OMB Control Num ber 1018-0111
Approval Expires 09/30/2004
Summary Information for Ranking National
Coastal Wetlands Conservation Grant Program Proposals
Title:
Bete Grise Coastal Wetland Acquisition
Costs:
Coastal Wetlands Program Request
State
Other (Federal)
Other (Non-Federal)
Summary:
1,000,000.00
0.00
0.00
488,443.00
Total
1,488,443.00
Include a 2-5 sentence paragraph describing the project and its resource benefits.
This grant will be used to acquire two parcels from International Paper totaling approximately 1,800 acres of pristine
Lake Superior coastal wetlands. These parcels contain an exemplary wetland system that developed between Lac la
Belle and Lake Superior in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula near the tip of the Keweenaw Peninsula (figure 1). This
wetland system has been identified by TNC, MDNR and MDEQ as the single most important estuarine Grate Lakes
Marsh remaining in the Upper Great Lakes in the United States.
(1) Wetlands Conservation: What is the breakdown by habitat type for the wetlands being conserved?
Habitat type
Number of acres
Declining coastal wetlands
Stable coastal wetlands
Percentage of total project area
1,592.0
88.1
13.2
0.7
201.6
11.2
1,806.8
100.0
Total wetlands
Upland
Total project acres
(2) Maritime Forest on Coastal Barriers: What plant species are present that are indicative of maritime
forest as defined in the criteria?
Common name
Scientific name
Prevalence (rare, common,
predominant)
NA
(3) Long-term conservation: How long will the habitat benefits be provided by the project?
Benefits in perpetuity
(number of acres)
Easements
Fee-title (no
restoration)
Fee-title (that will
also be restored)
FWS Form No. 3-2179
Benefits for 26-99 years
(number of acres)
Benefits for 10-25 years
(number of acres)
1,807
1
6/2000
Not acquired,
Restored only
Not acquired,
Enhanced only
Other (please
explain)
Total
1,807
(4) Coastal watershed management: How will this project help achieve the goals of specific management
plans and efforts?
Management plan or effort
How this project helps implement its goals
MNFI/TNC Site Specific Management Plan
Area listed as high priority for protection
Coaster brook trout restoration and habitat study in
partnership with Michigan Technological University,
Michigan Department of Natural Resources, US Fish
and Wildlife Service
Help protect coastal foraging areas for adult fish
The Michigan Upper Peninsula Coastal Wetland Project
Help protect significant coastal wetlands
The Great Lakes Ecoregional Plan
Protects area of high biological importance
(5a) Conservation of threatened and endangered species: What are the benefits to federally listed species,
candidates, or recently delisted species?
Common name
Scientific name
Status
Project
benefits
Bald Eagle
Haliaeetus
Leucocephalus
Threatened
Long
established
nesting
species at
Bete Grise
Gray Wolf
Canis lupus
Threatened
Provides
habitat
Lynx
Lynx canadensis
Threatened
Known from
Keweenaw,
provides
habitat
Does the project support goals of a
Recovery Plan or HCP?
List plan and goal.
(5b) What are the benefits to State species of concern?
Common name
Scientific name
Status
Project
benefits
Alternate-leaved
Water Milfoil
Myriophyllum
alternifolia
Threatened
Protects
habitat
Auricled
Twayblade Orchid
Listera ariculata
Threatened
Protects
habitat
FWS Form No. 3-2179
2
Does the project support goals of a
specific Recovery Plan? List plan
and goal.
6/2000
Calypso Orchid
Calypso bulbosa
Threatened
Protects
habitat
Marsh Willow
Herb
Epilobium palustre
Threatened
Protects
habitat
(6) Benefits to fish: What are benefits to anadromous, interjuristictional, and other important species?
Common name
Scientific name
Project benefits
Does the project help meet
specific management goals? List
plan and goal.
Coaster Brook Trout
Salvelinus fontinalis
Help protect coastal
foraging areas for adult
fish
Yellow Perch
Perca flavescens
Protects larval foraging
habitat
Largemouth Bass
Micropterus salmoides
Protects larval foraging
habitat
Smallmouth Bass
Micropterus dolomieu
Protects larval foraging
habitat
Bluegill
Lepomis macrochirus
Protects larval foraging
habitat
Sunfish
Various spp.
Protects larval foraging
habitat
Pike
Esox lucius
Spawning habitat, larval
foraging habitat
(7) Coastal-dependent or migratory birds: What are the benefits to specific coastal-dependent or migratory
species?
Common name
Scientific name
Benefits
Common Loon
Gavia Immer
Confirmed nesting,
protects habitat
Osprey
Pandion haliaetus
Confirmed nesting,
protects habitat
Merlin
Falco columbarius
Confirmed nesting,
protects habitat
Sandhill Crane
Grus canadensis
Confirmed nesting,
protects habitat
American Bittern
Botaurus
lentiginosus
Probable nesting,
protects habitat
Great-blue Heron
Ardea herodias
Possible nesting, protects
habitat
Green-backed
Heron
Butorides virescens
Confirmed nesting,
protects habitat
Black Duck
Anas rubripes
Confirmed nesting,
protects habitat
Mallard
Anas platyrhnchos
Confirmed nesting,
protects habitat
FWS Form No. 3-2179
Does project help meet the goals of a
specific management plan? List plan
and goal.
