Arcadia Marsh Restoration

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The Arcadia Marsh is a Great Lakes Coastal Marsh, a rare and declining natural community found only in Great Lakes coastal areas. Coastal marshes are some of the most productive ecosystems in the world, and Arcadia is one of only 15 or so remaining coastal marshes along Lake Michigan’s Lower Peninsula shoreline. The Arcadia Marsh hosts over 150 species of birds including 17 State Endangered, Threatened, or Species of Special Concern, making it a fantastic site for birding. It is also an important spawning, nursery and year-round habitat for numerous fish and other aquatic organisms.

The Arcadia Marsh and its natural processes have been heavily impacted by human alterations. In the late 1800’s, a railroad grade was constructed resulting in an east/west berm through the marsh. The water table was lowered to create conditions more suitable for agriculture and in the 1950s. Bowens creek, which feeds the marsh, was diverted for a stock pond which eventually “blew out”. This caused 40-50% of the water from Bowens Creek to be diverted from its natural course to a straight wide channel along the northern side of the railroad grade. A second diversion of Bowens Creek was constructed in the 1960s in an attempt to improve duck hunting opportunities which diverted nearly all the remaining water from the creek. Bowens Creek is now very shallow and heavily sedimented. Finally, the hydrology and ecological connection between the marsh and Arcadia Lake were permanently impacted when M-22 was constructed in its current location by means of a quarter mile filled causeway perforated only by a narrow bridge.

Along with the accumulated effects from years of hydrologic alteration there is an alarming level of invasive plant species present in the marsh. Invasive species such as phragmites and reed canary grass are crowding out native plants which can seriously impact the natural benefits of the wetland and directly impact Lake Arcadia’s water quality and ultimately the water quality of Lake Michigan. These conditions threaten the overall health of the Arcadia Marsh and make habitat restoration necessary.

Restoration began with GTRLC’s acquisition of 155 acres within the marsh. Funding was then received in the form of grants from the Michigan Coastal Zone Management program and the Sustain Our Great Lakes program through the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation to begin critical restoration of the marsh.

Working in partnership with Ducks Unlimited, Little River Band of Ottawa Indians, Conservation Resource Alliance, and the Manistee County Road Commission, the restoration activities focus on restoring flows within the natural channel of Bowens Creek by constructing plugs at the site of previous diversions, treating invasive species infestations – which began in 2010 and includes the use of a prescribed burn slated for early 2012 -, and re-creating roughly 6 acres of shallow, open water areas within the Marsh by removing built up sod within the areas of the Marsh that are inundated during periods of high water Many of the rare bird species documented at the Marsh occur during periods of higher water, when there is an abundance of open water and emergent marsh habitat. Increased shallow marsh habitat also helps re-create conditions that made Arcadia Marsh a historically important northern pike spawning marsh.

As an added measure to ensure the re-colonization of native species, GTRLC will collect seeds from native plants for distribution in sparse areas. Seed collection days are an ideal opportunity for volunteers who would like to be involved in this restoration project.

Arcadia Marsh has traditionally been used for passive recreation and once restoration is complete the Conservancy will to continue to enhance access.

To volunteer or learn more about this important restoration project, please see the Events Page to sign up for a volunteer event and click the Arcadia Marsh Nature Preserve Restoration Publication for additional information.