Saginaw wetlands OAK openings restoration phase 2 proposalproject abstract summary project title saginaw wetlands OAK openings restoration phase 2PROJECT location town 16N, range 9E, section 22, huron…

Saginaw wetlands OAK openings restoration phase 2 proposalproject abstract summary project title saginaw wetlands OAK openings restoration phase 2PROJECT location town 16N, range 9E, section 22, huron county, michiganproposed project period 07 01 2022 through 12 31 2023THE saginaw wetlands nature sanctuary saginaw wetlands is 153 acres in size and was established in the 1980S to protect one of the last remaining and highest quality lakeplain prairie and lakeplain OAK openings remnants remaining in the great lakes region this sanctuary is of particular importance due to presence of large and stable population of the federally threatened eastern prairie fringed orchid platanthera leucophaea additional species listed as endangered and threatened by the state of michigan are also present at saginaw wetlands lakeplain prairie and lakeplain OAK openings are classified as critically imperiled natural communities due to their limited remaining distribution and the loss of over 99 of these natural communities to draining, filling, conversion to agriculture and natural succession over time the lakeplain prairie and OAK openings at saginaw wetlands became overgrown with excessive woody growth, primarily due to the lack of fire on the landscape during the last century encroaching succession is threatening to shade out portions of the lakeplain OAK openings with species including cherry prunus , prickly ASH zanthoxylem americanum , ELM ulmus , ASH fraxinus , dogwood cornus and others michigan nature association MNA has conducted habitat management consisting of woody growth removal, tree girdling, and prescribed burning at saginaw wetlands for over fifteen years to help restore the lakeplain prairies and OAK openings however, without more intensive management the heavily overgrown portions of the historical lakeplain OAK openings will be unable to be restored and unable to provide habitat for the unique species which require this habitat for survival MNA proposes to hire contractors to conduct woody brush mowing on thirteen acres within the lakeplain OAK openings MNA plans to provide in kind matching labor to prepared bids, hire, and oversee mowing contractors and perform additional work for the project by conducting site preparation and clean up for the mowing equipment, treating the mowed stumps with herbicide and conducting a prescribed burn to follow up the mowing project MNA will continue to manage the sanctuary and the restored habitat following the project as part of ongoing management of the sanctuary ongoing management will use both MNA staff and volunteers to complete follow up woody growth management and prescribed burning for the benefit of rare species on the sanctuary