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or visit or Project Manager Project Chairman BOB NICKOVICH, BOB BLYTHE, DICK There is There

For further information please contact: please information further For

There is always room for more, and there is much left to do. We welcome your inquiries into participation as a partner. a as participation into inquiries your welcome We do. to left much is there and more, for room always is There

courtesy of USDA NRCS. USDA of courtesy

Several pictures in this publication this in pictures Several Lake Heritage Parks Foundation Parks Heritage Lake

Lake County Parks Dept. Parks County Lake

WYIN-TV

Lake County Fish and Game and Fish County Lake

Wille & Stiener Real Estate Real Stiener & Wille

Kankakee River Basin Commission Basin River Kankakee

Waterfowl USA Waterfowl

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U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Wildlife and Fish U.S.

Indiana Heritage Trust Fund Trust Heritage

Service

Indiana Department of Natural Resources Natural of Department Indiana

USDA Natural Resources Conservation Resources Natural USDA

Inc.

University of Notre Dame Notre of University

Griffith Izaak Walton Conservation Lands, Conservation Walton Izaak Griffith

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The Nature Conservancy Nature The

Enbridge Pipelines (Lakehead) LLC (Lakehead) Pipelines Enbridge

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Dunes Calumet Audubon Society Audubon Calumet Dunes

St. Joseph County Parks Department Parks County Joseph St.

Ducks Unlimited, Inc. Unlimited, Ducks

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National Wild Turkey Federation Federation Turkey Wild National Inc. Goods, Sporting Blythe

Lowell Parks Department Parks Lowell P.C. CPA, France & Adamczyk

PROJECT PARTNERS PROJECT (PHASE I–IV) (PHASE

tions for all of us. of all for tions

GROWS, SO DOES OUR ABILITY TO MEET OUR GOALS. OUR MEET TO ABILITY OUR DOES SO GROWS,

on a project that will have lasting implica- lasting have will that project a on

WE WELCOME NEW PARTNERS, AND AS THE PARTNERSHIP THE AS AND PARTNERS, NEW WELCOME WE

something back, we are united in working in united are we back, something

ation, or just the knowledge of giving of knowledge the just or ation,

Al andElaine Wilson recre- control, wildlife, for Whether

Kankakee Marsh to the way it used to be. to used it way the to Marsh Kankakee

to return portions of the old Grand old the of portions return to

a common interest in sustaining an effort an sustaining in interest common a

Waterfowl Management Plan, we all share all we Plan, Management Waterfowl

goals set forth by the North American North the by forth set goals

bond. Committed to contributing to the to contributing to Committed bond.

We are a diverse group with a common a with group diverse a are We THE PARTNERSHIP THE

INDIANA GRAND KANKAKEE MARSH RESTORATION PROJECT

The Indiana Grand Kankakee Marsh the first years of its existence. wetlands with associated Restoration Project (IGKMRP) is dedi- Individuals, corporations, con- upland from willing sellers or cated to the recovery and perpetua- servation groups, and govern- through donations, and restor- The North American tion of waterfowl and other ment agencies have banded ing the original, natural wetland Waterfowl Management Plan wildlife populations by protecting, together and taken the first and upland conditions to the The North American Waterfowl Management Plan enhancing, and restoring the wet- steps in a long-term program to extent practical. The ownership (NAWMP) was developed in response to sustained wetland lands and associated ecosystems of re-establish the local heritage of of these parcels is transferred to loss and record low waterfowl populations in the 1980s. the Indiana Grand Kankakee Marsh. the Grand Kankakee Marsh. The government agencies or non- Recognizing the importance of waterfowl and wetlands early successes have only been profit organizations. and the need for international cooperation to help in the The IGKMRP was initiated to provide surpassed by the aspirations of recovery of a shared resource, the and an avenue for willing partners to work The IGKMRP is a volunteer seeing portions of this once- Canadian governments worked with states, provinces, and together in an effort to put back some organization. The Lake Heritage great wetland system a reality private organizations to develop a strategy to restore of what had been lost in the decades Parks Foundation monitors and again. Working within a realistic waterfowl populations through habitat conservation. In following the drainage of the marsh. manages the grant funds from focus, the project management 1986, the U.S. and Canada signed the plan, and Mexico the North American Wetlands A coalition of conservationists, with team operates under a well- signed in 1994. International in scope, the plan is imple- Conservation Act. Each partici- many different reasons for wanting defined set of criteria in the mented regionally within Joint Ventures which are regional pating organization commits in- the grandness to return to the direction set by the partners. areas of importance to waterfowl. Its success is kind matching contributions Kankakee River Basin, have joined in dependent upon the strength of Joint Venture part- The IGKMRP is working toward and manages its own expenses an effort that has resulted in an nerships, involving federal, state, provincial, tribal, the goal by acquiring restorable and commitments. impressive set of accomplishments in and local governments, businesses, conservation organizations, and individual citizens. ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF THE PROJECT INCLUDE: (PHASE I, II, & III) The North American 83 PROJECTS COMPLETED RESTORED: 5,774 acres NAWCA FUNDS: $3,500,000 Wetlands Conservation Act ACQUIRED: 8,932 acres ENHANCED: 3,700 acres PARTNER MATCH: $12,251,033 The North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA) of 1989 provides matching grants to private and public organizations or to individuals in partnerships for wetlands con- servation projects in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. NAWCA was passed large- ly to support activities under the NAWMP. NAWCA is overseen by the North American Wetlands Conservation Council, which reviews and recommends project proposals to the Migratory Bird Conservation Commission, which in turn, approves projects for funding. MAP & BROCHURE 1. GOOSE LAKE PREPARED BY The Lake County Parks 883-acre Goose Lake property was purchased and restored to wetlands in Phase I and II. A total of 643 acres of wetland habitat have been restored and enhanced at this site. Ducks Unlimited designed and delivered this wetland restoration project which now provides ideal migration and production habitat for migratory birds and other wildlife.

