Indiana Dunes Ecosystem Alliance Strategic Framework

Transcription

1 Indiana Dunes Ecosystem Alliance Strategic Framework Written by Save the Dunes Conservation Fund In partnership with the National Park Service Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, Indiana Department of Natural Resources, United States Geological Survey, The Nature Conservancy, Shirley Heinze Land Trust, National Parks Conservation Association, and the Northern Indiana Public Service Company. This project was made possible by a grant from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, Lake Michigan Coastal Program. 0

2 Introduction The Indiana dunes are situated in Northwest Indiana along the southern shore of Lake Michigan. Despite their name, the Indiana dunes are not limited to the shoreline and are home to a diverse range of habitats. The Indiana dunes are primarily comprised of the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore (INDU), managed by the National Park Service (NPS); Indiana Dunes State Park (IDSP), managed by the Indiana Department of Natural Resources (DNR); and lands owned and managed by non- profit organizations such as Shirley Heinze Land Trust (SHLT) as well as municipalities and communities. The Indiana dunes are embedded within and intersected by a variety of land uses, such as industry, agriculture, residential communities, and utilities. Within this complicated landscape is one of the nation s top ten most biodiverse national parks in the National Park System. The Indiana dunes are home to nearly 1,200 native plant species 1, globally imperiled habitats, and state and federally endangered plant and wildlife, all within steps to a number of densely populated communities in Northwest Indiana. The urbanized and industrial setting of the Indiana dunes contributes to the prosperity, diversity, and quality of life in Northwest Indiana. While the variety of land uses is part of the regional identity, the complex landscape threatens high- quality natural resources and makes them more susceptible to the impacts of pollution, invasive species, habitat degradation, and other stressors. To better prepare to address these threats, a coalition of agencies and organizations formed to create a strategic framework for the nearshore Indiana dunes region. The Indiana Dunes Ecosystem Alliance (IDEA), comprised of members from Save the Dunes (SDCF), NPS, DNR, United States Geological Survey (USGS), The Nature Conservancy (TNC), Shirley Heinze Land Trust (SHLT), National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA), and Northern Indiana Public Service Company (NIPSCO), convened a series of strategic planning meetings to identify conservation priorities in the nearshore Indiana dunes, threats to those conservation priorities, and a set of strategies to address those threats. In this report, we will outline those conservation priorities, threats, and strategies. 1 Pavlovic, N. B., and B. Plampin. In Review. Draft Version (2016). Special Flora and Vegetation of the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore. Natural Resource Report Series. National Park Service, Fort Collins, Colorado.

3 Project Area: To allow for strategic discussion and decision- making, IDEA partners opted to limit the geographic scope of this planning project. While the definition of the Indiana dunes ecosystem is subjective, IDEA partners decided to base the project boundaries on contiguously protected land in the nearshore region, which primarily includes INDU, IDSP, and any adjacent non- profit, utility, or municipality- owned land. IDEA refers to the project boundary as the upper X because the southern border is I- 90 from Gary to Portage and I- 94 from Portage to Michigan City. Within the project area, IDEA identified a handful of priority sites - Miller Woods, Tolleston Dunes/Inland Marsh, Cowles Bog, Indiana Dunes State Park, and the Great Marsh.

4 Conservation Targets and Supporting Systems: Conservation targets are ecosystems, habitats, and species that land managers are working to maintain, manage for, and restore. These targets exemplify natural communities characteristic of the Indiana dunes. IDEA focused on conservation targets at a habitat level with a tiered approach: Lake Michigan Dune and Swale Complex o Foredune o Interdunal wetlands o Forested dune ridges and swales o Lagoons Savanna Complex o Oak savanna/openings o Woodland, forested dune Prairie Complex o Mesic prairie o Wet- mesic prairie Wetland Complex o Bog o Marsh o Fen o Shrub swamp o Sedge meadow Forest Complex o Floodplain forest o Mesic Forest Waterways within Indiana Dunes Focus Area o Deep River o Burns Waterway o Salt Creek o East Branch of Little Calumet River o Dunes Creek o Kintzele Ditch Identification of these conservation targets guided decisions on which priority sites IDEA would focus on for designing and implementing strategies to protect conservation priorities of the Indiana dunes region. There are a variety of habitat classification systems used across the Indiana dunes landscape. IDEA used a combination of several, including NatureServe, Chicago Wilderness Biodiversity Recovery Plan, Michigan Natural Features Inventory, and descriptions created by NPS and USGS staff.

