber in the world.
“If you want a beautiful maple floor, whether for basketball or in
your home, it must come from Michigan,” Bowman said. “It can’t
come from anywhere else and that’s pretty cool.”
Our Two Hearted River Forest Reserve was part of
the Northern Great Lakes Forest Project, a.k.a. “The
Big U.P. Deal” in 2005.
To learn more about this project, visit nature.org/foresttofloor.
© Melissa Molenda/The Nature Conservancy
“Most forests in Michigan today are
managed. Even doing nothing is a
management choice on the part of a
forestland owner,” said Rich Bowman, the
Conservancy’s director of government
relations in Michigan, and forest expert.
“For Michigan’s forests to thrive and be
sustainable, they must be managed in an
informed, thoughtful manner.”
How can you help our forests be healthy? Look
for the FSC logo on wood and paper products.
very few trees left. The American beech
tree was eliminated from forests across
the entire UP in just five years by beech
bark disease. Our forests need to be
diverse in order to be resilient.”
Certifying Forests
Since implementing sustainable forestry
practices in 2005, the Conservancy has
developed management plans for more
than 24,000 acres and enhanced 700
acres using sustainable harvest
techniques. But, to improve the health of
all of Michigan’s forests, sustainable
forestry needs to be practiced statewide.
The Conservancy is using data gathered
from our sustainably harvested lands to:
1. demonstrate the economic and
ecological viability of sustainable
forestry practices,
2. influence the management choices of
federal, state, industrial and private
landowners, and
3. promote certification of forest lands by
the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC).
FSC certification ensures that forests
are managed responsibly for their
environmental, social and economic
benefits.
“It’s imperative that forest managers
think about more than a stand’s ability to
produce ‘boards and cords’,” explains
Matt Dallman, the Conservancy’s
conservation director for Wisconsin.
“We want landowners to think of the
forests as a biological system and ask
how their management choices may
impact the future of that system. FSC
certification is the way to ensure that
type of thinking happens.”
How you can Help
Sustainable forestry
doesn’t end in the woods;
it continues to you—
the consumer. When
purchasing forest
products, be sure to check if the product
is certified by the Forest Stewardship
Council by looking for the FSC logo.
“The best way everyone can help is to
educate yourself on FSC products and
begin to value and demand them,” Tina
said. “FSC-certified products are not just
lumber, you’d be surprised how many
common household paper goods are
certified.”
Spring 2017 | Field Notes from Michigan 5
Urban Conservation Stories
Reviving the Flint River
“The Flint River is an amazing river, but the stretch in
downtown Flint is the most degraded section, full of concrete
channels and dams,” explained Janet VanDeWinkle, the project
sustainability director for Genesee County Parks’ Flint
Riverfront Restoration Project. “Most people associate the river
with this stretch, so they think that it’s still very industrial. But
in reality, other parts of the river are beautiful.”
The Nature Conservancy is assisting partners who are working
to restore the section of the river that runs through the heart of
the City of Flint. Not only does this part of the river lack green
space and natural areas, but it is home to two dams that are at
risk for failure and flooding, becoming hazards to public safety.
“The Hamilton Dam is really what drove the Flint Riverfront
Restoration Plan,” Janet said. “The community knew the dam
needed to be removed, but the project goes well beyond that
and makes the river safely accessible to anglers and paddlers,
provides critical trail connections, and green space for special
events and for other recreational opportunities.”
Habitat restoration is also a key piece of the project. The
removal of the dams will create a significant amount of habitat
for fish and other aquatic life, including walleye.
The Nature Conservancy is working with a number of partners to restore
the section of the Flint River that runs through the heart of downtown
Flint.
site is planted with native grasses and trees, providing habitat
that hasn’t existed in more than 100 years.”
The Nature Conservancy is providing advisory support to the
project and convening a number of stakeholders needed to
ensure the right connections, partners and funding are in place.
