|
By: Patrick Carlson Summary. Since the 1880's Sugar island has been a must visit attraction for locals from Canada and Michigan. The sweet maple trees on the island gave it the name "Sugar Island". It became such a tourist spot that pavilions, docks, and even a small amusement park were put on the island. As Great Lakes Now describes, "Grosse Ile residents often refer to the years that followed as the golden era of Sugar Island". Unfortunately the following decades the island was practically abandoned due to failed residential attempts until 2011 when the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service purchased it to be part of the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge. Sugar island marks an important spot for bird migrations and a huge spawning/nursery for many fish species. In the 1980's Sugar Island was designated as an area of concern regarding the high pollution rates of the Detroit river. Since the 1930's the island has shrunk by about 20% due to rising water levels, and frequencies of storms. The solution took many years but finally came to fruition in 2018. A series of small islands were to be put around the island to create a barrier for fish nurseries and to prevent large waves to erode the island as drastically as before. It also includes adding a rocky reef farther offshore to attract native fish. This project adds about 20 acres of wetlands and natural habitats for native species of fish, birds, reptiles, and amphibians while also reducing the damage done by climate change. Why we should care? Sugar Island is a prime example of an ecosystem that can be restored through the effort of many. It acts as a natural home for both common and endangered species, a purifier of nearby water, and a barrier against incoming floods/storm surges that erode our shores.  Sugar Island habitat restoration plan (Image Credit: Friends of the Detroit River and SmithGroup) Example Article. https://www.thenewsherald.com/2021/07/30/friends-of-detroit-river-to-begin-habitat-restoration-on-sugar-island/=4 The News Herald explained a very interesting piece of data that was honestly quite shocking. In the last 200 years, since European settlers had arrived, almost 97% of the Detroit rivers coastal wetlands have been destroyed. Because a change this drastic occurred, both the United States and Canada were forced to create an international agreement in which areas around the Great Lakes were designated as areas of very high concern. This cooperation will allow multiple organizations and agencies to work towards a common goal of delisting some of the very important coastal areas and island; sugar Island being one of the most notable. Science in Action.
Dr. Rani-Henrik Andersson is a Senior University Lecturer in North American Studies at the University of Helsinki. Rani-Henrik Andersson is one of the most interesting researchers on the Sugar Island topic in recent years. His research is focused more on the development of Sugar Island since its inhabitance by Finnish immigrants in the early 1900's. Knowing what the land's uses for development can help us understand the composition of the soils, types of flora and fauna introduced by the cultivation of the land. By knowing more about the history of the Island, it may aid in future restoration and protection of an extremely important ecological ecosystem directly involved with the entire great lakes system as a whole.
7 Comments
Emma Cockerill
9/16/2021 10:43:52
Very interesting topic. Wetland is crucial in Michigan to preserve our native species and it is good to hear action is being taken in the Great Lakes and connecting rivers. I have been very disappointed since living here with the industry lining especially the Detroit River, on both sides from the USA and Canada alike. For example, Zug Island and the toxic sludge lining the river bed. Hopefully with more collaboration like this between the two countries we can restore more natural habitats like sugar island.
Loren Solomon
9/16/2021 17:38:18
Hey Patrick, I enjoyed reading your blog post. I had never heard of Sugar Island, nor of its many wildlife inhabitants. It's fascinating how over time we can take a look and see the impact we're having on not just the Earth as a whole, but smaller ecosystems within such as Sugar Island. You did a good job highlighting the importance of biodiversity, and why it's important we take care of these areas that are full of wildlife and resources. It was really shocking to read that 97% of the Detroit Rivers coastal wetlands have been destroyed, though it is good to know that officials have taken notice to draw up an agreement to protect such areas.
Alexandria Simpkins
9/16/2021 10:50:42
I’ve always wondered what happened to this island. My parents and grandparents always talked about it but it never seemed real. I think this article is extremely informative and important to know about, especially when we should value conserving Detroit’s ecological and social history. It’s crazy how easily something so important can be forgotten and abandoned.
Riley St.Ledger
9/16/2021 12:01:34
This was a very interesting topic to learn about. It's crazy to realize that in the past 200 years, 97% of the Detroit rivers coastal wetlands have been destroyed. This is definitely something that we should be paying attention to and trying to better conserve. Hopefully sugar island will be successfully restored and further protected.
Rochelle Durand
9/17/2021 19:23:06
I'm super shocked because honestly, I never even knew about Sugar Island before this article. The whole idea of a maple forest island sounds beautiful, and it's such a shame that the ecosystem was disrupted due to human involvement. It makes me super happy to hear that multiple organizations are coming together to help restore the islands natural habitat. Maybe one day I'll see Sugar Island!
Buck M Patrick
9/18/2021 11:15:17
Hey Patrick, This was a really cool article. I never knew that sugar island existed! That is super cool that there is a whole island full of maple trees. I wonder if there is somebody there who taps all the maple trees and makes a bunch of syrup, that would be cool. It is a cool thing to hear about how we are fixing the island and how environmentalists find ways to help out. Putting up the islands was a really good idea I never would have thought of without hearing about it.
Sobhie Nazal
12/8/2021 23:54:03
This was honestly very intriguing to learn about because I didn’t even know there was an island known as Sugar Island before. I really liked learning about the importance of Sugar Island and the possible effects it has of living things in regards to extinction and including effects on ecosystems. Leave a Reply. |
AuthorStudents of ESG 1500 Archives
December 2021
Categories |
RSS Feed