5 Following identification of these conservation targets, IDEA partners outlined the processes and systems that have the most impact on the structure and health of conservation targets. Strategies to protect conservation targets will most often correspond with the processes of these supporting systems. Sand movement, shoreline erosion and accretion At the southern end of Lake Michigan, natural processes such as wind direction and water current generally move sand from east to west. However, these processes are interrupted by manmade structures installed along the shoreline such as piers and harbors. On Indiana s Lake Michigan shoreline, beaches to the east of these structures experience sand erosion while beaches to the west experience sand accretion. Shoreline erosion and accretion impacts habitat structure and successional gradient in beach and foredune communities. Fire Many woodland, wetland, and prairie habitats in the Indiana dunes depend on fire to maintain their structure and diversity. Historically, wildfires moved through our region, creating and maintaining the habitats we work to manage and restore today. Fire is a natural process that controls invasive and aggressive species, removes leaf litter to allow for plant growth, and top- kills woody vegetation such as shrubs and small trees that deprive native grasses and wildflowers of sunlight and water while allowing for continued growth of larger, established tree populations. Prescribed burns also reduce the intensity of wildfires that burn hot and out of control. In prairie habitats, our native vegetation populations are resilient against fires and often grow back stronger, while many invasive species are killed or controlled by fire. Similarly, fire is a critical process for maintaining healthy savanna habitats such as those in Miller Woods and Tolleston Dunes/Inland Marsh. Scattered oaks develop into large fire- resistant trees. The movement of fire through an oak savanna ensures that the understory does not become overgrown with shrubs and small trees that absorb sunlight, water, and other resources and out- compete wildflowers and grasses. Hydrology, water quality and quantity Within the waterways and wetland and dune and swale complexes, water quality and quantity are important factors in supporting conservation targets. Water quality impacts plant species composition because higher concentrations of pollutants favor generalist species and invasive species. Aquatic health and ecosystem function are also threatened by contamination. Additionally, drought and flashiness also impact the structure, health, and species composition of conservation targets.

6 Wetland communities of the Indiana dunes have experienced a significant amount of hydrological modification over the last century through ditching, farming activities, and urbanization. Restoring hydrology is often a key action to support native habitats. Heterogeneity of habitats and species The diversity of habitats and species in the Indiana dunes supports healthy conservation targets. Successional gradient refers to different stages of succession- the transition of species compositon in ecological communities following changes to the system- supporting a wide range of habitats in one area. The Indiana dunes demonstrate north to south ecological succession from Lake Michigan to the to forest habitats on the southern edge of IDEA s project boundary. While the successional gradient once expanded beyond this, urbanization and placement of our highway system in Norhtwest Indiana disrupted further succesion. Many of the priority sites chosen for this project demonstrate in- tact succesional gradient and are home to a number of conservation targets because of the presence of multple habitats. Furthermore, the increased number of habitats within a site supports a larger range of species. Priority Sites: While the entirety of the Indiana dunes and surrounding managed lands are significant natural resources that provide ecosystem services, wildlife habitat, and respite for nearby communities, IDEA has highlighted a small number of sites based on their biodiversity, ecological significance, and presence of conservation targets. Biodiversity, the variety of plant and wildlife in an ecosystem, is the primary lens for this project because it is a critical piece of the identity of the Indiana dunes. While our park is relatively small compared to other national parks across the country, it is a biological gem. Not only are the Indiana dunes home to an impressive range of species, a number of rare and endangered species rely on the high- quality habitats of the Indiana dunes to thrive. This mixture of diversity and rarity is what makes the Indiana dunes so unique, especially considering their urban surroundings. The priority sites are organized by official park units, however, our strategies to address threats to biodiversity will transcend political boundaries. Strategies to protect and support conservation targets are localized and based on the specific needs and realities of both the conservation target and the site wherein it s located. While strategies are framed on a conceptual- level in this document, specific projects have been developed in IDEA strategic planning meetings through the creation of a work plan. The top three priority sites identified for this project are Cowles Bog, Miller Woods, and the Indiana Dunes State Park (Dunes Nature Preserve and Dunes Prairie Nature Preserve only).