Through the collaborative efforts of Genesee County Parks, the
City of Flint, Kettering University, the University of MichiganFlint, the C.S. Mott Foundation, the Hagerman Foundation and
others, the project is moving forward for both nature and
people.
“We believe that this is a key part of the long-term strategy for
economic and social prosperity in Flint,” Janet said. “This
project will transform downtown, provide unique recreational
opportunities that will improve residents’ health and quality of
life, spur business development and attract visitors from across
the state.”
© Kevin Arnold
“At Chevy Commons, the site of a historic General Motors Plant
near the river, 60 acres that was a sea of concrete and blight has
been transformed,” Janet explained. “Now, nearly half of the
Photo courtesy Flint River Watershed Coalition
The Flint River often conjures images of degraded water quality
and industrial blight. But today, The Nature Conservancy is
helping to revive this important freshwater resource for people
and for nature.
Even small examples of green infrastructure like this urban rain garden can make a big difference for absorbing stormwater runoff.
6 Field Notes from Michigan | Spring 2017
Saginaw
RACER Trust property © Michael D-L Jordan
In the City of Saginaw, the Conservancy is helping transition a
former industrial area into the Saginaw Riverfront Park—an
open green space with trails and natural areas that will give
local residents a new way to connect with nature along the
Saginaw River. The site of the former General Motors Saginaw
Malleable Metals Foundry and Greenpoint Landfill is currently
owned and managed by the RACER Trust, created in 2011 as
part of General Motors’ 2009 bankruptcy proceedings to
dispose of the company’s abandoned real estate. The property
has grassland and wetland habitat, shallow ponds and a forested
river corridor, with almost a mile of riverfront access ready to
be enjoyed by the public.
The Nature Conservancy helped spearhead the public-private planning
process that resulted in Saginaw’s proposed Riverfront Park, once the site
of a foundry and landfill.
The Conservancy played an important role in the project,
securing grant funding from the Saginaw Community
Foundation for preliminary site assessment work and
spearheading the collaborative public-private planning process
that resulted in the proposed Riverfront Park.
While the Michigan Department of Natural Resources will
purchase the property for only $10, funding for trails and
improvements to the land for safety and accessibility will come
from a $290,000 grant approved by the Michigan Natural
Resources Trust Fund.
The Saginaw County Parks and Recreation Commission will
manage the park, which will offer hiking and biking trails, wildlife
viewing and catch-and-release fishing in the river. Funding for
the long-term maintenance and continued improvements for
the park will need to be raised to support an endowment fund
established by the Saginaw Community Foundation.
“It’s very gratifying to see nature return here,” said Nature
Conservancy state director Helen Taylor. “The support of the
community has been amazing. They are ready to see some
changes in Saginaw and help make this a beautiful place to live.”
© Michael David-Lorne Jordan/David-Lorne Photographic
“We know that when this project is done, it’s no longer a
‘best kept secret’ of how great the Flint River is—we want
everyone to know!”
The city of Detroit is under significant pressure to improve its
stormwater management system. Can green infrastructure be a part
of the solution?
Urban Conservation Updates: Detroit
Like many other aging cities across North America, Detroit
faces infrastructure challenges around water. When heavy rains
occur, the city’s combined sewer system is overwhelmed, and
sewage-contaminated waters flood basements and overflow
into rivers and, ultimately, the Great Lakes. Detroit is under
significant pressure to improve this system, but the costs of
implementing traditional “gray” infrastructure improvements—
such as new pipes and larger containment facilities—are only
increasing, with current estimates at $1.2 billion.
The Nature Conservancy is working to improve water quality
in the Detroit River and Lake Erie by reducing the number of
sewage-contaminated discharge events and surface flooding
through the introduction of green infrastructure. Green
infrastructure is an engineered approach that incorporates green
space and natural plant material to absorb, retain and slow
stormwater runoff. Green infrastructure helps keep rainfall where
it lands by slowing the flow and allowing it to seep back into the
groundwater system. This decreases surface flooding, leading
to improved water quality in adjacent rivers and lakes, while
providing attractive green spaces that contribute to neighborhood
revitalization by providing recreational areas and beautification.
