The Nature Conservancy (TNC) owns the Erie Marsh Preserve, a 2,200-acre complex of impounded coastal wetlands, agricultural fields and open water associated with North Maumee Bay on Lake Erie. TNC manages the property along with the Erie Shooting and Fishing Club, who retain a long-term waterfowl hunting lease on the property. Over the past decade, the once high-quality aquatic vegetation on this property has been displaced by phragmites, an invasive, non-native plant that has little value to wildlife. This has decimated the quality of the habitat for waterfowl. In 2005, DU partnered with the Erie Shooting and Fishing Club to begin restoring 277 acres of Great Lakes coastal wetland. Phase I of the restoration project involved aerially spraying phragmites with 220 gallons of AquaMaster herbicide contributed by DU in September 2005. DU will oversee Phase II in 2006, including a prescribed burn and subsequent shallow flooding of the treated areas. We anticipate that additional marsh restoration will occur on this property in future years.
