Thank you to the following contributors who supported the publication of this book. Ford Motor Company Fund EXPLORE OUROUR NATURALNATURAL WORLDWORLD A BIODIVERSITY ATLAS OF THE LAKE HURON TO LAKE ERIE CORRIDOR EXPLORE OUR NATURAL WORLD A BIODIVERSITY ATLAS OF THE LAKE HURON TO LAKE ERIE CORRIDOR his book is dedicated to all T of the plants and animals that live in this region and the people who have yet to learn about them. Project Designer, Manager and Researcher – Lisa M. Appel Contributing Writers – Lisa M. Appel, Julie A. Craves, Mary Kehoe Smith, Bob Weir and John M. Zawiskie Editors – Mary Kehoe Smith and Bob Weir Graphic Design – Peter Schade/Schade Design, Inc. www.schadedesign.com Funding for this project was provided by the U.S Environmental Protection Agency Great Lakes National Program Office to the Wildlife Habitat Council. LOU TERRY LOU PREFACE In the spring of 2002 we embarked in partnership on the development disrupt their traditional life-styles–life styles development of a Biodiversity Atlas of the Lake Huron to that can offer modern societies many lessons in the Lake Erie Corridor, which has focused on the watersheds management of resources in complex forest, mountain, of the St. Clair River, Lake St. Clair and the Detroit River. and dryland ecosystems. Some are threatened with virtual This activity has resulted in a first – the publication of an extinction by insensitive development over which they have Atlas which documents the natural heritage treasures and the no control. Their traditional rights should be recognized and human resources of this area in which we reside and share they should be given a decisive voice formulating policies about together. The Walpole Island First Nation lies at the heart and resource development in their areas.” The Royal Commission the confluence of these watersheds. It is our home and our Report on Aboriginal Peoples in 1996 echoed these statements. lifeblood. As stewards of these lands and waters since time We are now seeing catastrophes across this planet which are immemorial, it is right and fitting that we have participated directly related to climate changes and global warming. in this Biodiversity Atlas project. Indeed, we have been most Our Bkejwanong Territory is still hemmed in by industrial happy to have the opportunity to do so and to share equitably developments in the twenty first century. But all is not TABLE OF CONTENTS our indigenous knowledge and values to assist others in caring doom and gloom. for and preserving this area. Our traditional knowledge is a rich storehouse which we are PREFACE 1 This decision to share our traditional knowledge is significant prepared to share in an equitable way. It has its underpinnings and should be briefly explained. For many hundreds of years, our values. What are they? Bkejwanong is endowed with a INTRODUCTION 2 our Place, Bkejwanong-the Place where the Waters divide-has unique ecosystem of wetlands, Carolinian forests and prairie been the soul of Indian Territory. We have remained steadfast grasslands. We are rich in fish and wildlife. We have a strong in our stewardship and caring for our lands and waters in cultural heritage that is celebrated by our people. Traditional THE PHYSICAL LANDSCAPE 6 spite of depredations and impacts made on the landscape knowledge and values means that we have to learn how to live surrounding us. For many years we have been subjected to, in a holistic way with all that interconnects and surrounds us. ON THE OPEN WATER 24 among other impacts, pollution upstream from chemical plants It is imperative, if we are going to continue to act as stewards near Sarnia. Our citizens had campaigned alone for many years and care responsibly for our lands and waters, that we have a to get zero discharge since it was our drinking water that was dialogue, consensus and equity as we move forward towards ALONG THE SHORELINE 42 affected and also impacted the flora and fauna and animals and building a sustainable future together. That is as it should be; birds that lived with us in our Territory. Our environmental we are all here to stay. HEADING INLAND 72 legacy won us a prestigious United Nations award in 1995. Indeed, the publication of this Biodiversity Atlas truly is a HUMAN INFLUENCE 104 We have always used traditional ecological knowledge to save watershed in itself. Until now, there have been a number of ourselves and our neighbours. We have survived in this our comprehensive descriptions of this area but none have included place for thousands of years. In the late twentieth century, our the diversity of the Bkejwanong Territory linking the people YOU CAN HELP 126 neighbours began slowly to learn from us and our ways in and the natural heritage in such a diverse and imaginative way. terms of mutual respect and in equal partnerships. What is We are very proud to be making a valuable contribution to this AFTERWARD 128 really significant here is that we bring to the table a willingness project and to the publication of this Biodiversity Atlas which to