The great lakes restoration initiative and minnesotas lessard-sams outdoor heritage fund have made unprecedented investments into restoration of habitat for great lakes fish and wildlife populations…

The great lakes restoration initiative and minnesotas lessard-sams outdoor heritage fund have made unprecedented investments into restoration of habitat for great lakes fish and wildlife populations in the ST. Louis river estuary (slre) over the past 12 years. The initial remedial action plan (RAP) for the slre was based on the distribution of fish and wildlife following over a century of severely impaired conditions. Evidence indicates that the abundance and distribution of fish and wildlife resources has changed following gains in water quality, remediation of contaminated sediment, and habitat restoration however, state and tribal resource agencies have identified additional strategies and projects necessary for the continued recovery of the estuarys fish and wildlife populations. Birds are often used as indicators of ecological condition because they play important roles in ecosystem function and show predictable and quantifiable responses to environmental change. Therefore, we will use historical bird monitoring data and collect contemporary data at wetlands within the slre to differentiate estuary-wide shifts in bird community composition relative to shifts associated with restoration activities. The goal of our project is to determine how efforts to remediate and restore heavily degraded sites in the slre have improved conditions (i.e. breeding habitat) for wetland-dependent birds at both the site-level and estuary-wide. Objectives: 1) have bird communities changed significantly during the last 50 years in the slre and 2) have recent remediation and restoration activities created higher quality habitat relative to pre-restoration conditions as evidenced by changes in bird community composition in addition to assessing the effectiveness of the slre RAP for bird populations, this study will also contribute key information for upcoming restoration site prioritization and project design. Results will be used to maximize benefits of restoration for breeding birds and aid in conservation efforts for focal species of conservation concern.deliverables: results of our research will be presented at relevant local, regional, and national conferences and meetings. We will also publish the results of this study in an appropriate peer-reviewed journal. As required, we will provide annual reports to the united states fish and wildlife service documenting our progress as well as a comprehensive final report.