GET YOUR FEET WET: EXPLORE COASTAL WETLANDS OF

Northeast offers vast stretches Many resource management agencies, of diverse and undisturbed Great conservation organizations and Lakes coastlines, including coastal citizen volunteers (including youth) Exploring northern Lake wetlands, marshes and limestone cobble contribute as partners in stewardship shorelines. The Lake Huron Biodiversity and in promoting coastal tourism Huron’s diversity of coastal Conservation project prioritizes this opportunities in connection with these wetland ecosystems region’s valuable coastal habitats for natural resources. In protecting these protection, as local communities coastal habitats, communities are not offers scenic recreational envision opportunities to leverage these only protecting Lake Huron ecosystems opportunities, enhancing assets for ecotourism — with both and local natural resources. They are perspectives at the heart of sustainable also protecting invaluable coastal community and coastal coastal tourism efforts in this region. community and tourism development opportunities, improving community These dynamic Lake Huron wetland tourism development. quality of life, and attracting visitors ecosystems are home to a variety of who may value a more natural resource- plant and animal life. In a 2009 research based, sustainable coastal tourism report, coastal wetland researchers experience. Dr. Donald Uzarski (Central Michigan University) and the late Dr. Thomas A visit to the Lake Huron coastline Burton (Michigan State University), offers opportunities to hike, explore, and estimated that more than 1400 species enjoy spectacular scenery and wildlife of plants and animals exist among Lake among these coastal habitats. How many Huron’s wetlands spanning Michigan’s Lake Huron wetlands can you discover? shoreline. Protecting these habitats • Saginaw Bay is known for its extensive is important for conservation of the network of coastal wetlands. The DNR broader Lake Huron ecosystem. Saginaw Bay Visitor Center offers an

Plan your trip: www.us23heritageroute.org opportunity to learn more about the wetlands and experience. If all goes well, you will land at your first the abundant waterfowl. Located within the Bay City coastal wetland featuring carnivorous plants! This State Recreation Area, visitors can stop at Tobico embayment of Thompson’s Harbor offers fantastic Marsh and enjoy one of the largest coastal wetlands examples of coastal fens and Great Lakes marshes. on the Great Lakes. If you are interested in wildlife Thompson’s Harbor Park trails will lead you to watching in these wetlands, then check out the Grand Lake Outlet where you can explore limestone Saginaw Bay Birding Trail. cobble shores and sandy dunes, or follow the outlet upstream into the wetland marsh — a great bird • Negwegon is one of the larger undisturbed watching stop! Northern cedar swamps are found wooded dune and swale complexes in the Great throughout the park, which also offers a northern Lakes with sandy beach, cobble shores, and coastal Michigan bog. marsh. Alcona School students bring these coastal resources to life through interpretive signs they • Cheboygan County abounds with wetland designed and installed at the park. exploration opportunities, including a boardwalk lookout over cattails and a coastal marsh in town • Rockport State Recreation Area offers miles of at Gordon Turner Park, Grass Bay Preserve and limestone cobble shorelines. It is home to an Cheboygan State Park, where you can camp while abandoned limestone quarry — Rockport is exploring a range of Great Lakes coastal habitats known for rocks! The shoreline and quarry offer including marshes, cobble shores, sand dunes and opportunities to find plenty of ancient Devonian sea inter-dunal wetlands. life fossils. • Besser Natural Area offers a one-mile woodland hike through a small, virgin white pine stand. This diverse shoreline also offers a coastal lagoon, where you will To explore more about diversity, ecological function, see parts of the 1877 shipwreck of the Portland — or and issues facing coastal wetlands, be sure to read kayak or snorkel Lake Huron to visit the rest of this wreck, which is marked by buoy. Between Land and Lake: Michigan’s Great Lakes • Thompson’s Harbor State Park is known for Coastal Wetlands by Dennis A. Albert, published by biodiversity and its diversity of coastal wetland Michigan State University Extension and the Michigan communities. Grab a GPS and visit an Earth Natural Features Inventory. Cache site developed by youth as part of their 4-H Great Lakes and Natural Resources Camp science

Plan your trip: www.us23heritageroute.org MICHU-14-717