Crossroads At Big Creek Inc

- AWARD PURPOSE:THE PURPOSE OF THIS AWARD IS TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL CAPACITY FOR CROSSROADS AT BIG CREEK TO MANAGE INVASIVE WOODYSPECIES IN THEIR IDA BAY PRESERVE. THIS FUNDING WILL PROVIDE CROSSROADS AT BIG CREEK THE ABILITY TO HIRE ACONTRACTOR FOR THE MOST ARDUOUS INVASIVE SPECIES TREATMENTS, AND GIVE THEM THE OPPORTUNITY TO PLANT NATIVE PLANTSIN THE PROJECT AREA. THIS FUNDING WILL ALSO HELP CROSSROADS AT BIG CREEK ESTABLISH EX CLOSURES FOR DEER TO REDUCEHERBIVORY ON NATIVE PLANTS, SO THAT THEY CAN BECOME ESTABLISHED AND PROMOTE BIODIVERSITY IN THE IDA BAY PRESERVE.- ACTIVITIES TO BE PERFORMEDWOODY INVASIVE SPECIES WILL BE TREATED WITH CUT-STUMP TREATMENTS AND FOLLOW UP FOLIAGE SPRAY AS NECESSARY. A MIXOF NATIVE PLANTS WILL BE PLANTED IN THE AREAS WHERE MOST TREATMENTS OCCUR. SAPLINGS AND PLANT PLUGS WILL BEPLACED AROUND THE IDA BAY PRESERVE AND PROTECTED FROM HERBIVORY BY FENCING.- EXPECTED DELIVERABLES OR OUTCOMES53 ACRES OF WOODY INVASIVE SPECIES CONTROL, REMOVAL OF A 6 ACRE ESTABLISHED COOL SEASON GRASS FALLOW FIELD ANDINSTALLATION OF A NATIVE DIVERSE POLLINATOR FRIENDLY PRAIRIE, AND INCREASED DIVERSITY IN FORESTED HABITATS ASDETERMINED BY TIMED MEANDERS.- INTENDED BENEFICIARIESPOLLINATORS, MIGRATORY BIRDS, AND OTHER SPECIES OF SPECIAL CONCERN, SUCH AS THE NORTHERN LONG-EARED BAT, WILLBENEFIT FROM THE INCREASED POLLEN SOURCES AND INSECT DIVERSITY THAT THE NATIVE PLANTS WILL ATTRACT.- SUBRECIPIENT ACTIVITIES (IF KNOWN OR SPECIFIED AT TIME OF AWARD)N A.CROSSROADS IS FREE AND OPEN TO ALL MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC. THIS SHARED LAND ETHIC IS ALSO REFLECTED IN LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES AND PUBLIC ACCESS CROSSROADS PROVIDES. CROSSROADS IDA BAY PRESERVE IS AN IMPORTANT RESOURCE FOR THE GREATER COMMUNITY AND FOR NATIVE SPECIES FOUND WITHIN THE LAKE MICHIGAN BASIN. THE IDA BAY PRESERVE IS LOCATED ALONG THE HISTORIC SHORELINE OF LAKE MICHIGAN. IT SITS AT ITS LOWEST POINT 10 FEET ABOVE THE LAKE LEVEL AND APPROXIMATELY 400 FEET FROM THE LAKE SHORE. THE SITE IS COMPRISED OF A MOSAIC OF HABITATS. THE UNIQUE HABITATS PROXIMITY TO SHORELINE AND LOCATION ALONG THE MISSISSIPPI FLYWAY HAS MADE THE PROPERTY IMPORTANT TO A VARIETY OF MIGRATORY AND RESIDENTIAL BIRD SPECIES AND A FEDERALLY AND STATE LISTED PLANT SPECIES. THIS PROJECT AIMS TO ADDRESS 53 ACRES OF MEDIUM TO HIGH DENSITY HONEYSUCKLE DOMINATING THE IDA BAY PRESERVE AND REESTABLISH 6 ACRES OF FLOWERING PRAIRIE AND REESTABLISH SEED SOURCES FOR UNDERSTORY GROWTH WITHIN THE FORESTED AREAS. THROUGH THESE EFFORTS CROSSROADS AIMS TO INCREASE FLORAL DIVERSITY TO FURTHER SUPPORT NATIVE SPECIES AND GROW IN COMPLEXITY COASTAL RESOURCES FOR NATIVE WILDLIFE BY PROVIDING HIGH QUALITY UPLANDS DIRECTLY ADJACENT TO COASTAL WETLANDS.

THE OVERARCHING GOAL OF THIS PROJECT IS RESILIENCE AND ECOLOGICAL QUALITY OF THE BIG CREEK STREAM AND ESTUARY SYSTEM TO TRANSFORM DEGRADED LAND ONCE MARKETED AS THE IDEAL PLACE FOR A GAS STATION INTO RESILIENT AND HIGH QUALITY HABITAT TO ALLOW A COMMUNITY TO BE INTIMATELY INVOLVED IN THE TRANSFORMATION AND FOR CROSSROADS TO BECOME A MODEL FOR OTHER COMMUNITIES WISHING TO HEAL LAND SPECIFICALLY, THIS GRANT ALLOWS ON THE GROUND RESTORATION WORK TO REDUCE INVASIVE SPECIES COVER ON A 30 ACRE AREA BY 75 IN THREE FIELD SEASONS

COASTAL PROGRAM - GREAT LAKES RESTORATION INITIATIVE