Guide to Significant Wildlife Habitat - Door County Web Map
Guide to Significant Wildlife Habitat - Door County Web Map
Guide to Significant Wildlife Habitat - Door County Web Map
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• Federally threatened dwarf lake iris occurs near Carp Lake (Judziewicz and Kopitzke 1999).<br />
• Plum Island has been impacted by logging, but remains an aesthetic natural forested area because of<br />
the absence of human presence. If left alone re-growth of vegetation could increase the aesthetic<br />
value of Plum Island.<br />
Washing<strong>to</strong>n Island<br />
Washing<strong>to</strong>n Island is the largest of the Grand Traverse islands and covers approximately 35<br />
square miles. It is located at the northern tip of the <strong>Door</strong> Peninsula. Four coastal wetlands are associated<br />
with the island: Coffee Swamp, Jackson Harbor Ridges, and Big and Little Marsh. Development pressure<br />
is strong throughout the island, including sensitive areas such as the high dolos<strong>to</strong>ne cliffs at Boyer Bluff.<br />
Numerous, small private lots with houses coexist along the southeastern shore of the island along<br />
with occurrences of alkaline rock shore communities. A number of owners have signed Protective<br />
Agreements <strong>to</strong> safeguard this community and the plants that grow in it, including the federally listed<br />
dwarf lake iris. Similar protection efforts would benefit other priority sites on the island (Judziewicz and<br />
Kopitzke 1999).<br />
• Washing<strong>to</strong>n Island is in the Town of Washing<strong>to</strong>n. They have adopted the county zoning ordinance.<br />
• Upland and lowland hardwoods are dominant forest types. Conifer species including hemlock, white<br />
spruce and balsam fir are present in varying degrees within hardwood stands. Lowland conifer stands<br />
dominated by white cedar are also present. The quality of these forests is variable based on site<br />
condition and past land use. Forest quality ranges from poor <strong>to</strong> good quality second growth.<br />
• Land use is predominantly forested with lesser amounts of general agriculture, estate, single family<br />
residential, recreational commercial, countryside, and mixed use commercial in the ferry dock area.<br />
The Town of Washing<strong>to</strong>n has a population of 623 according <strong>to</strong> the 1990 census (Kasprzak and Walter<br />
2001).<br />
• Soils of Washing<strong>to</strong>n Island are mainly of two types. Most of the island, including the interior portion<br />
contains soils shallow <strong>to</strong> deep, well drained, almost level <strong>to</strong> moderately steep. Sandy loam or loam<br />
subsoil overlays sandy loam or fine sandy loam till or dolos<strong>to</strong>ne bedrock. The northeast tip and<br />
southern shore contains soils that are deep and moderately deep, well drained <strong>to</strong> poorly drained, and<br />
gently sloping <strong>to</strong> sloping. Fine sand or sandy loam subsoil overlay sand or sand and gravel outwash,<br />
and very poorly drained, nearly level organic soil (USDA SCS 1978).<br />
• Detroit Harbor is the south facing bay on the southwest section of Washing<strong>to</strong>n Island. This harbor<br />
provides spawning habitat for smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieui), yellow perch (Perca<br />
flavescens), and northern pike (Esox Lucius). Brown trout (Salmo trutta) are annually s<strong>to</strong>cked in<br />
Detroit Harbor (Corbisier 2000).<br />
• West Harbor is located on the southwest side of Washing<strong>to</strong>n Island. It has approximately 50 acres of<br />
water area lying below the normal high water mark of Lake Michigan. West Harbor is noted for its<br />
diverse population of native aquatic plants and the minimal occurrence of invasive exotic plants.<br />
Because high quality submerged aquatic species are rare in Lake Michigan this area is being reviewed<br />
<strong>to</strong> become a state natural area by the WDNR. Known plants include flat-stemmed pondweed<br />
(Potamoge<strong>to</strong>n zosteriformis), milfoil (Myriophyllum spp.), Richardson’s pondweed (Potamoge<strong>to</strong>n<br />
richardsonii), wild celery (Vallisneria americana), Illinois pondweed (Potamoge<strong>to</strong>n illinoensis),<br />
muskgrass (Chara spp.), and coontail (Cera<strong>to</strong>phyllum demersum). Curly leafed pondweed<br />
(Potamoge<strong>to</strong>n crispus) an invasive exotic is also present. The plant community appears <strong>to</strong> support a<br />
130<br />
Grand Traverse Islands