Susan Creek Acquisition

The Little Traverse Conservancy was recently awarded $850,000 to protect tracts of land that are significant migratory bird habitat. The grant comes through the 1989 North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA), which provides matching grants to carry out wetlands conservation projects in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The Conservancy has earmarked the funds to complete existing projects and to initiate future projects.

“Funds of this magnitude enable us to complete conservation on some of the most ecologically significant parcels in our service area,” said Tom Bailey, the Conservancy’s executive director. “In addition, the NAWCA program is designed to encourage partnerships with other groups, and we are now connected with others who are making similar efforts. This is particularly important in the Upper Peninsula where it is more difficult to raise money locally for conservation.”

Thanks to several recent land protection projects within Chippewa and Mackinac counties, the Conservancy was able to easily exceed a 1:1 NAWCA match requirement. All told, 11 projects encompassing 2,307 acres were included within the proposal, which was titled, St. Mary's River Bird Migration Corridor. Several of the tracts of land lie directly along - or shortly inland from - a migration path taken by birds flying from Lake Superior down to Lake Huron or Lake Michigan. The grant parcels include several tracts of land along the northern Lake Huron shoreline, considered to be some of the most biologically productive habitat in the state. This shore was designated as a “Last Great Place” by The Nature Conservancy, and provides habitat for 9 globally rare communities, 13 federally-listed, threatened, or endangered species, 21 globally rare species of plants and animals, and 60 state rare species.

Thanks to the NAWCA grant, the protection of St. Helena Island, a 266-acre island located within the Straits of Mackinac, will be brought to completion. All but a three-acre lighthouse station, which is owned and managed by the Great Lakes Lighthouse Keepers Association, will remain protected as a nature preserve and provide critical food and nesting habitat for migratory and permanent species.
“We plan to pursue a future NAWCA grant that includes a Canadian partnership, allowing for the protection of habitat on both sides of the St. Mary’s River,” Bailey said. “This would be true ecological corridor protection.”