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Ecological and Natural Resource Values of Humbug Marsh
Ecological and Natural Resource Values of Humbug Marsh
Source: Dr. Bruce Manny, U.S. Geological Survey
Scientists at the Great Lakes Science Center of USGS and others have demonstrated that Humbug Marsh is the last remnant Great Lakes coastal marsh on the Michigan mainland of the Detroit River, that it contains the greatest biodiversity of fish species (over 37) found anywhere in this river, and that it is part of a migration route for the 117 species of fish that inhabit the Great Lakes: for the 27 species of waterfowl that frequent Michigan’s coastal wetlands; for the more than 17 species of raptors, including eagles, hawks, and falcons; for the more than 48 species of non-raptors, including loons, warblers, neotropical songbirds, crane, and cattle egrets; and for numerous species of dragonflies and butterflies that swim or fly from Canada to the southern United States and South America each year. Further, over 5 million people live within an hour’s drive of the Detroit River, drink water from it, and discharge their wastes into it.
From a habitat standpoint, the Detroit River links the deeper, colder and sparsely populated upper Great Lakes region (Lake Superior, Michigan and Huron) and the warmer, shallower, and densely populated lower Great Lakes region (Lakes Erie and Ontario). It also links the largest wetland complex in the Great Lakes, St. Clair Flats, and the world’s largest freshwater delta, the St. Clair River Delta, in Lake St. Clair, to Lake Erie, the most productive of the Great Lakes. Because the lower Detroit River connects thousands of miles of high-quality, Great Lakes, fresh water and is a vast fish spawning ground, it is the site of one of the Nation’s most productive sport fisheries for walleye, bass, and muskies.
In global perspective, the Detroit River contains remnant Great Lakes coastal marshes, lake plain prairies, and remnants of the world’s richest freshwater mussel fauna. For these and other biological reasons, Humbug Marsh and the Detroit River were recognized by The Nature Conservancy as having globally significant biological diversity that should be conserved and enhanced by Canada and the United States under the 1993 United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity and by Michigan under its Biodiversity Conservation Act.
The Detroit River has been identified as “significant, international, waterfowl habitat of major concern” in the North American Waterfowl Management Plan; it was nominated as a focus area for habitat restoration by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and as a Biodiversity Rehabilitation Area by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; and, it was recognized as a critical staging area for migratory ducks using the Great Lakes flyway by the international Migratory Bird Conservation Commission. These natural resource values were recognized in 1998, when President Clinton designated the Detroit River as one of first American Heritage Rivers.
Thus, protection and restoration of habitat in Humbug Marsh and the lower Detroit River for fish and wildlife is high priority for the White House Council on Environmental Quality, the Greater Detroit American Heritage Rivers Application Team, all federal agencies, Ducks Unlimited, The Nature Conservancy, and numerous citizens groups.
Region 3, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
1 Federal Drive
BHW Federal Building
Fort Snelling, MN 55111
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R3 External Affairs
DisclaimerDr. John H. Hartig, Refuge Manager
Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge
Large Lakes Research Station
9311 Groh Road
Grosse Ile, MI 48138
Phone: 734-692-7608 Fax: 734-692-7603
E-mail: john_hartig@fws.gov
Last updated:
July 9, 2008
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