THE SWEETWATER SEA AN INTERNATIONAL BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION STRATEGY FOR LAKE HURON TECHNICAL REPORT The Nature Conservancy Environment Canada Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources Michigan Department of Natural Resources and Environment Michigan Natural Features Inventory Michigan Sea Grant The Nature Conservancy of Canada Prepared by the Lake Huron Biodiversity Conservation Strategy Core Team in cooperation with the Lake Huron Binational Partnership June 2010 Recommended Citation Franks Taylor, Rachael, Amy Derosier, Keely Dinse, Patrick Doran, Dave Ewert, Kim Hall, Matt Herbert, Mary Khoury, Dan Kraus, Audrey Lapenna, Greg Mayne, Doug Pearsall, Jen Read, and Brandon Schroeder. 2010. The Sweetwater Sea: An International Biodiversity Conservation Strategy for Lake Huron - Technical Report. A joint publication of The Nature Conservancy, Environment Canada, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources Michigan Department of Natural Resources and Environment, Michigan Natural Features Inventory Michigan Sea Grant, and The Nature Conservancy of Canada. 264 pp. with Appendices. Acknowledgements Funding for this initiative was provided by the Great Lakes National Program Office of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Environment Canada, the Erb Foundation, the Chrysler Foundation, and the Mott Foundation. Project support was also provided by the Ontario Ministry of the Environment and Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources via the Canada Ontario Agreement Respecting the Great Lakes Basin Ecosystem. The conservation strategy presented in this report reflects the input of over 200 experts representing over 100 agencies, conservation authorities, universities, and non-governmental organizations (see Appendix B). The project’s Core Team coordinated and documented the strategy’s development, including preparation of this report. Core Team members include: Rachael Franks Taylor, Patrick Doran, Doug Pearsall, Rebecca Hagerman, Matt Herbert, and Mary Khoury (The Nature Conservancy in Michigan); Amy Derosier (Department of Nature Resources); Barb Barton and John Paskus (Michigan Natural Features Inventory); Laura Kucey and Audrey Lapenna (Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources); Jen Read, Keely Dinse, Mary Bohling, and Brandon Schroeder (Michigan Sea Grant); Dan Kraus (Nature Conservancy of Canada); and Greg Mayne (Environment Canada). The project also benefited from the ongoing guidance and support of the project Steering Committee members: Janette Anderson and Greg Mayne (Environment Canada); Jim Bredin and Michelle Selzer (Michigan Department of Environmental Quality); Ted Briggs (Ontario Ministry of the Environment); Pat Carr (Michigan Conservation Districts); Patrick Doran and Rachael Franks Taylor (The Nature Conservancy in Michigan); Bonnie Fox (Conservation Ontario); James Johnson and Abigail Eaton (Michigan Department of Agriculture); Dan Kraus (Nature Conservancy of Canada); Jason Laronde and Rhonda Gagnon (Anishinabek Nation); Mike McMurtry and Dave Reid (Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources); Tammy Newcomb and Amy Derosier (Michigan Department of Natural Resources); Scott Parker (Parks Canada); Jennifer Read (Michigan Sea Grant); Mike Ripley (Chippewa/Ottawa Resource Authority); Peter Roberts (Ontario Ministry of Agriculture); Jamie Schardt (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency); and Brian Tucker (Métis Nation). NOTE: Two Michigan agencies, the Department of Natural Resources and the Department of Environmental Quality, have now merged to form the Department of Natural Resources and Environment; the Steering Committee members’ affiliation at the time of recruitment is included above. Disclaimer This report reflects the best efforts of the preparers to accurately represent the expertise and views expressed by project participants. The Conservation Action Planning process is iterative in nature and the Lake Huron Biodiversity Conservation Strategy should be revisited and updated periodically as conditions and available information change. Table of Contents LIST OF TABLES....................................................................................................................................................................II LIST OF MAPS AND FIGURES.......................................................................................................................................... III APPENDICES......................................................................................................................................................................... IV EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ......................................................................................................................................................V 1. INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................................................................................1 1.1 THE SWEETWATER SEA......................................................................................................................................................1 1.2 WHY THE LAKE HURON BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION STRATEGY? ................................................................................2 1.3 STRATEGY VISION AND SCOPE...........................................................................................................................................2 1.4 ADDRESSING REGIONAL HETEROGENEITY .........................................................................................................................3 1.5 ORIENTATION TO THE STRATEGY .......................................................................................................................................3 2. THE CONSERVATION ACTION PLANNING PROCESS.............................................................................................6 2.1 PROJECT COORDINATION ...................................................................................................................................................6 2.2 OVERVIEW OF CAP PROCESS .............................................................................................................................................7 2.2a Defining the Project....................................................................................................................................................7 2.2b Developing Strategies & Measures.............................................................................................................................7 2.3 STAKEHOLDER AND PARTNER ENGAGEMENT.....................................................................................................................9 2.3a Workshops...................................................................................................................................................................9 2.3b Working Groups..........................................................................................................................................................9 2.3c Regional Workshops..................................................................................................................................................10 2.3d Other Input Opportunities.........................................................................................................................................10 3. BIODIVERSITY FEATURES ...........................................................................................................................................11 3.1 IDENTIFICATION OF BIODIVERSITY FEATURES .................................................................................................................11 3.2 SUMMARY OF BIODIVERSITY FEATURES ..........................................................................................................................11 4. VIABILITY ASSESSMENT OF BIODIVERSITY FEATURES....................................................................................14 4.1 METHODOLOGY ...............................................................................................................................................................14 4.2 SUMMARY OF CURRENT VIABILITY OF LAKE HURON ......................................................................................................19 4.3 DETAILED VIABILITY ASSESSMENTS FOR BIODIVERSITY FEATURES OF LAKE HURON.....................................................20 4.3a Open Water Benthic and Pelagic Ecosystem ............................................................................................................21 4.3b Nearshore..................................................................................................................................................................33 4.3c Islands.......................................................................................................................................................................51 4.3d Native Migratory Fish...............................................................................................................................................57 4.3e Coastal Wetlands ......................................................................................................................................................64 4.3f Coastal Terrestrial.....................................................................................................................................................75 4.3g Aerial Migrants.........................................................................................................................................................84