Michigan WRP Success Story

Ionia County

The Wetlands Reserve Program in Michigan has protected a wide diversity of easement sizes and a vast array of wetland types. From 5000 acres to 50 acres, from pulustrine emergent wetland to shrub-scrub wetland, the diversity of Michigan’s WRP restoration provides much needed wetland habitat and a host of wetland functions such as flood water storage, groundwater recharge, and sediment retention, to name a few.

The restoration pictured here and in other photographs on this page is located in Ionia County, Michigan. The project area is approximately 55 acres in size and is an excellent example of a small to medium sized, organic soil, depressional wetland that has been restored through the WRP in Michigan.

Restored wetlands of this size provide essential feeding and loafing areas for waterfowl. The size of this restoration project and its depressional position on the landscape make this restored area a secluded and sheltered oasis for wildlife in a predominately agricultural area. It is also an excellent example of a very productive partnership between the landowner, the local drainage district, and Natural Resources Conservation Service Field Staff.

Over the years the drained organic soil on this site was planted to row crops, mint and vegetable "truck crops" such as potatoes, carrots and radishes. A county drain ran through the center of the easement into which the existing tile system drained. The landowner and the NRCS Field Staff worked with the drainage district to abandon a section of the drainage system. Restoration included ditch plugs, removing tile, and shallow water wildlife habitat development as well as seeding buffer areas with native grasses. The restored wetland will provide critical flood water retention, sediment retention, groundwater recharge, and much needed wildlife habitat. The wetland restoration has resulted in approximately 5 to 7 acres of year-round shallow water wildlife habitat, 30 acres of seasonally flooded emergent wetland, and 20 acres of restored grassy wetlands and upland.

These two pictures show shallow water areas shortly following excavation. The wetlands are just beginning to fill with water. We intend to display a photograph of this wetland project later in the year after the hydrology and some of the vegetation returns.

Photographs courtesy of Jim Marshall, NRCS Michigan WRP Coordinator

Contact Jim Marshall, NRCS MI State Office for additional information, 517-324-5257

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