Coastal wetlands restored

along Lake Erie

Nearly 200 acres of farmland along Lake Erie were transformed into wetland habitat for fish, birds and other wildlife.

Description

The 171-acre Blausey Tract is one of four different areas at the Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge where farmland is being transformed into wetland habitat. The project is restoring the natural flow of water through the wetlands and into Lake Erie tributaries. The restored wetland filters nutrients out of runoff from adjacent farm fields, resulting in cleaner water and fewer algal blooms in Lake Erie. Every acre of land at the Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge that is returned to natural habitat means that more birds and fish can thrive. The project also helps the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service meet its mission of completing large, landscape-level conservation at the refuge and across the Great Lakes basin.

Resource Challenges Addressed

  • Loss of coastal wetlands
  • Loss of fish and wildlife habitat
  • Polluted runoff
  • Poor water quality

OTTAWA NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE RESTORATION

Wildflowers in a meadow

Restoring a wetland and native plants, like those pictured here, has helped fish, birds, and other wildlife return to the Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge. Credit: Mara Koenig U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Location: Oak Harbor, Ohio

Approximate cost: $1,300,000

Key partners: Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, the Nature Conservancy, Ducks Unlimited, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Types of jobs created: Engineers, construction workers, heavy equipment operators and general laborers

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Results and Accomplishments

The project restored 171 acres of coastal wetland and marsh habitat, providing more habitat for fish and wildlife and improving water quality in nearby Lake Erie tributaries.