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Michigan Conservation Projects

	RESTORED WETLANDS CREATE NEW HOME FOR A VARIETY OF SPECIES The Alcona County wetlands in Michigan were increased by 89 acres thanks to support from Wildlife Forever. This increased acreage added three new wetlands along three creeks near the town of Glennie, Michigan. The restored wetlands were former beaver floodings that fully or partially drained when the beavers' structures collapsed. Water control structures will allow the wetlands to be better managed to serve the needs of area wildlife. To enhance the wetland restoration effort, wood duck boxes and an experimental loon nesting island were installed. As a result of the restored wetlands, a great blue heron rookery was re-established, and numerous marsh birds, waterfowl, shorebirds, and songbirds are using the areas.
	PROTECTING MICHIGAN'S FISH HABITAT A streambank-stabilization project on the Big Sable River has stopped a serious threat to a popular Michigan fishing lake’s water quality, thanks to support from Wildlife Forever. The Big Sable River includes 24 miles of mainstream and a number of tributaries that empty into Hamlin Lake, a 4,990-acre prime fishing and recreation area north of Ludington. A stream-bank erosion inventory on the Big Sable identified 57 eroding streambanks. If the sediment had been allowed to continue to enter the Big Sable River, it would choke out a healthy river ecosystem, decrease shade and cover for trout, and burying spawning and feeding gravel beds. Also, phosphorous input to Hamlin Lake would increase, further harming the lake’s water quality and fishery values. The Big Sable restoration project used rock riprap at the base, and log terraces, grasses, shrubs, and trees on the upper slopes.
	WALLEYE REARING IMPROVES STOCKING Your support was a part of a $5,000 challenge grant that added 150,000 walleye fingerlings to Big Bay and Little Bay in Michigan’s Bay de Noc region. The funds were used to assist with the rearing of the fingerlings that were then stocked into public waters. This was a model conservation project. A portion of the funding was used for yeast at two walleye rearing ponds. The yeast fed plankton in the ponds and the walleye fry in turn fed on the plankton as they grew into healthy fingerlings ready for stocking. This food chain management approach was supported with the technical assistance of the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. Furthermore, the Department’s studies have shown that because of the higher rate of survival for fingerlings compared to fry, the time and money spent growing the walleyes is well worth the costs.
	200 MORE ACRES OF WETLANDS Michigan has 200 more acres of wetlands thanks in part to your support. Wildlife Forever teamed up with the Michigan Habitat Foundation and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to provide $19,500 to support a project called, Restoration of Wetlands Along County Drains. Over many years, County Commissioners had drained millions of acres under the Michigan Drain Code to increase economic development through agriculture and other activities. This project supplied Commissioners with the technical expertise and water control structures to create habitat for waterfowl. Restoration work was done in five counties: Saginaw (50 acres), Lenawee (20 acres), Montcalm (97 acres) Ottawa (3 acres and Allegan (22 acres). The waterfowl populations of Michigan are growing thanks to your support.