7 Additional priority sites are Tolleston Dunes/Inland Marsh and Great Marsh. While these sites contain many of our conservation priorities, they require more restoration than our top three sites to meet the target community conditions. Information on priority sites was obtained from Pavlovic and Plampin s Special Flora and Vegetation of the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore report and input from IDEA strategic planning meetings that took place from April 2015 through August Priority sites are described below, from west to east. Miller Woods Miller Woods, a 1,000- acre site in the City of Gary, is the second most biodiverse site in the the nearshore Indiana dunes region. In this project, Miller Woods encompasses the INDU Miller Woods unit, adjacent SHLT, DNR, City of Gary, and US Steel land, and intersecting NIPSCO and railroad right- of- ways (ROWs). The site is comprised of young foredunes near Lake Michigan, dune and swale habitat, pannes, lagoons, oak savannas, marshes, and sedge meadows, and is notable for the high quality of these natural communities. Miller Woods has over 520 native plants 1, many of which are state endangered. State and federally- listed plant and wildlife in Miller Woods include the piping plover, blanding s turtle, and pitcher s thistle. Miller Woods is designated as a priority site because of the presence and quality of conservation targets, in- tact successional gradient, and heterogeneity and rarity of plant and wildlife species within the site footprint. Because of ongoing management through consistent prescribed fires and invasive species removal as well as a 500- acre oak savanna

8 restoration project implemented in 2015, a number of conservation targets within the Miller Woods unit are in healthy condition. Despite the quality of natural communities in Miller Woods, the site faces a number of threats. The top threats to the quality of natural resources in Miller Woods are invasive species, fragmentation, disrupted fire regime, and exacerbation of these threats by climate change. Because Miller Woods is highly fragmented by utilities, industry, and surrounding residential areas, invasive species are a pressing threat. While NPS is diligent in efforts to control invasive species within the park boundary, unmanaged adjacent lands threaten the native species and biodiversity of Miller Woods. Because of this, strategies that target outreach and partnership- building with the City of Gary, US Steel and NIPSCO are key to limiting the spread of invasive species. To implement this strategy, NPS and SDCF have been working with the Indiana Coastal Cooperative Weed Management Area (ICCWMA) to create access agreements between NPS and the City of Gary, NIPSCO, and SHLT. With a successfully completed access agreement with the City of Gary, NPS is able to control invasive species on the City s adjacent property. This is especially significant because the property border occurs within a panne - one of the highest priority conservation targets within the Indiana dunes region. NPS has committed to managing the panne habitat on both sides of the boundary. Additional Miller Woods strategies include maintaining high- quality habitats within the site through consistent prescribed burns and managing invasive species. Strategies will focus on protecting and restoring conservation targets, strengthening connectivity between natural communities to maintain successional gradient, increasing the vitality of wetland systems, enhancing the viability of threatened and endangered species populations and controlling critical invasive species threats.

9 Tolleston Dunes and Inland Marsh Tolleston Dunes and Inland Marsh are adjacent sites with similar habitat compositions. However, the sites are managed separately because they are bisected by County Line Road and demonstrate different levels of ecological health and quality. The total acreage of Tolleston Dunes, to the west, and Inland Marsh, to the east, is nearly 1,700 acres, and includes Gary- owned land within Tolleston Dunes, SHLT s Coulter site, and NIPSCO and railroad ROWs. Conservation targets present within this site include oak savanna, forested dune, mesic forest, mesic prairie, sedge meadow, marsh, and shrub swamp habitats. Both sites are home to approximately 500 native species 1. The sites are considered priorities because of the diversity of habitats, which support plant and wildlife species diversity. In addition, there are a number of state endangered, threatened, rare, and watch list species within the unit. Large sections contain high- quality oak savanna and wet meadows, while high- quality remnant mesic prairies exist in smaller pockets. Similar to Miller Woods, Tolleston Dunes and Inland Marsh are threatened by fragmentation and adjacent land uses, invasive species, a disrupted fire regime, and climate change. Population growth and urbanization in Northwest Indiana are expected to have an impact on this area, particularly the Inland Marsh unit. Near the northeast corner of Inland Marsh is the South Shoreline Railroad s Ogden Dunes Station. The South Shore Line