share our knowledge which includes both our ways of marks a stepping stone to the future. knowing as well as the traditional values which are part and PPENDIX A 129 parcel of our understanding of how our watershed system Dr. Dean M. Jacobs works and how it can be enhanced as we move forward in the Executive Director GLOSSARY 138 future together. The significance of stewardship of First Nin.Da.Waab.Jig Nations was succinctly highlighted more than fifteen years ago Bkejwanong First Nations in the 1987 Bruntland Report, “Tribal and indigenous peoples INDEX 141 will need special attention as the forces of economic November 7, 2002 EXPLORE OUR NATURAL WORLD: A BIODIVERSITY ATLAS OF THE LAKE HURON TO LAKE ERIE CORRIDOR 1 LOU TERRY LOU D ESCRIPTION OF THE R EGION L ANDSCAPE E COLOGY his Biodiversity Atlas he Lake Huron to tells the story of the Lake Erie Corridor natural communities lies within the found in the Lake northern limits Huron to Lake Erie of the Eastern Corridor. Deciduous Forest Region. The Corridor is regarded TThe Corridor is made up of the St. Clair T as part of the “Carolinian Life Zone” River, Lake St. Clair and Detroit River, because of its link with forest as well as the watersheds of southwestern communities located farther south. Ontario and southeastern Michigan that Many of the species found here are drain into these great waterways. Water at the northern boundaries of in the Corridor flows from the mouth their range. The Corridor also is of Lake Huron through the St. Clair a transition area between the River, Lake St. Clair and the Detroit hardwood forests of the east and River, into Lake Erie. The tributary the prairies of the west. rivers, creeks, streams and drains in the watersheds connect the surrounding A natural community is a distinct lands to the Corridor. assemblage of plants and animals that live together in a common This Atlas is organized according to habitat. One of the most important elevations above sea level - from lower factors defining a natural community to higher - from the open waters and is the presence or absence of water. tributaries to the shoreline and A natural community’s composition lakeplain, and finally to the ecosystems can be altered by disturbances in the of the interior lands that drain into landscape, such as invasive species, the Corridor. alterations in groundwater flow and A wide variety of life forms - biodiversity fragmentation resulting from land - make the Corridor unique. The glacial development. GREG SCHMIDT, HHTP://BOTANY1.BIO.UTK.EDU/BOTANY120LECT/BIOMES/BIOMEMAP.HTM GREG SCHMIDT, history, climate, soils and water resources CENTER, HTTP://EOL.JSC.NASA.GOV SPACE JOHNSON NASA LABORATORY, ANALYSIS AND IMAGE SCIENCES OF EARTH COURTESY IMAGE have created a landscape that is home to an incredible diversity of natural A goal of everyone involved in producing Hundreds of endangered, Natural Communities of the this Atlas is that readers will gain a better Lake Huron to Lake Erie Corridor communities: forests, savannas, threatened and special concern grasslands and wetlands. Within these understanding of this amazing region, natural communities live species that and a desire to play an active role in species live in the Lake Huron NATURAL COMMUNITY TYPE have global ecological significance. caring for it. Great Lakes Coastal Marsh Wetland to Lake Erie Corridor. Marsh Wetland The greatest threat to these Wet Meadow Wetland species at risk is the loss of Prairie Fen Wetland habitat. However remnants Bog Wetland Shrub Swamp Wetland Although the Lake Huron to Lake Erie many distinct associations of plants of original ecosystems, Corridor does not boast dramatic and animals. Conifer Swamp Wetland like pieces of a patchwork topography, its vegetation is a mosaic Hardwood Swamp Wetland of natural communities. This mosaic is This book describes many types of quilt, still exist. Every Floodplain Forest Wetland a result of small physical changes in the natural communities as if they are landscape created by the advance and separate units, but they actually exist community has places that Beech-Maple Forest Upland retreat of glaciers long ago. The glacial in a continuum – the grassland, savanna, can be preserved, enhanced Oak-Hickory Forest Upland features created different physical forest and wetland all blend into one Oak Barren Upland characteristics in the landscape, such another, each determined by subtle or restored to support native Tallgrass Prairie Upland as slope, aspect, topography and soil changes in the topography, soils and type. These variations have led to water conditions. biodiversity. Oak Savanna Upland The Great Lakes Basin 2 EXPLORE OUR NATURAL WORLD: A BIODIVERSITY ATLAS OF THE LAKE HURON TO LAKE ERIE CORRIDOR | INTRODUCTION INTRODUCTION | EXPLORE OUR NATURAL WORLD: A BIODIVERSITY ATLAS OF THE LAKE HURON TO LAKE ERIE CORRIDOR 3 B IODIVERSITY WORTH P ROTECTING SOUTHEASTERN MICHIGAN VEGETATION, CIRCA 1800 When considering biodiversity conservation, most people think of tropical rainforests around the equator.