The Conservancy’s work in Detroit includes a new partnership
with Detroit’s Eastern Market to implement green infrastructure
solutions, funded by a generous grant from the Ralph C. Wilson,
Jr. Foundation. The Conservancy will be implementing two
green infrastructure demonstration projects, as well as helping
Eastern Market design and plan for green infrastructure
solutions to stormwater management in conjunction with the
market’s operations. These efforts will provide an opportunity
to work with the local community, the City of Detroit, and the
Detroit Water and Sewerage Department to develop
community green space amenities and reduce the burden on
the City’s current wastewater system. In addition, the
Conservancy’s plans include exploratory studies of innovative
administrative and finance structures for property owners to
manage stormwater and drainage charge requirements.
The Conservancy’s work in Detroit is part of a larger network
of urban conservation projects across the U.S., spanning over
20 cities. This network of urban conservation experts provides
a valuable opportunity for sharing lessons learned and to bring
knowledge and resources to bear in helping revitalize Detroit.
Spring 2017 | Field Notes from Michigan 7
Creating a Vision for
Western Lake Erie Basin
The Western Lake Erie Basin (WLEB),
which stretches more than 8 million
acres across Michigan, Indiana, Ohio and
Ontario, is home to incredible large-scale
wetlands that are some of the most
biologically productive lands and waters
in the entire Great Lakes region. It
provides everything from “rest and
refuel” habitat for thousands of
migratory birds and fish production
greater than anywhere else in the Great
Lakes, to recreational opportunities that
power local economies.
Now, through a new project, The Nature
Conservancy is finding better ways to
protect this area and the numerous
ecological and economic benefits it
provides for both people and nature.
To demonstrate that it is possible to
prioritize the needs of both people and
nature, the Conservancy conducted a
unique mapping process that directly
connected conservation with quality of
life by identifying where nature and
human needs intersect.
Natural Economics
Within the mapping process, scientists
compiled data and imagery not only on
natural areas and features, but also
features that are important to people,
such as beaches, hunting and fishing
grounds, birding hot spots and trails.
These birds are the unwitting stars of an
annual event called “The Biggest Week in
American Birding.” The event draws
more than 100,000 people to the greater
Toledo area and generates an estimated
$26 million in revenue for the local area.
“We wanted to map and further
understand the benefits to people that
nature is providing,” said Patrick Doran,
associate state director in Michigan.
“It’s amazing! The first two weeks of May,
you can’t even find a hotel room in
Toledo,” exclaimed Patrick.
8 Field Notes from Michigan | Spring 2017
The WLEB provides crucial stopover
habitat for millions of migrating birds.
Songbirds, waterfowl, shorebirds, hawks
and owls rely on the WLEB for rest and
refreshment before continuing their
long journeys.
© Eric Albrecht/The Nature Conservancy
Captain Paul Pacholski fishes in Lake Erie every day. Watch a video to see how our coastal restoration work helps fishermen, including Captain Paul,
at nature.org/eriemarsh.
© Gust Annis/The Nature Conservancy
© Mary Thomas/The Nature Conservancy
The estimated number of boats on the water near marinas is shown on a gradient from green to red, with green being the highest density of boats.
The WLEB analysis area is outlined in black.
A Shared Vision for the Project
Future protection and management of
such a vast, ecologically and
economically important region requires
cooperation and collaboration among
stakeholders—people who may have very
different motivations.
Millions of birds depend on western Lake Erie basin, including species such as the eastern kingbird
and ruby-throated hummingbird.