10 Railroad is implementing a project expected to significantly reduce travel time from Northwest Indiana to Chicago, resulting in increased populations moving to areas surrounding the South Shore Line stations. While transit- oriented development is an exciting possibility for Northwest Indiana, there is concern about the impacts of rapid and potentially non- compatible development in close proximity to high- quality, fragile habitats. An area of concern is an agricultural corridor that runs adjacent to Inland Marsh along the southern border of the site. If the approximately 200- acre area currently in agriculture were converted into a high- use development, the impacts of invasive species, encroachment, noise and light pollution, runoff, and other threats could increase. To help protect the natural resources of this priority site, SDCF and partners are exploring opportunities to acquire land adjacent to Inland Marsh, help keep land in agriculture through conservation easement programs, and participate in municipality development planning processes in areas adjacent to priority sites. Acquisition is also a strategy for an additional challenging section of the Tolleston Dunes/Inland Marsh unit. Inland Manor, a partially abandoned neighborhood, exists within the boundaries of Tolleston Dunes. While this area has a number of structures and City of Gary streets and utility services run throughout the entirety of the neighborhood, only a handful of homes are still occupied. Several lots within Inland Manor are tax- delinquent. SDCF has worked over the years to acquire tax- delinquent properties at tax sale and transfer those lots to INDU, but opportunities to acquire, improve, and transfer additional properties remain. Working with the City of Gary and residents to complete the INDU boundary within Inland Manor is a priority because it will enable NPS to manage Tolleston Dunes as a contiguous site. The current landscape, in which single- lot landowners are disbursed across Inland Manor, is challenging for managing natural land within Inland Manor, particularly where prescribed burns are necessary. Invasive species are a significant threat in the Tolleston Dunes/Inland Marsh unit. Similar to Miller Woods, Inland Marsh underwent a 500- acre oak savanna restoration in This large- scale restoration project removed invasive species and overgrown canopy through prescribed burns, mechanical removal, and herbicide treatment and helped restore the savanna structure. Resetting the savanna structure will greatly assist with routine treatment of invasive species. Invasive species are a larger issue in Tolleston Dunes and a greater amount of work will be required to restore the site to desired conservation target conditions.

11 West Beach Pannes While West Beach is not a priority site designated through the IDEA ecosystem planning process, pannes are a top conservation priority for NPS and other IDEA partners. Pannes are small wetlands that exist within dune complexes. They support a large number of native plant species, over 200 in Northwest Indiana, as well as numerous reptiles and amphibians, and are only found in the the Great Lakes region and Cape Cod 2. West Beach and adjacent Ogden Dunes property contain approximately 7 panne habitat areas totalling 50 acres. The West Beach pannes have been incorporated into strategies and projects focused around panne habitat in priority sites. For example, the West Beach pannes were included in a grant application submitted to Sustain Our Great Lakes by SDCF and NPS to restore panne habitat on INDU land in Miller Woods and West Beach as well as adjacent land in the City of Gary and Town of Ogden Dunes. After two years of initial control on these properties, invasive plants are expected to be reduced to a level that will allow NPS, for the first time, to commit to maintaining top priority habitat across jurisdictional boundaries. It is our hope that this will continue the region s resource managers and 2 Wilhelm, Gerould. Special Vegetation of the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore. Issue 2 of Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore Research Program. National Park Service, Midwest Regional Office, 1990.

