Gravel Island, Green Bay, Harbor Island, Huron, and Michigan Islands National Wildlife Refuges Draft Comprehensive Conservation Plan and Land Protection Plan U.S. Department of the Interior Fish and Wildlife Service Region 3 (Midwest Region); Bloomington, MN The mission of the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service is working with others to conserve, protect, and enhance fish and wildlife and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. The mission of the National Wildlife Refuge System is to administer a national network of lands and waters for the conservation, management and, where appropriate, restoration of the fish, wildlife and plant resources and their habitats within the United States for the benefit of present and future generations of Americans. Comprehensive Conservation Plans provide long-term guidance for management decisions; set forth goals, objectives and strategies needed to accomplish refuge purposes; and, identify the Fish and Wildlife Service's best estimate of future needs. These plans detail program planning levels that are sometimes substantially above current budget allocations and, as such, are primarily for Service strategic planning and program prioritization purposes. The plans do not constitute a commitment for staffing increases, operational and maintenance increases, or funding for future land acquisition. Gravel Island, Green Bay, Harbor Island, Huron, and Michigan Islands National Wildlife Refuges Draft Comprehensive Conservation Plan and Land Protection Plan Table of Contents Chapter 1: Introduction and Background ................................................................... 1 Introduction ................................................................................................................ 1 The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service ............................................................................. 3 The National Wildlife Refuge System ......................................................................... 3 Refuge Purpose ......................................................................................................... 8 Refuge Vision ............................................................................................................ 9 Purpose and Need for Plan ........................................................................................ 9 History of Refuge Establishment .............................................................................. 10 Gravel Island NWR ............................................................................................. 10 Green Bay NWR ................................................................................................. 10 Harbor Island NWR ............................................................................................ 10 Huron NWR ........................................................................................................ 10 Michigan Islands NWR ....................................................................................... 10 Legal Context ........................................................................................................... 11 Chapter 2: The Planning Process .............................................................................. 12 Internal Agency Scoping .......................................................................................... 12 Summary of Issues, Concerns and Opportunities .................................................... 14 Preparation, Publishing, Finalization, and Implementation of the CCP .................... 14 Chapter 3: The Environment ...................................................................................... 15 Introduction .............................................................................................................. 15 General Island Geological and Ecological Background ...................................... 15 Gravel Island NWR ............................................................................................. 16 Green Bay NWR ................................................................................................. 16 Harbor Island NWR ............................................................................................ 17 Huron NWR ........................................................................................................ 17 Michigan Islands NWR ....................................................................................... 18 Climate ..................................................................................................................... 18 Climate Change Impacts .................................................................................... 18 Observed Climate Trends ............................................................................. 20 Scenarios of Future Climate .......................................................................... 20 Gravel Island, Green Bay, Harbor Island, Huron, and Michigan Islands NWRs/Comprehensive Conservation Plan and Land Protection Plan i Midwest Key Issues ...................................................................................... 20 Climate Change and The Great Lakes ............................................................... 22 Island Types, Geology, and Soils............................................................................. 23 Archeological and Cultural Values ........................................................................... 23 Green Bay NWR ................................................................................................. 23 Harbor Island NWR ............................................................................................ 24 Huron NWR ........................................................................................................ 24 Structures and Facilities ................................................................................ 24 Michigan Islands NWR ....................................................................................... 25 Social and Economic Context .................................................................................. 25 Agriculture .......................................................................................................... 25 Commercial and Sport Fisheries ........................................................................ 25 Shipping ............................................................................................................. 26 Recreation and Tourism ..................................................................................... 26 Industry ............................................................................................................... 26 Environmental Contaminants ................................................................................... 26 Natural Resources ................................................................................................... 27 Fish, Wildlife, and Plant Communities ................................................................ 27 Gravel Island NWR ....................................................................................... 27 Green Bay NWR ........................................................................................... 28 Harbor Island NWR ....................................................................................... 30 Huron NWR ................................................................................................... 31 Michigan Islands NWR (Seney) .................................................................... 31 Michigan Islands NWR (Shiawassee) ........................................................... 34 Associated Plans and Initiatives .............................................................................. 35 Michigan’s Wildlife Action Plan ........................................................................... 35 Migratory Bird Conservation Initiatives ............................................................... 36 Habitat Management ................................................................................................ 36 Managing Invasive Plants ................................................................................... 36 Nuisance Species Management ......................................................................... 37 Double-Crested Cormorants (DCCO) ........................................................... 37 Visitor Services ........................................................................................................ 39 Gravel Island and Green Bay NWRs .................................................................. 39 Harbor Island NWR ............................................................................................ 40 Huron NWR ........................................................................................................ 40 Michigan Islands NWR (Seney) .......................................................................... 41 Michigan Islands NWR (Shiawassee) ................................................................. 41 Archaeological and Cultural Resources Management ............................................. 41 Law Enforcement ..................................................................................................... 41 Chapter 4: Future Management Direction; Tomorrow’s Vision ............................... 42 Great Lakes Islands Refuges Vision, Goals, Objectives and