Habitat Protection and Restoration of Milwaukee River Estuary AOC
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Purpose

The Urban Ecology Center (UEC) in partnership with Milwaukee County, City of Milwaukee, Rotary Club of Milwaukee, River Revitalization Foundation, private businesses and local landowners will protect and restore 40 contiguous acres of land along the Milwaukee River as an arboretum of native plant communities and improved wildlife habitat (including habitat of the state-threatened Butler's gartersnake). The site of the Rotary Centennial Arboretum is within the Milwaukee River Estuary Area of Concern and its creation will address the EPA-identified beneficial use impairments 1) loss of fish and wildlife habitat, 2) degradation of fish and wildlife populations, and 3) degradation of aesthetics.

Objective

This reach of the river is highly visible and extensively used by the surrounding community for recreation. UEC currently manages 15 acres of this parcel and has proven expertise and success in community-based land restoration and has been entrusted with the restoration and long term management of the additional 25 acres. Over the three year scope of this project existing native plants and plant communities will be surveyed and inventoried, over 5 acres of barren industrial land will be planted with young forest and savannah trees, 6 acres of Reed Canary Grass monoculture on the river bank will be converted to a mosaic of native wet and mesic prairie, 15 acres of forest and savannah already under management will be restored to high quality habitat and an additional 13 acres of degraded forest and trails will be managed for invasives plant species, increased vegetative cover, increased native biodiversity, and soil conservation

Outcome

Overall 1500 native trees and shrubs, 100,000 herbaceous plants and millions of native seeds will be planted within the 40 acres. The restoration and monitoring efforts will be carried out by the UEC Citizen Science Project and Community Land Stewardship Program, which will connect experienced professionals with thousands of trained citizen science and land stewardship volunteers from throughout the Greater Milwaukee Area.

Related Reports

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Great Lakes Restoration Initiative
Habitat
GLRI_00E00633-0
2010
Active
 
Reports and Documents
Habitat Protection and Restoration of Milwaukee River Estuary AOC, GLRI proposal review, Springsteen
Habitat Protection and Restoration of Milwaukee River Estuary AOC, GLRI proposal review, Springsteen
 
Activities & Recommendations
Habitat Restoration - Upland
The Urban Ecology Center (UEC) in partnership with Milwaukee County, City of Milwaukee, Rotary Club of Milwaukee, River Revitalization Foundation, private businesses and local landowners will protect and restore 40 contiguous acres of land along the Milwaukee River as an arboretum of native plant communities and improved wildlife habitat (including habitat of the state-threatened Butler's gartersnake). The site of the Rotary Centennial Arboretum is within the Milwaukee River Estuary Area of Concern and its creation will address the EPA-identified beneficial use impairments 1) loss of fish and wildlife habitat, 2) degradation of fish and wildlife populations, and 3) degradation of aesthetics.
 
Watershed
Milwaukee River South
 
Waters
Milwaukee River
Monitoring Data