But the $26 million generated each
spring is pocket change compared to
what fish generate for the WLEB. Each
year, sport fishermen account for nearly
one-third of the 1.7 million anglers
drawn to the area. Between 2006 and
2011 recreational anglers contributed
$1.9 billion to the Great Lakes’ economy—
more than $380 million per year.
“The greater Toledo area is one of those
best-kept secrets for ecotourism,”
Patrick said. “Nature is a magnet for
tourism where local communities like
Toledo value nature for the aesthetic and
recreational benefits it provides.”
“We may not all be there for the same
reason, but together we can work toward
mutually beneficial results,” Patrick said.
“We can overcome differences because
the commonalities are more important:
all people depend upon the benefits that
nature provides. Nature unites us.”
To learn more about our work in the Western Lake Erie Basin,
visit nature.org/wleb.
Spring 2017 | Field Notes from Michigan 9
Land Protection Update
377,764
The total number of acres of land we’ve
protected in Michigan and Ontario
in the past 56 years, thanks to the
support of members like you.
2016 Protection Highlights:
Sometimes the best way to protect a natural area is for us to buy it and restore it ourselves,
while in other cases, we might facilitate a donation of land to a partner organization that is
best suited to care for that particular place.
This blend of protection strategies—purchases, easements and transfers—is what allows
us to link larger landscapes together and protect Michigan’s incredible wild places for
both people and nature. Explore the figures below to see what we accomplished recently
with your help.
1,059
Acres Transferred to Partners
© Ann Fisher
In 2016, the Conservancy transferred approximately 1,059 acres to public agencies and
conservation partners:
776
acres at Bete Grise North
The Conservancy transferred more than 776 acres located north of Lac La Belle in the
Keweenaw Peninsula to the Houghton-Keweenaw Conservation District. While the
Conservancy maintains the 63-acre Bete Grise Wetlands Preserve, the District now
owns, protects and manages nearly 5,000 acres in this area.
The Michigan Dept. of Natural Resources
says that Deer Lake “earned a reputation as
a fishery that hosts high catch rates of
walleye and northern pike.”
234
243
acres at Bois Blanc Island
The Conservancy transferred nearly 243 acres on Bois Blanc Island, located in northern
Lake Huron just north of Cheboygan, to the Michigan Nature Association (MNA). Little
Traverse Conservancy, MNA, and The Nature Conservancy all owned land on this
island. This transfer is part of an effort to consolidate ownership and management in
areas such as this one.
Acres Donated at Deer Lake
For more than 16 years, the Conservancy
held a conservation easement on
244 acres of land near Deer Lake along
southern shore of Lake Superior in
the Upper Peninsula. Recently, the
landowners generously donated
234 acres of the property to the
Conservancy, retaining 10 acres that
will remain in the conservation easement.
In 2016, the Conservancy acquired
nearly 22 acres as additions to three
existing preserves: Zetterberg Preserve
at Point Betsie in Michigan’s Lower
Peninsula, Maxton Plains Preserve on
Drummond Island and the Two Hearted
River Forest Reserve in Michigan’s
Upper Peninsula.
© Jason Whalen
Preserves Expanded
© Jason Whalen/Big Foot Media
3
Final transfer on Big Charity Island in Saginaw Bay
The Conservancy transferred the last of seven parcels on Big Charity Island to the U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service’s Michigan Islands National Wildlife Refuge (USFWS). Over
the last 15 years, the Conservancy had acquired and transferred just over eight acres to
the USFWS to add to its island refuge, and with the transfer of this last 1.28 acres, this
effort is now complete.
The Zetterberg Preserve at Point Betsie in
the Lower Peninsula.
10 Field Notes from Michigan | Spring 2017
More than 776 acres at the Bete Grise
Preserve were transferred to the HoughtonKeweenaw Conservation District.