3
6/2000
Red-breasted
Merganser
Mergus serrator
Confirmed nesting,
protects habitat
Common
Merganser
Mergus merganser
Confirmed nesting,
protects habitat
Blue-winged Teal
Anas discors
Confirmed nesting,
protects habitat
Wood Duck
Aix sponsa
Confirmed nesting,
protects habitat
Sharp-shined Hawk
Accipiter striatus
Confirmed nesting,
protects habitat
Sedge Wren
Cistothorus platensis
Probable nesting,
protects habitat
Golden-winged
Warbler
Vermivora
chrysoptera
Possible nesting, protects
habitat
Nashville Warbler
Vermivora ruficapilla
Confirmed nesting,
protects habitat
Yellow-bellied
Flycatcher
Empidonax
flaviventris
Probable nesting,
protects habitat
Connecticut
Warbler
Oporornis agilis
Probable nesting,
protects habitat
Chestnut-sided
Warbler
Dendroica
pensylvanica
Probable nesting,
protects habitat
Blackburnian
Warbler
Dendroica fusca
Possible nesting, protects
habitat
Pine Warbler
Dendroica pinus
Probable nesting,
protects habitat
American Redstart
Setophaga ruticilla
Confirmed nesting,
protects habitat
Veery
Catharus fuscescens
Confirmed nesting,
protects habitat
Swainson Thrush
Catharus ustulatus
Confirmed nesting,
protects habitat
Magnolia Warbler
Dendroica magnolia
Confirmed nesting,
protects habitat
(8) Prevent or reduce contamination: What are the contaminants benefits?
Contaminant
Benefits
Sediment
Will eliminate erosion
potential from develpment
Does project help meet the goals of a specific
management plan? List plan and goal.
(9) Catalyst for future conservation: What other conservation efforts that would benefit from this project?
FWS Form No. 3-2179
4
6/2000
Projects
Benefits
Bi-national Program to Restore and Protect Lake
Superior
“The crucial importance of nearshore, shoreline, and
wetland aquatic habitats in the Lake Superior basin
need to be addressed through continuing efforts to
identify, protect and restore key sites for reproduction
and rearing of fish species (such as the coaster brook
trout), waterbirds, mammals and other associated
wildlife and plants” (USFWS Regional Wetlands
Concept Plan, 1990).
Cooperative land acquisition and management
Bete Grise Wetlands is located in an area where
significant land acquisition has taken place over the
past 2 years through both private (The Nature
Conservancy) and public (the State Of Michigan)
efforts. Within the general area more than 8,000 acres
of land have been protected. This area contains an
extraordinary complex of glacial lakes, wetlands and
mixed conifer/hardwood upland forest. These lands
include several large glacial lakes, most notably
Schallter Lake at 550 acres; several large complexes of
patterned peatlands, a unique wetland system; thirteen
miles of rugged Lake Superior shoreline containing
cliffs, stacks and bluffs and nearly five miles of frontage
along the cascading Montreal River all cloaked in some
of the finest remaining hardwood/boreal forest
communities remaining in the Keweenaw. Other lands
within the interior parts of the Peninsula will be retained
by International Paper Company and managed under
their Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFIsm). The
protection of Bete Grise Wetlands will augment these
efforts, adding diversity and additional protected
acreage within the Keweenaw Peninsula.
(10) Partners in conservation: What are the sources and amounts of financial support being provided by
partners?
Organizations/individuals providing match
Monetary value of support
The Nature Conservancy
$473,443.00
Keweenaw Land Trust
$5,000.00
Houghton/Keweenaw Conservation District
$5,000.00
South Shore Association
$5,000.00
(11) Federal share reduced: Is the Federal match share reduced by contributions from State and other nonFederal sources? To what extent? (See instructions for guidance on the calculation.)
Total project costs
$1,333,333.00
Required State match
$333,333.00
Additional cash contribution
$146,110.00
FWS Form No. 3-2179
5
6/2000
Percent increase over required match (see
instructions)
43.8
(12) Education/outreach or wildlife-oriented recreation: What site-specific educational or outreach programs
or wildlife-oriented recreation programs or products are made possible by this project?
Site-specific programs or products
Audience/Participants
Estimated size of
audience/participants
Informational Kiosks and
interpretive materials
Site visitors
100s-1000s per year
(13) Other factors: What other benefits does the project provide?
Other factors
How the project addresses them
Single most important estuarine Great Lakes Marsh
remaining in the Upper Great Lakes
Designation from TNC, MDNR and MDEQ reports,
project will protect this unique feature in perpetuity.
FWS Form No. 3-2179
6
6/2000
OMB Control Num ber 1018-0111
Approval Expires 09/30/2004
Other considerations/tie-breakers:
1) Is the habitat imminently threatened?
Yes
No
Threat(s)
Severity
Development
High, International paper has DEQ permit to build road
through wetlands to develop beach front.
2) Does the site have unique and significant diversity?
Yes
No
Unique biodiversity
Supportive evidence
Northern Great lakes Marsh
From MNFI and TNC Surveys and community
classification, Globally Imperiled (G2)
Wooded Dune and Swale Community
From MNFI and TNC Surveys and community
classification, Globally Threatened (G3)
Poorly Drained Sandy Lake Plain
From MNFI and TNC Surveys and community
classification, Globally Threatened (G3)
Sand/Cobblestone Beach Community
From MNFI and TNC Surveys and community
classification, Globally Threatened (G3)
3) What are the costs per acre? (Lesser costs would be preferable, all other factors being equal).
Habitat conservation approach
Costs per acre
Acquisition
$1,706.00
Easements
Restoration
4a) Are there new sources of funds, lands, or services being applied to this project? (As opposed to lands
already owned by the State or third party that are being offered as match).
Yes
No
(4b) What percentage of the funds, lands, or services is new?
FWS Form No. 3-2179
7
100.0
percent.
6/2000