Detroit River-Western Lake Erie Basin Indicator Project

INDICATOR: Land Conservation for Wildlife in the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge

Map of the International Wildlife Refuge

The Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge began in 2001 with 304 acres that included Grassy Island and Mamajuda Shoal. Later that year Mud Island was donated to the Refuge by National Steel Corporation (now U.S. Steel Corporation). In 2002 the Refuge expanded to include Calf Island. In 2003 the Refuge signed its first cooperative management agreement with DTE Energy to add Lagoona Beach Unit at Fermi Power Plant and the Brancheau Unit in Monroe, Michigan. In 2004, a milestone year for the Refuge, Humbug Marsh (the last remaining mile of natural shoreline along the U.S. mainland of the Detroit River) was acquired by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and protected in perpetuity as part of the Refuge. Also in 2004 the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers donated the Strong Unit in Monroe, Michigan. In 2005, cooperative management agreements were signed with Automotive Components Holdings for Eagle Island Marsh Unit and with University of Toledo for Gard Island. In 2006, the Refuge nearly doubled in size with the signing of a cooperative management agreement with The Nature Conservancy for Erie Marsh along the lower portion of western Lake Erie. In total, the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge has grown from approximately 304 acres in 2001 to over 5,047 acres in 2007. The Comprehensive Conservation Plan for the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge has set a land conservation target of 12,000 acres (i.e., the Service has identified 12,000 acres of marshes, wetlands, islands, shoals, and uplands that could potentially be conserved through acquisitions, easements, and cooperative agreements).

Land Conservation for Wildlife in the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge, full text

	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007
	Grassy Island 72 acres					Gard Island 19 acres
	Mamajuda Shoal 232 acres	Calf Island 11 acres	Brancheau Unit 153 acres	Strong Unit 168 acres		Lake Erie Metropark 780 acres	Howard Fix 65 acres
		Mud Island 21 acres	Lagoona Beach Unit 656 acres	Humbug Marsh 410 acres	Eagle Island Marsh Unit 243 acres	Erie Marsh 2217 acres
cumulative total acreage	304	336	1145	1723	1966	4982	5047

Land Conservation for Wildlife in the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge, full text

Detroit River-Western Lake Erie Basin Indicator Project

INDICATOR: Land Conservation for Wildlife in the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge

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