2. SPORRE MARSH The 78-acre Sporre Marsh property, owned and managed by Waterfowl USA, and located in Lake County, was the first property acquired and restored as a component of Phase I. A total of 45 wetland and 33 upland acres have been restored to emergent wetland and native prairie.

3. PLACE TRAIL MARSH La Porte This project involved the acquisition of two separate properties totaling St Joseph 372 acres that are now a permanent addition to the Place Trail Marsh County Park. In 2004, Ducks Unlimited designed and delivered a 120 acre wetland restoration on the property.

4. RIVER BEND Directly adjacent to the Kankakee River, this 141-acre property was Marshall acquired in Phase I and is now part of the Indiana DNR LaSalle State Fish & Wildlife Area in Newton County. Recently completed, a 21-acre wetland restoration was designed and delivered by Ducks Unlimited to meet proj- ect objectives to provide production habitat for waterfowl. The Indiana DNR also restored the surrounding uplands to native prairie. Porter Starke 5. JERRY ALLEN MARSH This 78-acre property is owned and managed by the Chapter of Waterfowl USA. Named after the founder and first president of Lake Waterfowl USA, it is a classic example of wetland and prairie restoration within the project area.

6. CHAMBERLAIN LAKE An acquisition located in the northeast corner of the project area, this par- Jasper cel is owned and managed by the Indiana DNR in cooperation with The Nature Conservancy and St. Joseph County Parks. It is a high quality wet- land containing many rare plant species.

7. TURKEY FOOT An acquisition of 153 acres, this parcel is owned and managed by the Newton Indiana DNR. A 120 acre wetland unit and surrounding native prairie grass- es were restored to benefit nesting and migrating species of waterfowl as well as many other species of local concern. This parcel is located south of U.S. 30 and east of the Kankakee River.

8. RIVER’S EDGE Demonstrating that wetlands, wildlife habitat, and flood control go hand in hand, this property is owned by the state of Indiana and is managed by the Kankakee River Basin Commission. Over 400 acres of wetlands were THE HISTORY of the MARSH restored on the Kankakee River west of Highway 49. 9. AUKIKI This 840-acre parcel, donated by Northern Indiana Public Service Company, The greatness of the marsh that once covered a large formed the Grand Marsh from a great producer of was not only of direct value as a wetland resource, but also served as a cat- part of northwest Indiana is well documented. The The Grand Marsh supported a local economy that was wild things into an impressive producer of grain. alyst for gaining additional partners. This property is under joint ownership of the Indiana DNR and The Nature Conservancy. It is located immediately marsh was one of the largest freshwater wetland com- built around waterfowling and . With water- Where once a local economy was supported by those south and east of the Kankakee River on Highway 49. plexes in the United States, encompassing 500,000 fowl in abundance, sportsmen came from all over the that employed the Grand Marsh for a rich bounty of 10. KANKAKEE SANDS world to hunt. There are many accounts on record of acres in eight counties. fish and game, a thriving farming community The Nature Conservancy (TNC) is undertaking a massive project which will Wetlands and prairie habitats were intertwined with the great bounty harvested from the Marsh, with sto- emerged. As wildlife habitat was replaced by agri- eventually turn a 7,609-acre tract in Newton County into a prairie/wetland ries about barrels of frog legs and railroad cars of wild culture, the wildlife was displaced. ecosystem. The IGKMRP has partnered with TNC on the creation of water- the Kankakee River as it meandered its way from fowl nesting and rearing areas across The Nature Conservancy property. South Bend to the state line, taking a 240-mile game destined for the markets. Justified by the needs of man, the Grand Marsh lost its 11. DON AND MARY ROBERTS WILDLIFE AREA course to cover the 75-mile distance. The meager fall Change in the Marsh came with development. As personality as it was divided and drained over the Located along the Kankakee River in northern Starke County, this 210-acre of only five inches per mile combined with the numer- human populations grew, so did the need for land. years. wetland expanse proved to be too much for some to parcel is owned and managed by the Northwest Indiana Chapter of ous bends created a giant wet prairie environment. The fertile soils of the river bottom provided some of Waterfowl USA. Named after the chapter’s long-time chairman Don With only fragments of the great ecosystem left for face. An effort was launched to search out support for Roberts and his wife Mary, this property features several shallow Wildlife and plant life thrived, as did the activities that the finest ground for growing crops. A mammoth our generation to ponder and experience, the poten- a project that would enable small areas of the Grand marsh restorations, native prairie and wet meadow establishment, and bottomland reforestation along 1.4 miles of Kankakee River frontage. these resources supported. effort to drain the area by channelizing the river trans- tial for loss of the remaining vestiges of the former Marsh to be restored.