Natural Resources
The Forest Service uses a multiple-use approach to resource management to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of the Nation’s forests and grasslands. Resource management encompasses fish & aquatic ecology, timber harvesting, non-native invasive species management, travel management, recreation sites, physical resource disciplines and more. In order to accomplish this management successfully, the Eastern Region works closely with tribal nations, public & private partners, state & local governments, and individuals. The Region encompasses 12 million acres of public land, and 40% of the U.S. population. It includes 2 million acres of wetlands; over 2,300 developed recreation sites; and approximately 16,000 miles of trails.
The Great Lakes Restoration Initiative was launched in 2010 to accelerate efforts to protect and restore the largest system of fresh surface water in the world — the Great Lakes.
As one of GLRI’s 16 task force members, the Forest Service uses Great Lakes Restoration Initiative resources to strategically target the biggest threats to the Great Lakes ecosystem and to accelerate progress toward long term restoration goals for this important ecosystem.
On September 24, 2014 the EPA released a new action plan that guides federal agencies in the protection of watershed resources through FY 2019. GLRI Action Plan II summarizes the actions that federal agencies are implementing during FY15-19. Planned actions build on restoration and protection work carried out under the first GLRI Action Plan, with a major focus on:
- Cleaning up Great Lakes Areas of Concern
- Preventing and controlling invasive species
- Reducing nutrient runoff that contributes to harmful/nuisance algal blooms
- Restoring habitat to protect native species
2015 U.S. Forest Service Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Grants
In January 2016 the Forest Service awarded $375,049 in GLRI restoration grant funding for 10 projects across six Midwest and Northeast states. The selected projects serve to reduce invasive plant impacts and help restore impaired watersheds and water quality. The six states with awarded projects include three projects in Michigan and two projects in Wisconsin, and one project each in Minnesota, Indiana, New York and Pennsylvania. Projects will take place on lands of various ownership, but include restoration activities on the Superior, Huron-Manistee, Hiawatha, and Chequamegon-Niclolet National Forests.
Awarded projects include:
- Non-native Invasive Plant Management by the Lake County Invasives Team
- Northeast Michigan CWMA and Huron National Forest Partnership
- Cooperative Weed Management in the Central Upper Peninsula of Michigan
- Northwoods CWMA Invasive Species Control Project
- Invasive Species Network Restoration and Management
- Early Detection/Rapid Response Project Supporting National Lakeshore Restoration Efforts
- Ganondagan Guardians restore the resiliency of an historically significant site for the Seneca Nation
- Restoring Habitat to Protect Our Great Lakes
- Protecting and Restoring West Michigan Community Watersheds
- Expansion of the Lake Erie Watershed CWMA efforts to Private Lands and Landowners
Eastern Region's Cooperative Weed Management Areas in Support of GLRI
The U.S. Forest Service and National Park Service partner with federal, state and local government agencies, tribes, individuals and other interested groups, to establish community organizations to reduce the impacts of invasive plants that degrade habitat for native waterfowl and other wildlife. These Cooperative Weed Management Areas (CWMAs) provide early detection and rapid response programs for invasive plant species and treat infestations through chemical, mechanical, cultural, and biological methods. Although CWMAs exist independent of the GLRI, their important work often supports similar goals and may be funded through GLRI grants.
Click here to learn more about CWMAs in the Eastern Region!
The Great Lakes Basin
There are six national forests within the Great Lakes basin:
- Chippewa National Forest- Minnesota
- Superior National Forest - Minnesota
- Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest- Wisconsin
- Ottawa National Forest- Michigan
- Hiawatha National Forest- Michigan
- Huron-Manistee National Forest- Michigan
- Finger Lakes National Forest - New York
National Forests and GLRI
There is a strong connection between the health of national forests within the Basin and the health of the Great Lakes, from the tributaries that drain into the lakes, to the invasive species threatening their health – projects on National Forest System lands make a difference!
Forests bring significant benefits to our land, water, and communities, such as:
- Clean Water
- Healthy aquatic ecosystems
- Clean air - by filtering pollutants
In urban areas - trees & forests:
- Reduce storm water runoff
- Cool the air
- Provide recreation
- Provide critical habitat for fish & wildlife
In rural areas - trees & forests:
- Protect municipal water supplied
- Reduce flooding
- Replenish ground water aquifers
- Provide recreation
- Provide critical habitat for fish & wildlife
Sources on Forests and Water
Protect Clean Water Guide: www.arborday.org/backyardwoods/guide.cfm
Did You Know: 52 million people depend on water from northern forests?