For the Gazette

ARVON TOWNSHIP – The Keweenaw Land Trust (KLT), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Michigan Department of Natural Resources will hold a public dedication of the Abbaye Peninsula-Huron Bay Conservation Initiative at 10 a.m. on Tuesday.

According to Evan McDonald, KLT executive director, the Abbaye Peninsula-Huron Bay Conservation Initiative is a partnership effort that has recently protected 1,374 acres and almost a mile of Lake Superior shoreline in Baraga County. More than 80 percent of the protected acreage is wetland.

“The wetlands are nationally important and benefit a diversity of plant communities and wildlife, including whitetail deer, migratory birds, waterfowl and Lake Superior’s native fisheries,” McDonald said.

The funding for the purchase of the land came from a $1 million grant from the federal National Coastal Wetlands Conservation (NCWC) program through the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

The NCWC program is funded under the Sportfish Restoration Program with revenues from excise taxes on fishing equipment and boat fuel taxes. Nonfederal matching funds raised locally from multiple sources amounted to about $1.1 million for the project.

Several public and private foundations and organizations provided grants to match the NCWC grant, McDonald said, including the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community. In addition, many individuals made donations as matching funds and several of the landowners sold their properties at a discount to

contribute to the project’s success.

No property taxes will be paid on the over 1,300-acre parcel of land, McDonald said.

“Although these protected lands will not contribute to the local tax base, they do provide the public with substantial benefits,” he said. “In addition to the direct benefit of natural resource conservation, the project lands will provide the public with free, year-round access for recreation, education and research.”

The ceremony will take place at the Lightfoot Bay Nature Area, located off the Pinery-Cemetery Road, in Arvon Township of Baraga County.

Welcoming remarks will be provided by representatives of KLT, the USFWS and the DNR. Cabins at the Lightfoot Bay Nature Area will provide shelter in case of inclement weather and light refreshments will be provided.

Attendees are welcome to explore the protected areas as part of guided hikes in the afternoon following the dedication, or on their own with self-guided hiking brochures to be provided.

The only motorized access on this land will be on public roads along or in the vicinity of these properties, which are frequently used by motor vehicles, including ATVs.

“The Keweenaw Land Trust anticipates creating parking areas along established roads to serve as trailheads for public access to these protected lands for low-impact activities like hiking, cross-country skiing and snowshoeing,” McDonald said.

Hunting and fishing will be allowed on the land.

“Fishing will be encouraged, and hunting is anticipated to be allowed on much of the property, based on considerations addressed in a management plan to be developed,” he said. “As these protected lands are multiple use areas, including recreation, education and research activities, hunting programs will be developed to balance these factors for safety and compatibility.”

Generally where hunting is allowed, non-motorized access and traditional techniques will be required, with the use of bait or blinds being prohibited.

When asked if any sustainable forest management, include timber harvest, will be allowed, McDonald said the NCWC program does allow for sustainable forest management.

“As most of the acreage is wetlands, these lands are generally not well-suited to commercial forest harvesting,” he said. “Future conditions may indicate that forest management on these protected lands would benefit wildlife and habitats.”