Huron River Watershed Council

EXPLORING INVESTMENT STRATEGIES FOR LAND PROTECTION IN THE HURON RIVER WATERSHED

THE HURON WATERSHED COUNCIL AND ITS PARTNERS WILL IMPLEMENT A 3-YEAR 'PAY FOR PERFORMANCE' PROGRAM FOR AGRICULTURAL PRODUCERS IN CRITICAL SUB-WATERSHEDS OF THE HURON RIVER, MICHIGAN. BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES SUCH AS NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT AND COVER CROPS WILL BE IMPLEMENTED ON APPROXIMATELY 500 ACRES, TARGETED AT REDUCING PHOSPHORUS LOADING INTO THE HURON RIVER AND LAKE ERIE BY 21,000 POUNDS ANNUALLY.

HRWC WILL PROMOTE SHORELAND PROTECTION BY RESIDENTS ON LAKES IN THE HURON RIVER WATERSHED THAT SUPPORT CISCO AND OTHER FISH SPECIES SENSITIVE TO CLIMATE CHANGE AND DEVELOPMENT (BRUIN, SOUTH, BLIND, JOSLIN, BASS, AND HALFMOON). THE SHORELANDS AND WATERSHEDS OF THESE LAKES ARE SO FAR MOSTLY UNDEVELOPED, ACCORDING TO THE MIDWEST GLACIAL LAKES CONSERVATION PLANNER. THIS PRESENTS AN OPPORTUNITY TO CREATE AWARENESS AMONG LAKE PROPERTY OWNERS OF THE IMPORTANCE OF NATURAL SHORELANDS IN MAINTAINING LAKE QUALITY. HRWC WILL ENGAGE WITH LAKE PROPERTY OWNERS TO (1) CREATE A DEEP UNDERSTANDING OF THE CONNECTION BETWEEN THE LAND AND LAKE QUALITY, (2) TEACH HOW ACTIONS THEY TAKE AFFECT THE LAKE AND (3) ESTABLISH ASTEWARDSHIP ETHIC AMONG RESIDENTS. TO DO THIS, HRWC WILL UTILIZE TWO EXISTING PROGRAMS: THE COOPERATIVE LAKES MONITORING PROGRAM (CLMP)AND THE MICHIGAN NATURAL SHORELINE PARTNERSHIPS SHORELAND STEWARDS PROGRAM (MSSP).HRWC WILL RECRUIT VOLUNTEERS TO MONITOR LAKES THROUGH CLMP (OUTCOME:6LAKE AMBASSADORS). THESE LAKE AMBASSADORS WILL HELP HRWC ENROLL PROPERTY OWNERS INTO MSSP (OUTCOMES:30 RESIDENTS ENROLLED 15 NATIVE PLANTINGS INSTALLED). AT THE END OF THE PROJECT HRWC WILL HAVE DEVELOPED A MODEL PROGRAM THAT OTHER LAKE ADVOCATES CAN USE THROUGHOUT THE MIDWEST GLACIAL LAKES AREA.

MICHIGAN RIVER RESTORATION CONFERENCE