Harsens’s Island is a portion of a complex of islands, marshes and bays at the mouth of the St. Clair River that are collectively known as St. Clair Flats Wildlife Area (SCFWA).  One of the cornerstone habitats at SCFWA is West Marsh, an 800-acre managed emergent wetland that has historically been a major waterfowl nesting, staging and feeding area.  Unfortunately, waterfowl use of this marsh has declined signi?cantly because of a poorly functioning water management infrastructure.  To improve habitat conditions, DU provided engineering and biological technical assistance and NAWCA funds to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (MDNR) to replace water control structures and install a sump that has restored the MDNR’s ability to manage water levels and wetland vegetation in West Marsh.  Waterfowl USA also was a partner in this project. 

    DU provided more than $137,000 of NAWCA funds to the Michigan Nature Association to acquire and permanently protect a 60-acre addition to their Saginaw Wetlands Nature Sanctuary in Huron County.  This property located adjacent to Wildfowl Bay State Wildlife Area contains a mix of Great Lakes coastal forested and emergent wetlands, lakeplain wet prairie and uplands that provide important habitat to nesting and migrating waterfowl. 

   DU hired a contractor and provided more than $33,000 of NAWCA funds to help the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service restore a 141-acre mosaic of wetland and native grassland habitat at Shiawassee National Wildlife Refuge.  The completed project includes 16 acres of emergent wetland and 10 acres of sedge meadow that are surrounded by 115 acres of native warm season grasses.  Together these habitats will provide nesting and brood-rearing habitat for a diversity of waterfowl and grassland nesting songbirds. 

  

 Emergent wetlands and native grasses restored at Shiawassee National Wildlife Refuge.