Great Lakes Update
Across the Great Lakes region, The Nature Conservancy is working to improve water quality, restore native fisheries, prevent and remove invasive
species, and protect coastlines and northern forests. © Matthew Dae Smith/Big Foot Media
The Great Lakes hold one-fifth of the world’s surface freshwater, making them an incredible resource for both people
and nature. They provide the fresh water we drink, habitat for fish and wildlife found nowhere else on Earth,
transportation pathways that power local economies and wild places where we can connect with nature. But today,
due to a growing population, a changing climate and other environmental stressors, the Great Lakes are threatened
by habitat loss, degraded water quality and invasive species.
The Conservancy is working in all eight of the Great Lakes states to confront these challenges by improving water
quality in rivers and lakes, restoring native fisheries, preventing and removing invasive species, and protecting our
majestic coastlines and northern forests. Following is an update on priority projects from across the region.
Healthy Waters
© Mark Godfrey/The Nature Conservancy
Battling Aquatic Invasive Species
Spooked by a passing boat, the highly invasive Asian carp (a generic
term for several type of carp imported from Asia) leap from the water.
Asian carp were first introduced in the United States in the 1970’s to
control invasive weeds and parasites in southern fish farms.
The Conservancy is actively participating on the Chicago Area
Waterway System (CAWS) Advisory Committee, which seeks
to help the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers identify solutions to
prevent the passage of aquatic invasive species (AIS) through
the Chicago canal system both into and out of the Great Lakes.
The Conservancy recently commissioned a report by CH2M,
a large engineering firm, that proposes safe but effective
chemical treatment of water in shipping locks in the CAWS
to stop AIS from spreading between the Great Lakes and the
Mississippi River as ships travel through. This analysis provides
important infrastructure sizing and cost information for CAWS
stakeholders to consider, and could be used by the Corps to
inform the planning and design of an AIS lock treatment system
at Brandon Road Lock.
Additionally, the Conservancy is working with scientists from
the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Oceanic
Spring 2017 | Field Notes from Michigan 11
Institute of Hawai`i Pacific University to test the efficacy of the
next generation of Environmental DNA (eDNA) methods.
eDNA surveillance has the potential to reduce the effort and
time required to detect aquatic invasive species, allowing for
early detection of their presence while populations are still
small enough to be controlled. Conservancy and partner
scientists will use these tests to provide guidance on how eDNA
methods can be used by management agencies across the basin.
In the fall of 2016, the Conservancy collaborated with Michigan
Department of Natural Resources, Central Michigan University
and Smith Root, Inc. to test a new electric tool that may be able
to control invasive round goby on spawning reefs in Grand
Traverse and Little Traverse Bay. Additionally, the team
conducted laboratory and field trials on barriers and traps that
stop another invasive species, rusty crawfish, from moving onto
these reefs where native lake herring, lake whitefish and lake
trout spawn. The pilot tests
indicate that both the electric
tool and the barriers have
potential to successfully
suppress or prevent these two
species from colonizing the
reefs. The team is now seeking
Round Goby (above) prey on the
additional funds to scale up
eggs spawned by lake herring, lake
and deploy these tools across
whitefish and lake trout on Great
Lakes reefs.
a number of spawning reefs in
This winter, the Conservancy initiated work with a commercial
fisherman to begin studying Kiyi in Lake Superior. Kiyi are a
type of Great Lakes cisco—closely related to lake whitefish and
lake herring—that disappeared from Lakes Michigan, Huron
and Ontario in the 1900s due to overfishing and invasive
species. While they remain abundant in Lake Superior, very
little is known about Kiyi. Conservancy scientists collected
these fish during the early winter—when historical accounts
indicate they are likely to spawn—to try to pinpoint when and
where they spawn. Through this research, we will better
understand the potential feasibility of rearing these fish for
re-establishment back into the lower Great Lakes.
Reconnecting Great Lakes Rivers and Lakes
The Nature Conservancy is proud to serve on the Great Lakes
Aquatic Habitat Connectivity Collaborative, a consortium of
conservation groups, state and federal agencies, and local
stakeholders working to prioritize the removal of dams,
barriers and reconstruction of road-stream crossings to
reconnect streams and rivers across the Great Lakes basin.
