Chapter 15 Northern Lake Michigan Coastal Ecological Landscape Where to Find the Publication The Ecological Landscapes of Wisconsin publication is available online, in CD format, and in limited quantities as a hard copy. Individual chapters are available for download in PDF format through the Wisconsin DNR website (http://dnr.wi.gov/, keyword “landscapes”). The introductory chapters (Part 1) and supporting materials (Part 3) should be downloaded along with individual ecological landscape chapters in Part 2 to aid in understanding and using the ecological landscape chapters. In addition to containing the full chapter of each ecological landscape, the website highlights key information such as the ecological landscape at a glance, Species of Greatest Conservation Need, natural community management opportunities, general management opportunities, and ecological landscape and Landtype Association maps (Appendix K of each ecological landscape chapter). These web pages are meant to be dynamic and were designed to work in close association with materials from the Wisconsin Wildlife Action Plan as well as with information on Wisconsin’s natural communities from the Wisconsin Natural Heritage Inventory Program. If you have a need for a CD or paper copy of this book, you may request one from Dreux Watermolen, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, P.O. Box 7921, Madison, WI 53707. Photos (L to R): Canada Warbler, photo by Brian Collins; dorcas copper, photo by Kyle Johnson; giant pinedrops, photo by Kitty Kohout; Hine’s emerald dragonfly, photo by Kathryn Kirk; Arctic primrose, photo by Drew Feldkirchner, Wisconsin DNR. Suggested Citation Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. 2015. The ecological landscapes of Wisconsin: An assessment of ecological resources and a guide to planning sustainable management. Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, PUB-SS-1131 2015, Madison. Suggested Citation for This Chapter Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. 2015. The ecological landscapes of Wisconsin: An assessment of ecological resources and a guide to planning sustainable management. Chapter 15, Northern Lake Michigan Coastal Ecological Landscape. Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, PUB-SS-1131Q 2015, Madison. Cover Photos Top left: Dwarf lake iris (U.S. Threatened) is a Great Lakes endemic restricted in Wisconsin to semi- open, calcareous habitats in a few northeastern counties. Photo by Drew Feldkirchner, Wisconsin DNR. Bottom left: Seagull Bar, a sandspit at the mouth of the Menominee River near the city of Marinette, partially encloses coastal marsh vegetation. Marinette County. Photo by Wisconsin DNR staff. Top right: Extensive wetlands of marsh and meadow at the Peshtigo River delta, near Lake Michigan. Marinette County. Photo by Emmet Judziewicz. Center right: Great Lakes Alkaline Rockshore and Boreal Forest. Moonlight Bay Bedrock Beach State Natural Area, Door County. Photo by Eric Epstein, Wisconsin DNR. Bottom right: Complex ridge-and-swale landforms occur only along the Great Lakes coasts. Wetlands of many kinds may occupy the wet swales, while coniferous forests often occur on the narrow sandy ridges. Here a linear Northern Sedge Meadow is flanked by Boreal Forest. Baileys Harbor, Door County. Photo by Eric Epstein, Wisconsin DNR. Contents Kitty Kohout Northern Lake Michigan Coastal Ecological Landscape at a Glance .............................. vii Introduction ................................................................................. 1 General Description and Overview ............................................................ 3 Environment and Ecology .................................................................... 4 Physical Environment ........................................................................ 4 Size ..................................................................................... 4 Climate .................................................................................. 4 Bedrock Geology ........................................................................... 5 Landforms and Surficial Geology ............................................................... 7 Topography and Elevation .................................................................... 9 Soils .................................................................................... 9 Hydrology ................................................................................ 9 Biotic Environment .......................................................................... 16 Vegetation and Land Cover ................................................................... 16 Flora .................................................................................... 22 Fauna ................................................................................... 26 Natural and Human Disturbances .............................................................. 33 Management Opportunities for Important Ecological Features of the Northern Lake Michigan Coastal Ecological Landscape .............................................................. 39 Lake Michigan, Great Lakes Shoreline Features, and the Grand Traverse Islands ....................... 41 Green Bay’s West Shore ...................................................................... 45 Niagara Escarpment ......................................................................... 47 Lower Wolf River Corridor .................................................................... 48 Rare Species Populations and Their Habitats ..................................................... 49 Critical Habitat for Migrating, Wintering, and Breeding Birds ....................................... 50 Extensive Wetlands North and East of Lake Noquebay ............................................. 51 Warmwater Streams Entering Green Bay ........................................................ 51 Miscellaneous Ecological Features ............................................................. 51 Socioeconomic Characteristics ................................................................ 53 History of Human Settlement and Resource Use ................................................. 53 American Indian Settlement .................................................................. 53 Euro-American Contact and Settlement ......................................................... 54 Early Agriculture ........................................................................... 54 Early Mining .............................................................................. 55 Q-iii Early Transportation and Access................................................................ 55 Early Logging Era .......................................................................... 56 Resource Characterization and Use ............................................................. 56 The Land ................................................................................. 57 Minerals ................................................................................. 57 Water (Ground and Surface) .................................................................. 57 Recreation ............................................................................... 57 Agriculture ............................................................................... 59 Timber .................................................................................. 60 Infrastructure ............................................................................. 62 Current Socioeconomic Conditions ............................................................. 63 Demography .............................................................................. 64 The Economy ............................................................................. 65 Integrated Opportunities for Management ................................................... 68 Appendices Appendix 15.A. Watershed Water Quality Summary for the Northern Lake Michigan Coastal Ecological Landscape ... 69 Appendix 15.B. Forest Habitat Types in the Northern Lake Michigan Coastal Ecological Landscape ................ 70 Appendix 15.C. The Natural Heritage Inventory (NHI) Table of Rare Species and Natural Community Occurrences (Plus a Few Miscellaneous Features Tracked by the NHI Program) for the Northern Lake Michigan Coastal Ecological Landscape in November 2009 ......................................................... 71 Appendix 15.D. Number of Species with Special Designations Documented within the Northern Lake Michigan Coastal Ecological Landscape, 2009 ............................................................. 78 Appendix 15.E. Species of Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN) Found in the Northern Lake Michigan Coastal Ecological Landscape ........................................................................ 79 Appendix 15.F. Natural Communities for Which There Are Management Opportunities in the Northern Lake Michigan Coastal Ecological Landscape ...................................................... 82 Appendix 15.G. Public Conservation Lands in the Northern Lake Michigan Coastal Ecological Landscape, 2005 ...... 83 Appendix 15.H. Land Legacy Places in the Northern Lake Michigan Coastal Ecological Landscape and their Ecological and Recreational Significance ......................................................... 84 Appendix 15.I. Importance of Economic Sectors within the Northern Lake Michigan Coastal Counties Compared to the Rest of the State .............................................................