The Keweenaw Land Trust has numerous ongoing land
conservation and stewardship projects. In trying to
be effective with our efforts and limited resources,
we have identified several strategic conservation
areas that build on past successes and others that
take us in some new directions. As a community
partner, we are responsive to the concerns of
citizens and a shared vision for our landscape, and
we prioritize our land protection program to
contribute to the quality of life in our area in a
positive way.
The Hancock-Calumet Corridor
This area is close to much of our region's
population and hosts large portions of undeveloped
and contiguous land providing wildlife habitat and
is important to the health of our watersheds. Scenic
vistas and natural habitats are varied in this
corridor, including family farms, upland forests,
and high elevation wetlands that feed creeks and
streams draining into the Portage and Lake Superior.
The stretch of US-41 from the Portage Lift Bridge to
Copper Harbor is a State Heritage Route and was
recently designated as a National Scenic Byway
called The Copper Country Trail. This is quite
fitting as this highway forms the spine of the
Keweenaw Peninsula and travels through beautiful
country, while retracing much of the history of
copper mining in the Keweenaw as evidenced by the
many historic sites and structures along the way.
The National Scenic Byway program is intended to
promote tourism - we would like to see land
resources along the Byway protected and managed well
to accomplish important conservation goals as well
as contribute to our region's tourism economy. The
two should go hand in hand.
The Trust intends to build on the success of the
Paavola Wetlands
Preserve and progress with
conservation easement projects in this corridor to
protect more land and provide new opportunities for
public access and recreation. We are cultivating
relationships with partner organizations and
supportive individuals sharing this vision to build
an effective conservation strategy for the
Hancock-Calumet Corridor. Meanwhile, volunteer
stewards are adding and improving trails at the Paavola Wetlands Preserve and our staff is
facilitating public school groups to use the
Preserve as an outdoor classroom.
Protection of Lake Superior's Coastal Wetlands in
Baraga County
In partnership with the Keweenaw Bay Indian
Community, The Great Lakes Fishery Trust, the
Superior Watershed Partnership, Copper Country
Chapter of Trout Unlimited, The Baraga Conservation
District, and state and federal agencies, KLT has
helped secure funding to support protection of rare
and significant coastal wetland habitats on Huron
Bay in Baraga County. Currently, project details and
property transactions are carefully being worked out
to accomplish several phases of this project during
2007 and 2008. Our partnership has secured funding
through the National Coastal Wetland Conservation
program to acquire a 50-acre parcel with a natural
embayment and diverse coastal wetland and upland
habitats to establish a new preserve. This property
includes some historic log cabins that will be
improved for use by visiting scientists and preserve
stewards, and eventually be made available for leave
no trace overnight recreational use. We will share
more of the details of this project as soon as the
first phase of the project is formally completed.
Pilgrim River
Watershed Project
Promoting sustainable forestry, natural resource
protection, and public recreation and education
Just minutes from
Houghton is a very large tract of undeveloped
forestland, with a variety of terrain, diverse
habitats and a high quality trout fishery known as
the Pilgrim River. In cooperation with the Copper
Country Chapter of Trout Unlimited, Northwood
Alliance, the Copper Country Audubon Club,
and the Keweenaw Trails Alliance, the KLT is
helping to build community support to accomplish a
conservation project to protect about 1500 acres and
include more than three miles of the Pilgrim River
and its tributaries. With the current private
landowners as willing participants in this process,
the cooperating organizations are working to gain
wider community support. Portage Township was
previously presented with the concept of this
project and we will continue to encourage their
participation as a cooperating government unit.
The primary approach
we are developing involves a productive forest
conservation easement-a land protection agreement
that would permanently establish this property as a
sustainably managed forest with public access for a
wide variety of recreation, education and research
uses. In addition to traditional hunting and
fishing, uses would be expanded to include all forms
of recreation that are compatible with sustainable
forest management, which could include developing
trail systems for hiking, skiing, mountain biking,
and other low-impact activities.
We are currently
making the case for the value of this project to our
community, as it represents a tremendous opportunity
for both conservation and public benefit - an
opportunity that may never come again.
Contact us
to find out how you can support this project.
A growing gallery of Pilgrim River photos can be
viewed on the Northwood Alliance webpage:
http://northwoodalliance.org/pilgrim_river/pilgrim_river_photos.htm
Inland Lakes Initiative
KLT has received several potential project referrals
and inquiries from landowners with extensive
undeveloped property on inland lakes in our service
area. Recognizing an emerging opportunity, KLT
launched an Inland Lakes Initiative that uses the
powerful tool of conservations easements to protect
habitats and ensure that future development is
limited and in keeping with a property's
conservation values. Currently, two inland lake
easement projects on private properties within the
Ottawa National Forest are in progress and other
projects are currently being explored.
Manitou Island Light Station Preserve
KLT is working to keep this piece of our maritime
and national history alive and well. Following many
years of neglect prior to the transfer of this
property to the KLT, our volunteer work teams are
making steady progress stabilizing the historic
structures. One goal is to have the facilities safe
and useable for ongoing activities related to the
Manitou Island Bird Survey, for volunteer "Lightkeeper"
stewards, and possibly for an artist in residency
program, as well as available for tours by the
public and organized groups. There is still a lot of
work to be done, with priority to tighten up
structures to deal with the storms Lake Superior
regularly throws at this Light Station.
The first site visit of 2007 showed that last year's
work paid off, as the buildings were dry and the
musty air of past years was no more. Planning for
work trips is ongoing, and we could use help. Do you
have a powerboat that could transport people and
supplies to Manitou Island? Do you have a portable
generator you could loan or give to us to help power
up the work teams? Do you have carpentry skills and
a desire to pitch in on a once in a lifetime project
opportunity? Contact us if you are interested in
getting involved at Manitou.
For more information, visit the
Manitou Island Light
Station Preserve project page.
The Marsin Preserve and Nature Retreat Center
This combined project represents a unique program
for a small land Trust like KLT. To create a
community space for events and activities to help us
all connect with our natural environment, we are in
the process of converting a lakeshore residence on
the Portage Waterway into a Nature Retreat Center.
We will need professional help and advice to make
this facility accommodating for group events and
user friendly for the disabled and elderly. The
adjoining Preserve is getting trail improvements,
with the goal to connect those trails with the
Nature Retreat Center. This program has many
opportunities to involve volunteers. Is your Scout
troop looking for service projects? Do you want to
join a team to make our vision a reality? Visit our
Marsin page for more information and contact
us to get involved. Become a
volunteer today! |