Recently, the Collaborative created two new working groups to
address key aspects of river and stream connectivity
restoration that face different challenges. One of these working
groups will focus on how to deliver resources and best practices
© Michael David-Lorne Jordan/David-Lorne Photographic
© Peter van der Sluijs - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0
Protecting Native Fisheries
northern Lake Michigan. If funding is secured, we will be able
to test whether suppression of these bottom predators is
effective on an entire spawning reef habitat.
The Nature Conservancy is working with partners, including agriculture and industry, to improve water quality in Saginaw Bay.
12 Field Notes from Michigan | Spring 2017
to local road authorities that will inform how they construct or
replace road-stream crossings to allow for fish passage and
better stream function. The other group will address the
tension between maintaining barriers that prevent the spread
of aquatic invasive species like sea lamprey, while
simultaneously allowing the passage of Great Lakes migratory
fish into their spawning habitat. The working groups will be
developing goals, objectives, strategies, assessment need and
information management and progress tracking in 2017.
Students from grades 6 to 12 from Tahquamenon area schools
had the chance to hear Conservancy staff talk about the
importance of sustainable forestry at a special Field Day hosted
by Connor Sports, the company who is using sustainable wood
from the Conservancy’s forest reserve to make many types of
sustainable sport courts. The event covered the importance of
sustainable forestry, and the history of forestry in the Upper
Peninsula and career opportunities for students in the fields of
forestry and conservation.
Additionally, Conservancy and research partners have been
working to revise Fishwerks, an interactive, online decision
tool that presents stakeholders with optimal solutions for
barrier removal. The next version (to be released later this
year) will include new data that will allow users to create
the best barrier removal scenarios to benefit individual
fish species.
Healthy Coasts
In 2016, the Conservancy received federal funding through the
Great Lakes Restoration Initiative to restore and improve
coastal and dune habitats along the Ohio Lake Erie shoreline
from Cleveland to Ashtabula. The project has already treated
more than 840 acres of aggressive invasive species, such as
Phragmites and bush honeysuckle, at more than a dozen
privately and publicly owned sites—including the Cleveland
Lakefront Nature Preserve, Mentor Marsh and Lake Erie Bluffs.
It is the first unified effort among coastal landowners to
improve the natural condition of the shoreline for greater
biological diversity and natural resiliency in this area. The
project represents an opportunity not only to restore the
natural benefits of shoreline habitat, but also demonstrate the
value of these special places to the people who visit them each
year. Treatment will continue this summer on an additional
1,000 acres of central Lake Erie basin coastal areas.
Protecting Water Quality
It’s important to maintain levels of groundwater recharge in
the Saginaw Bay watershed to replenish drinking water and
irrigation sources and maintain stream flow for wildlife.
To accomplish this, the Conservancy has contracted with
Huron Conservation District to enroll farmers in groundwater
recharge contracts. Through these contracts, farmers agree to
implement conservation practices on their lands for a defined
period of time. The amount of groundwater recharge generated
during that time period will be quantified and a payment issued
to the farmer based on the recharge provided. Currently, more
than 1,400 acres of farmland have been enrolled to implement
“no-till” farming through the program, providing 36.6 million
gallons of groundwater recharge.
The Conservancy also collaborated with partners to restore
coastal wetlands in the western Lake Erie basin. Working with
Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge and Ducks Unlimited, the
Conservancy led the work to restore a 340-acre marsh at the
Refuge. This important habitat sits adjacent to Crane Creek
near the estuary’s mouth to Lake Erie. At Cedar Point National
Wildlife Refuge, the Conservancy assisted with efforts led by
Ducks Unlimited to reconnect a 1,460-acre marsh to Lake Erie.
This habitat is now the largest remaining continuous marsh on
Lake Erie’s Ohio shoreline, allowing fish to access important
spawning and feeding habitat in the marsh.
