For those who have wanted to learn how to protect special natural areas along the Lake Michigan shoreline like the clay bluffs at Wau-Ke-Na Nature Preserve the chance is about to arise.
The clay bluffs at Wau-Ke-Na in Glenn have been declared among the highest quality in Michigan that have been documented to date, says Nate Fuller, Conservation and Stewardship Director of the
Southwest Michigan Land Conservancy.
Now those who want to be stewards for the natural communities that are unique to freshwater dunes and bluffs on Lake Michigan will have an opportunity to learn how to stop invasive species that pose a threat. The land conservancy also is seeking active participants to help with identification and management of invasive species at home and at local natural areas.
The Southwest Michigan Land Conservancy is providing a free workshop at their Wau-Ke-Na nature preserve from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 30. The Lake Michigan Shore Association is a co-sponsor of this event.
Those attending the workshop will learn how to identify problem plants such as Japanese knotweed, Asian honeysuckle vine and giant reed grass. Participants will be able to handle samples and will learn ways to control them. They also will go out into the field to learn how to identify them and places where they grow. While the idea is to help natural areas, control of invasive species often begins at home, where they can be eradicated before spreading beyond our yards.
The erosion that is a natural part of clay bluffs is the same force that can threaten houses built too close the lake, says Fuller. Once viewed as attractive nuisances, clay bluffs are starting to be recognized as a rare and special natural community to be proud of. Erosion is a component of this natural system as water seeps through layers of clay to surface along the face of the bluffs just as the wind is an important component of sand dunes.
The resulting conditions create specialized microclimates with extremely alkaline conditions where stunning wildflowers such as fringed gentian and great blue lobelia bloom. Natural areas all along the lakeshore are being threatened by invasive species.
"They are a true national natural treasure and are as worthy to protect from invasive species as our more famous dunes," Fuller says. "All the natural communities along the shoreline deserve to be appreciated for their beauty."
Writer: Kathy Jennings, Second Wave Media
Source: Nate Fuller, Southwest Michigan Land Conservancy
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