12 landowners efforts to work towards managing natural areas holistically, and start to erase the hopelessness of the invasive plants that are on the other side of the fence. Cowles Bog Cowles Bog, a 1,700- acre site in Winchester Township, is a National Natural Landmark and the most biodiverse site in the the nearshore Indiana dunes region. The priority site includes the INDU Cowles Bog unit, adjacent Town of Dune Acres land, the NIPSCO Greenbelt, and NIPSCO and railroad ROWs. Conservation targets included within Cowles Bog are Lake Michigan, foredunes, interdunal wetlands, oak savannas, forested dunes, mesic forests, wet- mesic prairies, mesic prairies, bogs, fens, shrub swamps, and marshes. Cowles Bog is home to 788 native plant species 1. This site is ranked the highest for biodiversity because the presence of conservation targets, rare/endangered species, and ecological communities and species that do not exist anywhere else in the park. Cowles Bog demonstrates significant heterogeneity in ecological communities and species, and many conservation targets within the site are in healthy and stable condition. The INDU Cowles Bog unit has a number of subunits - the Cowles Bog Wetland Complex, Cowles Dunes, Howes Prairie, and Lupine Lane. The health of the Cowles Bog Wetland Complex can be in a large part contributed to Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Funding that has been used over the last several years to restore hydrology, wetland communities, and waterfowl populations in Cowles bog. In the mid- twentieth century, Cowles Bog s

13 hydrology was disrupted by the removal of its western dunes and construction and operation of adjacent the Bailly Generating Station. Due to changes in hydrology, invasive hybrid cattail and common reed quickly established and spread through the wetlands complex of the unit. Threats to Cowles Bog include altered hydrology, fragmentation, invasive species, adjacent land use and pollution, and climate change. While the INDU Great Marsh unit is a separately managed entity from Cowles Bog, they are connected within the same contiguous, 10- mile long wetland - also called the Great Marsh. Historically 12 miles along, this wetland complex experienced intense hydrological modification over the last century through ditching, farming activities, and urbanization, and its healthy and diverse habitats suffered. Efforts have been underway since the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative and earlier to restore hydrology, ecological structures and function, and native plant and wildlife. Indiana Dunes State Park IDSP, a 2,200- acre site located between the Town of Porter and the Town of Beverly Shores, is managed by DNR and is the third most biodiverse site in the Indiana dunes region. Only the two state- dedicated nature preserves within IDSP are considered IDEA priorities - the Dunes Nature Preserve (1530 acres) and the Dunes Prairie Nature Preserve (58 acres). Conservation targets within IDSP are Lake Michigan, foredunes, interdunal wetlands, oak savannas, forested dunes, mesic forests, floodplain forests, wet- mesic prairies, mesic prairies, bogs, fens, shrub swamps, marshes, and Dunes Creek. In addition to

14 the Dunes Nature Preserve s National Natural Landmark status, the two nature preserves contain at least 550 native species 1. A threat to all priority sites and the entire Indiana dunes landscape is lack of funding for land management. This threat is particularly pressing in IDSP. While IDSP has a return investment of over 200%, the park is severely underfunded for natural resource management needs. IDSP currently has one part- time, seasonal staff member to control invasive species and manage for native habitat across the entirety of IDSP. In 2016, approximately 258 acres of IDSP s over 2,000 acres were treated for invasive species over an 8- month period. With the diversity of habitats and species housed within IDSP, infestation of invasive species is a significant threat to the biodiversity of this site. Without funding for management and as conditions increasingly favor invasive species, IDSP is in danger of losing its diversity and quality of habitats. As a first step to addressing this threat, a site management plan will be created for IDSP to better map conservation targets and their condition as well as the threats to those targets and what resources will be required to abate threats. Through the creation of this document, outlining specific funding and staff needs will be more effective when elevating those needs to decision- makers. This document will also help partners assist with funding proposals to secure more resources for IDSP. An additional tool for maximizing resources within IDSP, INDU, and beyond is cooperative management across jurisdictional boundaries. IDEA has identified opportunities for coordinated restoration projects and burns as well as resource- sharing.