Healthy Forests
Since 2005, the Conservancy has sustainably managed timber
harvests in our Two Hearted River Forest Reserve to restore
species and age diversity to the forest. Recently, the
Conservancy completed a harvest that provided, among other
uses, wood for sport courts. To read more about this story and
how the harvest is helping to spread the word about sustainable
forestry, see pages 4-5.
© The Nature Conservancy
Keurig Green Mountain, Inc., Coca-Cola Foundation and
Method Products have all supported this work out of their
commitment to improving water quality in the Great Lakes.
Most recently, Keurig Green Mountain supported a series of
upgrades and a redesign to the Great Lakes Watershed
Management System, a free, publicly-available tool developed
and maintained by the Michigan State University Institute of
Water Research. The tool, which was also supported by Method,
provides the basis for additional pay-for-performance projects
across the Great Lakes and more opportunities for additional
groundwater recharge. The Coc-Cola Foundation is also
providing funding for this project in the form of support for the
Huron Conservation District and farmer payments for
implementing drainage water management.
In 2016, the Conservancy worked to restore coastal habitats along the
Ohio Lake Erie shoreline from Cleveland to Ashtabula, including the
treatment of the highly aggressive and invasive Phragmites.
Spring 2017 | Field Notes from Michigan 13
© Jason Whalen/Big Foot Media
Mount Baldy in the Upper Peninsula offers impressive panoramic views of Lake Superior and the Keweenaw Peninsula. The Helmut and Candis Stern
Preserve at Mt. Baldy is the subject of one of three new videos recently produced by the Conservancy.
Have you ever seen the sun rise over Lake Superior from the
northernmost tip of Michigan? Or witnessed a breathtaking vista
after scaling rugged Mount Baldy on the Keweenaw Peninsula?
We sincerely hope you’ll visit each of the preserves described
below and participate in some of these activities in person.
If you cannot, we have a beautiful alternative. Three spectacular
new videos will transport you to these amazing places:
• At the tip of the Keweenaw Peninsula, boasting five miles of
Lake Superior shoreline, the 1,261-acre Mary Macdonald
Nature Preserve at Horseshoe Harbor is a true wilderness
with a rich diversity of life. If you like lichens, you’ll be
amazed by the many textures and colors found here.
• Towering 730 feet above Lake Superior, Mount Baldy offers
impressive panoramic views of Lake Superior and the
Keweenaw Peninsula at the peak of the Helmut and Candis
Stern Preserve at Mount Baldy.
• Remote, delicate and swampy, the 4,084-acre McMahon
Lake Preserve in the Two Hearted watershed in the Upper
Peninsula and its vast variety of wildlife will astound you.
Start your journey at nature.org/miplaces, where you’ll find
more information on each of these spectacular places and
driving directions. Can’t make it to these preserves in person?
Take a video tour at nature.org/mipreserves.
14 Field Notes from Michigan | Spring 2017
© Jason Whalen/Big Foot Media
Spotlight on Upper
Peninsula Preserves
As you think about your spring getaways, think U.P.! May is one
of the best times of the year to visit our U.P. preserves,
including the John Arthur Woollam Preserve (seen above).
Take a road trip this spring and join us at the Aldo Leopold
Festival in the Les Cheneaux Islands area from June 2-4.
While there, visit our northern Lake Huron preserves in the
area. Here are some reasons to make the trip:
• The month of May is one of the best times of the year to visit
our John Arthur Woollam Preserve as migratory songbirds are
either resting, en route to other destinations, or settling on
breeding territories for the summer. Hike several miles of
trails, then stop to rest at the preserve’s beautiful shoreline.
• Another birding mecca nearby is our Carl A. Gerstacker
Nature Preserve at Dudley Bay. This rich 1,615-acre
preserve features one of the most spectacular limestone
bedrock shorelines in Michigan.
