A multi-year conservation project along Wisconsin’s Lake Superior shoreline has helped protect more than 1,700 acres of land, restore wetlands and improve habitats used by fish, migratory birds and other wildlife. The project brought together the US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and Landmark Conservancy, a nonprofit organisation based in Menomonie, Wisconsin. Supported by federal funding and the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, the effort focused on protecting connected natural areas along Lake Superior’s southern shore. As reported by the US Fish and Wildlife Service, the conservation work was aimed at maintaining healthy forests, wetlands and streams while protecting the watersheds that feed into Lake Superior.
Why the Lake Superior shoreline matters
In northern Wisconsin, rivers and streams flow into Lake Superior through a landscape of forests, wetlands and cold-water tributaries. These connected habitats support brook trout, migratory birds and other wildlife, while helping maintain the health of the wider Great Lakes ecosystem. The region is known to biologists as the south shore streams area. Protecting it is important because the condition of the land surrounding rivers and streams affects the habitats and waters they support. According to the US Fish and Wildlife Service, Landmark Conservancy worked with willing landowners to identify conservation opportunities in the watersheds of Whittlesey Creek, Iron River, Marengo River, Pokegama River and White River.The project used conservation easements as one of its main tools. These agreements can help protect land from certain types of future development while allowing owners to retain ownership, depending on the terms of the agreement. They also help conservation groups safeguard connected habitats across different properties.
Wetlands restored and 25 acres treated for invasive species
Photo credit: Tyler Forks Community Forest, Landmark Conservancy, Copyrighted, All Rights Reserved
The project involved more than protecting land. Landmark Conservancy also carried out restoration work in community forests in northern Wisconsin. According to the US Fish and Wildlife Service, the work included planting conifers in forested wetlands, using native plants to restore habitat and treating 25 acres for invasive species. Invasive plants can spread into natural areas and compete with native vegetation, changing the conditions on which local wildlife depends. Treating affected areas can help native plant communities recover and improve the quality of the surrounding habitat.Planting conifers in forested wetlands and restoring areas with native vegetation were also intended to support the landscape’s long-term health. The conservation work covered more than 1,700 acres, but the agency’s report does not describe all of that area as newly restored. It refers to conservation actions across the land, alongside specific restoration and invasive-species management activities.
A partnership involving landowners and conservation groups
The US Fish and Wildlife Service’s Coastal Program supported Landmark Conservancy’s multi-year project. Local landowners played an important role by working with the organisation to identify areas where conservation measures could be introduced. The partnership also focused on explaining local conservation needs and helping landowners understand how protecting natural areas can improve the long-term resilience of the Great Lakes region.The project was selected as part of the broader goals of the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative’s Action Plan IV. It described the work as an example of how federal financial support, local expertise and voluntary conservation can work together. The Great Lakes Restoration Initiative is led by the US Environmental Protection Agency and involves more than a dozen federal agencies, including the US Fish and Wildlife Service. Its work addresses major environmental concerns affecting the Great Lakes.
What happens next?
The protected areas are expected to continue providing habitat for wildlife, maintaining links between natural areas and supporting the health of local watersheds. According to the US Fish and Wildlife Service, the relationships built between landowners and conservation partners could also create opportunities for future conservation work. The project is part of a broader effort to protect the Great Lakes, which support wildlife as well as communities that depend on the region for drinking water and recreation.
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