15 Great Marsh The Great Marsh is a 2,800- acre site located in the Town of Beverly Shores and the Town of Pines, and is comprised of the INDU Great Marsh unit, SHLT properties, and NIPSCO and railroad ROWs. Great Marsh conservation targets include Lake Michigan, foredunes, oak savannas, wooded dunes, mesic forests, marshes, shrub swamps, and Kintzele Ditch. Similar to Cowles Bog, sections of the Great Marsh are undergoing restoration with support from Great Lakes Restoration Initiative funding. The quality of habitat in the Great Marsh varies greatly - while restored sections are home to high- quality wetland complexes, other pieces of the unit are highly degraded and infested with invasive species. Altered hydrology is a significant threat for the Great Marsh. NPS and the Town of Beverly Shores have been in communication about potential collaborations that would increase ecological health and function of wetland communities while reducing flooding and infrastructure issues within the town. Many of these solutions are time and money- intensive but are worth exploring. For example, roads that cut through wetlands are disruptive to successional gradient, discourage the movement of wildlife and cause flooding issues on roadways. A potential solution is installing infrastructure that accommodates both the residential and wetland communities such as raised roads that would allow water and wildlife to move freely while reducing flooding.

16 Threats: Invasive Species Invasive species were ranked as the top threat for the entire Indiana dunes region. Because IDEA s primary focus was maintaining the unique biodiversity of the Indiana dunes, invasive species were identified as the most immediate, costly, and forceful impact to the native species and habitat structures that support the Indiana dunes biodiversity. All sites are affected by invasive species and their impact is exacerbated by other threats such as fragmentation, pollution, and reduced fire regime. While invasive species are the top threat for the Indiana dunes, land managers and other partners have the ability to reduce the impacts of this threat through restoration and management projects, conservation planning, outreach and partnership- building with adjacent landowners, and securing additional resources. The presence and threat of invasive species will never disappear, but our goal is to move more sites to maintenance status, rather than relying on large- scale restoration projects. Fragmentation As established in the site descriptions, fragmentation is a present threat in most sites and to the landscape as a whole. Fragmentation occurs through ROWs and roads bisecting individual sites and residential, industrial, and other developed areas disrupting the connectivity of natural areas across the landscape. Impacts of fragmentation can be abated through cooperative management and managing sites as a contiguous landscape despite jurisdictional boundaries. Many IDEA and ICCWMA projects currently underway or in the planning phase are honing in on the strategy to treat site areas with multiple landowners as one project area. While results are promising, an ongoing challenge of this approach is that, while NPS or other land managers are controlling invasive species more holistically, the funding and staff resources have not necessarily increased (unless through a grant). Resources spent on adjacent municipality or utility- owned land are not being spent within INDU land; however, treating invasive species on adjacent land reduces the spread into managed lands and ultimately could reduce the resources necessary to manage the land long- term. Fragmentation is a more severe threat in instances of adjacent incompatible development such as land uses that prohibit connectivity, create noise, light, air, and water pollution, encourage encroachment, or allow for the establishment of large infestations of invasive species. Fragmentation concerns are increasing as Northwest Indiana grows in population and the potential for rapid, high- intensity development adjacent to priority site increases, particularly in the Tolleston Dunes/Inland Marsh and Miller Woods units. While Save the

17 Dunes and partners are excited about the prospect of more efficient public transit and do not wish to limit economic growth of Northwest Indiana, development plans must be done in a manner consistent with local ecology. While there is limited ability to address existing fragmentation, IDEA partners have identified opportunities to reduce the impacts of fragmentation where possible. In existing fragmentation, partnering with utilities and adjacent landowners on invasive species control and best management practices has been identified as a strategy with potential for a number of projects in the coming years. Additionally, preparing for increased fragmentation in the future is a critical step in protecting conservation targets in vulnerable sites. Land acquisition and conservation easements have been identified as strategies to limit the future impact of development adjacent to priority sites as well as providing input into municipal planning processes to influence development practices where possible to encourage sustainable development consistent with surrounding ecology. IDEA is also working to identify and create corridors for connecting natural areas, including a long- term vision for corridors, buffering, and green infrastructure. Reduced Fire Regime Disruption in a consistent fire regime is a threat for the dune and swale, savanna, woodland, and prairie complexes. Historically, wildfires that started naturally or as a result of human disturbance maintained the savanna structure. For example, Miller Woods is home to such high quality oak savanna habitat because it received frequent fires resulting from sparks flying off of the adjacent railroads. As population growth expanded in Northwest Indiana, wildfires were suppressed, and maintaining habitat structures required use of prescribed burns. Yet, due to the proximity of residential areas, policies that limit burn windows, unfavorable weather conditions, and limited staff and funding resources to implement prescribed burns, the use of fire in managing natural areas is inconsistent and, in some years, barely existent. Due to the lack of fire in savanna and prairie habitats over the years, many of our local populations became overgrown with aggressive and nonnative species and began to lose the very structure that defines these unique habitats. Fire is a critical component of maintaining the biodiversity of the Indiana dunes and IDEA identified altered fire regime as a threat that can be weakened through policy- change, such as widening the burn window; increased funding for staff and equipment; interagency resource- sharing; collaboration with local municipalities; outreach to improve public perception of prescribed burns; and contingency planning, such as using mechanical methods of invasive species removal when burns are not feasible.

