Biological Inventory and Local Planner Outreach for Conservation in the Northern Lake Michigan Coastal Zone, Schoolcraft County Prepared by: Phyllis J. Higman, YuMan Lee, Jennifer A. Olson, Stephanie M. Carman, Reuben R. Goforth Michigan Natural Features Inventory Stevens T. Mason Building P.O. Box 30444 Lansing, MI 48909-7944 For: Michigan Coastal Zone Management Program Land and Water Management Division, MDEQ Coastal Management Program Grant # 98-309-25 Report Number 2000-17 Submitted March 21, 2001 Cover Photo Identification and Credits: Pitchers thistle photo by: Susan R. Crispin Dwarf lake iris photo by: Phyllis J. Higman Houghtons goldenrod photo by: Doug Moore Lake Huron locust photo by: David L. Cuthrell Executive Summary In 1999, Michigan Natural Features Inventory sites. Individuals of seven listed species were seen (MNFI) initiated a project to conduct systematic in the study area, including osprey, bald eagle, red- surveys of natural features along Lake Michigans shouldered hawk, Caspian tern, common loon, northern coastal zone in Schoolcraft County. northern harrier, and northern goshawk. Surveys were conducted for high quality natural Surveys for the Great Lakes endemic, Lake communities and rare species. The study was also Huron locust, resulted in the identification of three initiated as a pilot project to expand MNFIs new populations and the reconfirmation of six coastal zone survey work to include landowner previously known populations, four of which were contact and local planner outreach. The study area expanded in extent. Additional suitable habitat for was chosen deliberately to include a high this species was also identified. Most of the proportion of private lands, coincident with high documented populations were ranked with fair to development pressure and significant survey gaps. good viability. Additional surveys are needed to Local planning units were queried and the extent to determine their complete distribution and extent, which threatened and endangered species concerns overall status, and long-term viability. The are integrated into local planning processes was continued presence of the Lake Huron locust in the informally assessed. Planners were also queried to region indicates the persistence of high quality determine if they would like the results of this dunes. As development pressures continue in the study and in what form they would be most useful. region, deliberate efforts to minimize impacts to Landowner Contact: Two hundred and seventy the dunes is essential for conservation of this six landowners were contacted, of which 86 species. Monitoring and research on the ecological returned positive responses, and 52 parcels were requirements of the locust are also needed to help surveyed. Landowner contact complicated survey determine the best strategies to minimize impacts work due to the time and effort required to write from development. and mail survey requests, track responses, and Five special concern land snails were coordinate survey times and access. Properties previously documented in the study area. Limited where permission to survey was not granted also project funding and time-consuming survey fragmented the survey effort, making it difficult to methods precluded conducting additional surveys survey large areas of contiguous shoreline during the current study. A brief discussion of the efficiently. However, landowner contact provided five species and a list of other sites with suitable access to significant natural features and an habitat in the project area are provided. opportunity for landowner education. To increase Plant Surveys: Twenty nine new and 10 the positive response rate it is recommended that updated rare plant occurrences were documented follow-up contacts be made with non-responders. during this study, and an additional 21 previously Animal Surveys: Bird point counts were documented occurrences are considered likely conducted at 30 sites encompassing eight natural extant. These 60 occurrences encompass 13 community types. One hundred and sixteen bird different species, including 30 occurrences of 3 species were observed, including 98 during spring state and federal listed Great Lakes endemics; migration and 93 during the summer breeding dwarf-lake iris, Pitchers thistle, and Houghtons season. Bird abundance and species richness were goldenrod. Their protection will require the similar in May and June. An informal assessment maintenance of tracts of land large enough that of habitat use showed that bird abundance was natural shoreline processes can function greater at shoreline sites than interior sites and on unimpeded. The minimum acreage required and the Garden Peninsula compared to non-peninsula the level of disturbance that can be tolerated is not sites during migration. During the breeding fully understood. An encouraging sign is that some season, birds were observed more frequently at rare plant populations persist on residential interior sites, however, no noticeable difference properties where houses are located behind the was observed between peninsula and non-peninsula open dunes, well back from the waters edge. North Lake Michigan Coastal Zone - page i Further research and landowner education are nearshore zones, but also for shoreline critical if these and other occurrences are to be conservation and planning efforts throughout the sustained. It is possible that one or more sites Great Lakes. within the study area can be established as Local Planner Outreach: Local planning benchmark monitoring sites to assess long-term processes and zoning ordinances do not impacts in residential areas, and potentially serving systematically address threatened or endangered as models for good stewardship. species concerns, nor is there systematic Natural Community Surveys: Two occurrences coordination with state or federal agencies each of wooded dune and swale and lakeshore regarding such concerns. Most local planners do pavement were confirmed in the current study, and not have an easily accessible geographic two potential northern fen occurrences were information system (GIS) platform for receipt and identified. Confirmation of the latter two will use of natural features data in digital format. require further landowner contact to secure However, all contacted planners were interested in permission to survey and access. In addition, a learning about the coastal zone natural features and state- designated critical dune area comprises much requested the results of this study in hard copy of the study area to the east of Manistique. format. Disturbance of the wooded dune and swale Summary and Recommendations: The high occurrences was noted particularly along US-2, number of natural features in the study area where residential and commercial development highlights the importance of this coastal zone activities have occurred. Further development in region. The beauty and ruggedness imparted by this area is imminent. Although not afforded legal these features provides a large part of the draw protection, it would be useful to educate planners, that brings people to the region. Yet, these features township administrators, developers, landowners, are currently threatened by development activities and others about the significance of these coastal that are not systematically reviewed for impacts to communities. The provision of stewardship threatened or endangered species or ecological guidance and recommendations will increase the integrity. When they are addressed, natural chances of their long-term sustainability. features concerns are handled on a case by case Aquatic Community Characterization: The basis, resulting in cumulative impacts that are not nearshore Lake Michigan fish, benthic invertebrate easily detected. Maintenance of the ecological and plankton communities were sampled along integrity of the coastal zone will ultimately require three transects near Manistique. The habitat was the institutionalization of protection measures into primarily large boulder substrate, supporting a the planning process at all levels. This requires 1) strong assemblage of native benthic and forage good legislation at local, state, and federal levels; 2) fish, as well as many native snail and aquatic high-quality and comprehensive data; and 3) invertebrate species. While no listed species were education and outreach. The establishment of a found, relatively undisturbed nearshore long-term presence in the form of a coordinator or communities with a predominance of native species team to coordinate a landscape level conservation are rapidly vanishing elsewhere in the Great Lakes planning effort in the region is recommended. This due to shoreline modification and exotic species effort should include representation from all levels invasion. This unique aquatic assemblage should of government and private sector groups. be further studied to provide information not only for the protection of Northern Lake Michigan North Lake Michigan Coastal Zone - page ii List of Acronyms The following acronyms are used in the body of this report. Acronym Full Name BCD Biological Conservation Database CIWPIS Coastal and Inland Waters Permit Information System CRMI Conservation Resource Management Initiative CUPAD Coalition of Upper Peninsula DEQ Department of Environmental Equality FMD Forest Management Division GIS Geographic Information System GPS Global Positioning System LWMD Land and Water Management Division MDEQ Michigan Department of Environmental Quality MDNR Michigan Department of