State of the Lakes Ecosystem Conference 1998 BIODIVERSITY INVESTMENT AREAS Nearshore Terrestrial Ecosystems Version 3 Ron Reid Bobolink Enterprises Washago, Ontario Canada Karen Rodriguez U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Chicago, Illinois U.S.A. Amy Mysz U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Chicago, Illinois U.S.A. July 1999 State of the Lakes Ecosystem Conference 1998 BIODIVERSITY INVESTMENT AREAS Nearshore Terrestrial Ecosystems Version 3 Ron Reid Bobolink Enterprises Washago, Ontario Canada Karen Rodriguez U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Chicago, Illinois U.S.A. Amy Mysz U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Chicago, Illinois U.S.A. July 1999 Table of Contents 1. Introduction ..................................................................... 1 1.1 Definition and Limitations ................................................... 1 1.2 Addressing Other Sites ..................................................... 2 1.3 Current BIA Activities ...................................................... 3 1.4 Next Steps ............................................................... 4 1.5 Monitoring Progress ....................................................... 4 1.6 Report Format ............................................................ 5 2. Superior North .................................................................. 7 2.1 Ecological Features and Values ............................................... 7 2.2 Current Threats to Ecological Values .......................................... 9 2.3 Current Protection of Ecological Values ....................................... 10 2.4 Assessment .............................................................. 10 2.5 Key Protection Needs ..................................................... 11 2.6 Stewardship Vignette ...................................................... 11 2.6.1 National Marine Conservation Areas ................................. 11 3. Eastern Lake Superior ........................................................... 12 3.1 Ecological Features and Values .............................................. 12 3.2 Current Threats to Ecological Values ......................................... 13 3.3 Current Protection of Ecological Values ....................................... 13 3.4 Assessment .............................................................. 15 3.5 Key Protection Needs ..................................................... 15 4. Grand Sable Dunes–Whitefish Point ............................................... 15 4.1 Ecological Features and Values .............................................. 15 4.2 Current Threats to Ecological Values ......................................... 16 4.3 Current Protection of Ecological Values ....................................... 17 4.4 Assessment .............................................................. 19 4.5 Key Protection Needs ..................................................... 19 4.6 Stewardship Vignette ...................................................... 19 4.6.1 Monitoring the Grand Sable Dunes ................................... 19 5. Keweenaw Peninsula ............................................................ 19 5.1 Ecological Features and Values .............................................. 19 5.2 Current Threats to Ecological Values ......................................... 20 5.3 Current Protection of Ecological Values ....................................... 20 5.4 Assessment .............................................................. 22 5.5 Key Protection Needs ..................................................... 22 6. Greater Chequamegon Region .................................................... 22 6.1 Ecological Features and Values .............................................. 22 6.2 Current Threats to Ecological Values ......................................... 23 6.3 Current Protection of Ecological Values ....................................... 24 6.4 Assessment .............................................................. 26 6.5 Key Protection Needs ..................................................... 26 6.6 Stewardship Vignette ...................................................... 27 6.6.1 Town of Bayfield Land Use Plan .................................... 27 SOLEC 98 - BIAs - Nearshore Terrestrial Ecosystems i 7. Lake Superior Highlands ......................................................... 27 7.1 Ecological Features and Values .............................................. 27 7.2 Current Threats to Ecological Values ......................................... 28 7.3 Current Protection of Ecological Values ....................................... 29 7.4 Assessment ............................................................. 31 7.5 Key Protection Needs ..................................................... 31 7.6 Stewardship Vignette ...................................................... 32 7.6.1 Adopt -A-Trout .................................................. 32 8. Mackinac-Manitoulin ............................................................ 32 8.1 Ecological Features and Values .............................................. 32 8.2 Current Threats to Ecological Values ......................................... 33 8.3 Current Protection of Ecological Values ....................................... 34 8.4 Assessment .............................................................. 37 8.5 Key Protection Needs ..................................................... 37 8.6 Stewardship Vignette ...................................................... 38 8.6.1 The International Alvar Conservation Initiative ......................... 38 9. Eastern Georgian Bay ........................................................... 38 9.1 Ecological Features and Values .............................................. 38 9.2 Current Threats to Ecological Values ......................................... 39 9.3 Current Protection of Ecological Values ....................................... 40 9.4 Assessment .............................................................. 43 9.5 Key Protection Needs ..................................................... 43 9.6 Stewardship Vignette ...................................................... 44 9.6.1 Georgian Bay Littoral Biosphere Reserve .............................. 44 10. Bruce Peninsula ................................................................ 44 10.1 Ecological Features and Values ............................................. 44 10.2 Current Threats to Ecological Values ........................................ 47 10.3 Current Protection of Ecological Values ...................................... 47 10.4 Assessment ............................................................. 50 10.5 Key Protection Needs .................................................... 51 10.6 Stewardship Vignette ..................................................... 51 10.6.1 Lyal Island: Preserving a Microcosm of the Bruce ...................... 51 11. Saginaw Bay .................................................................. 52 11.1 Ecological Features and Values ............................................. 52 11.2 Current Threats to Ecological Values ........................................ 53 11.3 Current Protection of Ecological Values ...................................... 53 11.4 Assessment ............................................................. 55 11.5 Key Protection Needs .................................................... 55 12. Misery Bay .................................................................... 55 12.1 Ecological Features and Values ............................................. 55 12.2 Current Threats to Ecological Values ........................................ 56 12.3 Current Protection of Ecological Values ...................................... 57 12.4 Assessment ............................................................. 57 12.5 Key Protection Needs .................................................... 57 ii Nearshore Terrestrial Ecosystems - BIAs - SOLEC 98 13. Northern Lake Michigan ........................................................ 58 13.1 Ecological Features and Values ............................................. 58 13.2 Current Threats to Ecological Values ........................................ 58 13.3 Current Protection of Ecological Values ...................................... 61 13.4 Assessment ............................................................. 61 13.5 Key Protection Needs .................................................... 61 13.6 Stewardship Vignette .................................................... 62 13.6.1 Beaver Island Botanical Bunch ..................................... 62 14. Chicago Wilderness ............................................................ 62 14.1 Ecological Features and Values ............................................. 62 14.2 Current Threats to Ecological Values ........................................ 63 14.3 Current Protection of Ecological Values ...................................... 63 14.4 Assessment ............................................................. 64 14.5 Key Protection Needs .................................................... 66 14.6 Stewardship Vignette ..................................................... 66 14.6.1 Chicago Region Biodiversity Council ................................ 66 15. Door County and Garden Peninsula ............................................... 66 15.1 Ecological Features and Values ............................................