ASSESSMENT AND INVENTORY OF COASTAL WETLANDS IN MANITOWOC COUNTY, WISCONSIN

SUMMARY OF THE PROJECT

Due to the abrupt coastline, wetlands along Lake Michigan are fairly uncommon from Milwaukee to Door County, Wisconsin. While a few large and small coastal wetlands have been protected under state, local or nonprofit ownership, most are not. With increased development and recreational use of the coastline, the remaining wetlands are now at risk. Because of their rarity, coastal wetlands are particularly valuable for public recreational use and conservation. Public agencies need better and more complete information to make good planning decisions regarding management, protection or public acquisition of these wetlands.

During the summer of 1998, graduate students from the Water Resource Management Program at the University of Wisconsin - Madison and the Manitowoc County Planning and Parks Commission undertook a study to examine the coastal wetlands of Manitowoc County. The research was funded by a grant from the Wisconsin Coastal Management Program administered by the Department of Administration. The overall goals of the project were to: (1) create an inventory of coastal wetlands in the county using a rapid assessment technique, (2) formulate a definition of "coastal wetlands" and their relevance to conservation and management efforts in the Great Lakes coastal zone, and (3) integrate public educational efforts with the conservation of coastal wetlands.

This project can benefit other coastal counties by serving as a model for identifying and evaluating their coastal wetlands. We hope that this project will encourage other local governments around the Great Lakes to explore using coastal wetlands for educational purposes.

The final report from this project will present an overview of the unique aspects of our assessment tool, discuss our inventory findings, and highlight Fischer Creek, a coastal wetland recently acquired by Manitowoc County.

Read the Final Report Executive Summary Now!!

STUDY OBJECTIVES

This study had three main objectives. First, project participants wanted to develop a definition of the "coastal zone" appropriate for researching coastal wetlands. Second, the project endeavored to develop a rapid assessment method for investigating wetlands located near the Lake Michigan coast. Using the survey, project participants created an inventory of coastal wetlands in Manitowoc county. The Coastal Wetland Rapid Assessment and Inventory form and the User Guidance that were used for this purpose are available for use by other interested parties. Finally, project participants conducted an in-depth study of the biology, geology, hydrology, and cultural history of the wetlands in the newly acquired land around Fischer Creek, near the village of Cleveland. This study was used to formulate management recommendations compatible with current county planning activities. The overall goal of these recommendations was a plan that balances public edcational and recreational use with wetland protection and restoration, where feasible.

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1998 WORKSHOP PARTICIPANTS Project Advisors: Dr. Jean Bahr, (608) 262-5513, UW-Madison Geology Department, and Dr. Quentin Carpenter, (608) 263-7771, UW-Madison Institute for Environmental Studies. Students: Jenny Bardeen, Will Birge, Jeff Chaplin, Chad Cook, Steve Domber, John Gabriel, Kathy Harris, Chris Hathaway, Angela James, Stephanie Lindloff, Rowan Littell, Cassie Osborn, Betsy Otto, Rich Pannell, Jeffrey Ripp, Nicole Sandberg, Diana Toledo, Ryszard Zolnik. Click here for a photograph of the 1998 Workshop Participants

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PROJECT PARTNERS UW - Madison Institute for Environmental Studies Wisconsin Department of Administration Coastal Management Program Manitowoc County Parks and Planning Department Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources

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HOW TO CONTACT THE WRM PROGRAM

All correspondence should be addressed to: Water Resources Management Practicum, Institute for Environmental Studies, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Science Hall, 550 N. Park St., Madison, WI 53706. PHONE: (608) 262-2950.

Page last updated: 12/21/98