• Visit our Maxton Plains Preserve, located on Drummond
Island, and observe the pale-rose blooms of the prairie
smoke spread throughout the alvar (dry grasslands found
on limestone pavements).
You can visit these preserves any time of year. Find more
information at nature.org/miplaces.
© Jason Whalen /BigFoot Media
© Jason Whalen/Big Foot Media
Connect With Nature
Learn how the Conservancy is working with partners to protect Michigan’s
iconic forests while also ensuring sustainable forestry practices at our
upcoming Conservation Cafés!
Our spring event at Erie Marsh Preserve offers two different explorations
through this unique place. Choose your own adventure and signup today
to reserve your spot!
Conservation Café: May the Forests Be with You
Spring Field Trips at Erie Marsh
We all use wood, paper and products made from trees, and we
need our forests to stay healthy and abundant to provide for
these needs as well as the cultural and spiritual benefits they
bring Michiganders. Sustainable forestry and certification
programs can help foresters maximize their long-term
economic potential while protecting the ecological integrity
and diversity of our northern forests.
Join our government relations director and forest expert Rich
Bowman for a lunch and lecture as he shares how the
Conservancy is working with partners to protect Michigan’s
iconic forests while also ensuring sustainable forestry practices.
This program runs from 12:00-1:00 p.m. and will take place at
two locations:
April 21
Ann Arbor City Club
Ann Arbor, MI
April 28
Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park
Grand Rapids, MI
To register or for additional information, visit nature.org/
mievents or contact Mary Louks at [email protected]
or (517) 316-2260.
May 6, from 9 – 11 a.m.
Join us for this spring’s field trips at Erie Marsh Preserve,
located just an hour south of Detroit. We’ll explore this unique
preserve in two separate groups—choose your own adventure!
Signup today to reserve your spot.
Group 1: Birding at the Border
Spend the morning with expert birders on a guided birding
walk. Located along the Mississippi Flyway, this area hosts one
of the greatest migration spectacles in North America. You’ll
have a chance to spot a wide range of species, including
flycatchers, vireos, thrushes, tanagers, waterfowl, neotropical
songbirds, raptors and warblers.
Group 2: Extreme Makeover: Nature Edition!
Erie Marsh Preserve is one of the largest marshes on Lake Erie,
containing 11 percent of the remaining coastal wetlands in
southeast Michigan. Despite all of the wildlife benefits of this
preserve, a lot of love is needed to restore highly degraded
areas. Take a tour with expert restoration ecologists to learn the
latest techniques for protecting this special.
To register or for additional information, visit nature.org/
mievents or contact Mary Louks at [email protected]
or (517) 316-2260.
Spring 2017 | Field Notes from Michigan 15
The Nature Conservancy
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Leave a Legacy
For Nature
Gifts from Legacy Club members are essential to our
conservation work. In Michigan, the support of Legacy Club
members has helped the Conservancy to preserve more
than 370,000 acres, including fens and savannas in the
south to boreal forests in the north.
Members receive a subscription to Nature Conservancy
Magazine, our award-winning publication; the semiannual
newsletter, Legacy, which features additional news and
insights into how we do our work; the Conservancy’s
annual report; and invitations to travel to domestic and
international locations that offer unique and up-close
glimpses into our projects.
© Joseph Dustin Cody Matteson
The Legacy Club is a special group of people who have
chosen to translate their passion and caring for the natural
world into a gift that provides a lasting legacy of conservation
results. Legacy Club members come from a range of diverse
backgrounds and walks of life, but one common thread
binds them: Their love for nature and their desire to
conserve our lands and waters for future generations.
Being part of the Legacy Club also allows Don and Karen Stearns to
do what they love most: continue to participate in the protection of
Michigan’s rare and wild places, even after their lifetimes.
For more information on becoming a Legacy Club member and supporting The Nature Conservancy,
contact Janet Lee at (517) 316-2270.