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The Keweenaw Land Trust (KLT), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) welcomed the public to a dedication ceremony today for lands acquired as part of the Abbaye Peninsula – Huron Bay Conservation Initiative in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.
The dedication ceremony was held this morning at the Lightfoot Bay Nature Area, located off the Pinery-Cemetery
Road, in Arvon Township. After the ceremony, attendees were invited to hike trails in the area.
With the support of numerous partner organizations, the project permanently protects 1,374 acres and nearly a mile of Lake Superior shoreline and was made possible by a USFWS National Coastal Wetlands Conservation program grant of $1 million in 2015, with over $1.1 million in matching funds provided by private foundations, individual donors and bargain sales offered by the landowners.
These protected lands provide important wildlife habitat, help maintain air and water quality, and provide the public with scenic views, access, education and recreation. The project will also enhance regional tourism benefiting Upper Michigan’s economy.
The lands will be owned and managed by the Keweenaw Land Trust.
“The Lake Superior basin has diverse, healthy and ecologically-significant habitats, with the Keweenaw and Abbaye peninsulas being particularly important for migratory birds like raptors, songbirds and waterfowl,” said Evan McDonald, KLT executive director. “The project area’s large, forested wetlands, creeks and ponds will perpetually support a wide variety of wildlife and native plants.”
The KLT is a non-profit organization serving the western counties of Upper Michigan and owns these protected lands as part of its mission as a community partner protecting land, water and quality of life through conservation, stewardship and education.
“The protection of these coastal habitats is essential to maintain a healthy nearshore environment that supports Lake Superior’s food web and its commercial and recreational fisheries,” McDonald said.
The National Coastal Wetlands Conservation program provides critical funding to protect some of the nation’s most fragile and at-risk wildlife habitats along the Atlantic, Pacific, Gulf and Great Lakes coastlines. Funds for the program are generated, in part, through taxes paid on equipment and fuel purchases by recreational anglers and boaters.
“The diversity and abundance of fish and wildlife that use the Abbaye Peninsula are a testament to the quality and significance of the land and water around us,” said Tom Melius, USFWS regional director. “Bald eagles, coaster brook trout, waterfowl and lake trout – and the people who enjoy these resources – will benefit now and in the future.”
The DNR served as the grant administrator for this important project.
“All of the project lands will be open to the public, with fishing, hunting, skiing and other valuable recreational opportunities available here,” said Stacy Welling-Haughey, DNR Upper Peninsula regional coordinator. “This project aligns with DNR goals and complements several other initiatives in the area, including the Pilgrim River Watershed Project.”
In addition to protecting some of the country’s most important wildlife habitat, the grant program creates significant benefits for those seeking recreation and the American public. The billions of dollars generated through recreational angling, boating, waterfowl hunting and birdwatching benefit communities near wetland projects.
With Keweenaw Land Trust’s tax-exempt status, the property will be removed from Baraga County’s tax roll. However, this acquisition is intended to help support the local economy through ecotourism and related outdoor recreational pursuits.
“(The) Lightfoot Bay area is a beautiful place and needs to be properly preserved. The only thing is that we need to
find a way to replace the loss of tax dollars,” said Baraga County Commissioner William Menge of Skanee. “It is nice for camping, hunting and fishing. Hopefully, it will bring people to the area for recreation.”
McDonald said that in the long term, having protected lands available in a community enhances quality of life, attracts and retains residents, and supports the local economy in ways other than property taxes.
A similar situation occurred a half century ago in Alger County with the development of Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. Today, the Munising area tourism economy is booming based on the wondrous natural resource and recreation attractions of the roughly 73,000-acre park, which includes 11,740 acres set aside for the Beaver Basin Wilderness.
With input from the USFWS, DNR, other natural resource professionals, partner organizations and the general public, the KLT will develop a management plan for these properties – with appropriate goals and approaches to protect the natural resources and provide compatible public use benefits – ensuring conservation and stewardship of these beautiful Upper Peninsula lands into the future.
Partner funding for this project was provided by the J.A. Woolman Foundation, the Carls Foundation, Leuthold Family Foundation, Americana Foundation, Shaw and Betty Walker Foundation, Soyring Family Foundation, Michigan Chapter of the Nature Conservancy, Copper Country Audubon, Michigan Nature Association, Keweenaw Bay Indian Community, Upper Peninsula Environmental Coalition and the Community Foundation of the Upper Peninsula.
In addition, many individuals made donations to support these land acquisitions.
Visit www.KeweenawLandTrust.org for more information about this conservation Initiative.
