Dryhill Grassland Restoration at Arcadia Dunes: The C.S. Mott Nature Preserve

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The Dryhill Grassland at Arcadia Dunes: The C.S. Mott Nature Preserve is a rare, beautiful and important Michigan landscape. Grasslands are immensely diverse and beautiful ecosystems and have nearly disappeared in a few short decades. Prior to European settlement our state had approximately 2 million acres of grassland and now, according to the Michigan Natural Features Inventory, less than 1% of the original prairies remain. Nationwide, this important habitat has been lost due to various development pressures, agricultural practices, fire suppression, and invasive plant species. As a result, grassland and migratory birds that depend on this open habitat have suffered steep population declines. In fact, the largest decline in Michigan’s bird community has been grassland birds.

In 2000, during early negotiations to protect Arcadia Dunes, sightings of several bird species with declining populations, including Grasshopper Sparrows, Meadowlarks, Northern Harrier, and Upland Sandpipers brought heightened awareness to the significance of a 350 acre area of fallow fields in the eastern portion of the proposed conservation area. The presence of these birds helped build the case to protect the property. Arcadia Dunes was permanently protected in 2006.

While it was clear these fields were host to some rare bird species it wasn’t clear how well the fields were functioning as habitat and whether they could sustain these bird populations. To better understand this habitat, local Audubon Club members began monitoring the fields in 2001 by establishing permanent plots for bird point counts. It soon became apparent that habitat suitability for these birds would decline over time if invasive vegetation, such as spotted knapweed and smooth brome grass, continued to increase to levels that would not support a diverse and healthy ecosystem.

Significant measures and swift action needed to be taken to improve this habitat. Vern Stephens of Designs by Nature was contracted to develop a management plan for the grassland while financial and technical assistance from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources’ Landowner Incentive Program, were utilized to convert the first 48 acres of field to native warm season grassland in the spring of 2008. Additional technical input was received from the Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) and, in 2009, the grassland was enrolled in a ten year Wildlife Habitat Improvement Program (WHIP) with the goal of restoring more than 265 acres. As of 2011, 195 acres field are being converted to native grassland with 41 more acres to be added in the spring of 2012.

The intention of the Dryhill Grassland Restoration Project is to create and maintain an ideal habitat and food source for upland bird species, while subsequently providing air-drainage for local farm fields as well as a prime location to monitor bird populations, provide grassland education, and simply enjoy a beautiful and rare Michigan landscape. The grassland lies within a north/south migration corridor along Lake Michigan’s eastern shore and will thus provide both nesting and stop-over habitat for many bird species.

Grassland restoration is a long term process that requires great effort to establish and maintain. Historically, prairies were maintained as open landscapes by intentionally set fires, burns after lightning strikes or periodic Bison grazing. Deep rooted native grassland plants thrived and adapted well to this kind of disturbance. Conditions today however, allow invasive species to dominate many grasslands. Invasives provide significantly less ecological value than their native counterparts and need to be controlled when establishing and maintaining a healthy native grassland. GTRLC is establishing a healthy grassland at Dryhill using many techniques that create prime conditions for native grassland species including seeding, herbicide application, hand pulling invasive species and prescribed burns.

One of the lesser known and more dramatic restoration tools is a “low-intensity, controlled burn.” While immediately after a burn the grassland will look charred and damaged, fires aid the health of grasslands because native plants are adapted to fire and give them an advantage over invasive species and annual weeds which are less well adapted. A controlled burn of 43 acres at the grassland is scheduled for the fall of 2012. It will be conducted in a well-planned, highly controlled and safe manner. For more information on this activity, please contact us at 231-929-7911.

Once native grasses are established and broadleaf weeds are under control, native wildflowers are sown throughout the grassland. This adds another level of ecological complexity and a gorgeous aesthetic. Volunteers have frost-seeded some portions of the grassland and continue to monitor their success.

The grassland is in different stages of restoration which provides many on-going opportunities for volunteer participation including:

Grassland seed collection in the fall
Vegetation monitoring
Invasive species removal
Bird point count monitoring
Developing and implementing an insect monitoring program
Wildflower frost seeding

All volunteer opportunities for 2012 are listed on the Events Page of our website, or if you have a special skill or interest, please contact Angie Lucas or Nate Richardson directly.

Learn more about the Grassland:

Birds of the Grassland Field Guide
Arcadia Dunes: The C.S. Mott Nature Preserve: Information/Directions