(Wahpeton)– The Iowa Department of Natural Resources will hold an informational event next month on plans to further protect a stand of bulrush and other aquatic and terrestrial plants on the northeast side of Big Spirit Lake. Mark Gulick, Northwest District Supervisor of the DNR’s Wildlife Bureau tells KUOO news the project is based on advice from professionals and will take many years to complete…
“As most community members would remember, we purchased the Anglers Bay property from the Yarns Family back in about 2006, and a battle cry at that time was save the bulrushes. The reason being previous research has shown that while some of those bulrush beds are degraded they are still the largest and the most diverse of any in the state of Iowa within our large lakes. So also from that research came management recommendations on how to make those bulrushes, bulrush beds even better and one of those that we actually can do is remove a bunch of the riperian trees which are there because they’re shading out those bulrush beds preventing them from expanding and also preventing other species that were historically along that shoreline from occurring.”
Gulick says another part of the plan is to reestablish an oak savanna in that area which has become degraded…
“It has basically been invaded, if you will, by the invasive species like buckthorn, and also other native species like green ash which have crowded out and taken over that stand. So it’s really kind of a degraded stand right now so in addition to helping the bulrush beds we also plan to do work in there to return it to kind of an oak savannah open wood lot which will benefit a lot of species that depend on that type of habitat.”
Gulick says the project is likely to be met with opposition from some, but he says it will be worth it in the long run…
“It’s going to be frustrating for some people, some of which are my friends that use that area for bow hunting and other aspects, but we really just look at this as a very unique opportunity to do something on a large scale, about 5,000 feet of shoreline, to return it back to its natural, native state. We just think that’s once it’s done, and it’s going to be a long term project. Like they say about bur oaks, they grow for 100 years, they live for 100 years and it takes them 100 years to die. This will be a very long term project but I think it’s going to be one that will very beneficial not only to the animals and the people that use that area, but also the water quality because once we get that near shore vegetation reestablished, that’s very beneficial to the water quality of Big Spirit Lake.”
The DNR will hold a public open house to further explain the project on Wednesday, October 7th from 6:00 until 7:30 pm at the lodge at Gull Point State Park. COVID-19 precautions will be in place with a limited number of people allowed in the facility at any given time. The presented materials may also be viewed online at www.iowadnr.gov/huntinghabitatmeetings.