18 Pollution and Contamination of Land and Water Resources Because of the Indiana dunes proximity to industry, agriculture, and other land uses, pollution is a concern for the health of our natural resources. The presence of pollutants disrupts ecosystem function, encourages invasive species growth, and threatens wildlife. The type and severity of pollutants varies across the Indiana dunes landscape. In some cases such as Miller Woods, legacy contamination is an issue. Legacy contaminants are primarily the result of previously less- regulated industry pollutants that persist in natural resources. Industrial pollutants are also a threat to Cowles Bog, where historical fly ash ponds were deposited. For fifteen years, fly ash was deposited and left uncapped adjacent to Cowles Bog and drained into the wetland complex, which raised water levels and impacted native vegetation. Federal and state agencies have been working with industries over the years to address these contaminants and restore habitats that have been impacted by them. Water contamination also results from residential uses; for example, septic systems are common in most of our dune communities, including those adjacent to priority sites. While properly maintained septic systems are not a threat to natural resources of the Indiana dunes, when not inspected and pumped regularly, septic systems leach contamination into surrounding soil and water resources. Our waterways are impacted by sedimentation and agricultural activities, as well. This threat is more difficult to address because in most instances, while the impact is felt within our priority sites, the source of the threat is external. However, strategies for this threat were built around best- use- management policies, outreach, and green infrastructure implementation. Herbivore Browse Out of Balance Herbivores play a key role in maintaining - or degrading- the health of an ecosystem. The presence of herbivorous mammals only becomes a threat to conservation targets when populations are unbalanced. In our project footprint, both beavers and deer can be problematic for native plantlife and habitat structures. Without sufficient population control through predators, deer browse has increased to a problematic level over the decades, threatening plantlife. Overgrazing is a particular concern for the health of understory species such as native grasses and wildflowers. With the removal of native understory species, invasive and generalist species have the opportunity to establish. This threat is being addressed through deer management programs that allot a certain number of permits for deer hunting each year.

19 Overabundant beavers disrupt native plant populations and also impact hydrology. Dams built in wetland complexes alter water levels and can either drown sections of a wetland or dry out others. This has been a particularly problematic occurrence in Cowles Bog, Great Marsh, and the Indiana Dunes State Park. Because of the mosaic of wetland communities within these sites - many of which are sensitive to changes in water levels - changes in hydrology have tremendous impacts on the health and stability of the wetland complexes. Furthermore, both Great Marsh and Cowles Bog have seen significant Great Lakes Restoration Initiative funding; because areas of these sites are newly- restored they are more fragile. Additionally, lack of funding for management and restoration is a continuous challenge within the Indiana dunes landscape and losing restoration funding and efforts to beaver activities is a problem that has been prioritized by land managers. Human disturbances A large part of protecting the Indiana dunes is getting people out into the dunes to enjoy them. SDCF and IDEA partners celebrate recreation opportunities available to residents and visitors; having a national park in an urbanized area is an enormous contributor to quality of life. While we encourage passive recreation on designated trails, many recreational activities are not appropriate for the ecological health of the Indiana dunes or the safety of other visitors. Dumping trash, riding all- terrain vehicles, building fires, and creating social trails - unofficial trails that disrupt fragile habitats - have a cumulative impact on sites frequently visited. Recreational activities allowed by NPS have been properly vetted and analyzed for ecological impact, and access has been installed with the ecology of the site and safety of the visitors in mind. Climate change Noted as a threat to every priority site, climate change is a concern for the ecological health of the Indiana dunes because the extent of its impacts is unknown. Climate change exacerbates other threats outlined by IDEA; it will likely favor generalist and invasive species in transitioning ecozones, intensify weather events that disrupt ecoloical functions, increase both drought and flashiness, and will threaten species that help maintain habitat structures. To gain a better sense of preparedness for the impacts of climate change, SDCF and the Field Museum are currently creating an Indiana Dunes Climate Change Adaptation Plan with input from IDEA and other scientists of the region. This Plan will outline communities and species vulnerable to the impacts of climate change as well as those that will be most resilient in a changing climate.

20 Future Shoreline Development and other Activities that Disrupt Sand Movement Processes A threat identified by IDEA that impacts lakefront sites, such as Miller Woods, Cowles Bog, Indiana Dunes State Park and Great Marsh is current and future shoreline development. Natural sand movement processes along Lake Michigan are disrupted by harbor structures that can significantly modify the way water and sand move along our shoreline. As a result, there are places in the Indiana dunes area that suffer the impacts. These impacts can include sand erosion, meaning the sand moves away to another area and in essence starves the beach area of new sand. Another impact is sand accretion, meaning sand builds up and deposits, creating dunes and beaches that become larger over time. The US Army Corps of Engineers has brought in sand from other areas and deposited it off the beach with hopes that it will build up on the beach. The quantity of sand they are moving is not sufficient to fix the problem, and this work must be repeated over and over again. NPS developed a Shoreline Restoration and Management Plan/Environmental Impact Statement to analyze other options for addressing sand accretion and erosion. Because solutions are limited by tremendous price tags, this threat was not flagged as one that could be easily addressed through IDEA, however, all partners will remain active stakeholders in these discussions. Lack of Funding for Land Managers Throughout our entire focus area, a consistent threat is lack of funding to manage the natural resources. The quality and rarity of our natural resources, coupled with accelerated stress of adjacent land uses, results in a high- level of active management required to protect this landscape. Because natural processes have been disrupted by development, land managers are critical players in protecting our resources. However, funds to adequately manage natural resources are limited. For example, there are over 300 species of non- native plants present in INDU. Within their operating budget, NPS has the funds to manage between 300 and 1,000 acres (with low- infestation of invasive species) annually. This is only a fraction of their roughly 13,000 acres. Many of our strategies involve securing long- term, sustainable funding for land management activities. Without actions of NPS, DNR, SHLT, TNC, and SDCF our rare and high- quality natural resources cannot survive.

21 Strategies Through the ecosystem planning process we have developed a set of priority strategies, objectives, and implementable projects. Priority strategies include: Cooperative management Maximizing resources through cross- boundary projects; equipment sharing; establishing regional committees for labor and time- intensive activities such as precribed fires; establishing partnerships with utilities to implement best management practices; submitting funding proposals as a regional collaborative; and outreach with adjacent landowners to convey significance of the Indiana dunes and opportunities to promote ecosystem health. Setting restoration priorities Pursuing restoration projects based on their impact for conservation targets; creating a Climate Change Action Plan that will analyze habitat and species resiliency in a changing climate and guide restoration and management decisions; plan and implement projects in coordination with other land management entities to maximize effectiveness. Prioritized land protection- Mapping land acquisition needs and priorities based on quality of site as well as buffering potential for priority sites and conservation targets; identifying barriers to acquisition; identifying opportunities outside of acquisition (such as easements) to protect priority land. Influence and input on policies, development practices, local ordinances engaging with key municipalities and industries to limit development impacts on dunes and implement best management practices or ecologically- minded development. Public awareness performing outreach and educational events that promote public stewardship of lands, limit invasive species planting, limit disruptive activities such as dumping and all- terrain vehicle riding.