The Need to Protect our The Need to Protect our Valuable Wetland Resources Valuable Wetland Resources

from Fragmentationfrom FragmentationItasca County, MNItasca County, MN

By Michael R. KreutzerBy Michael R. KreutzerUniversity of Saint ThomasUniversity of Saint Thomas

Geography DepartmentGeography Department

BackgroundBackground Forest Legacy Program:Forest Legacy Program:

Protects ForestsProtects Forests Uses Federal & Local FundsUses Federal & Local Funds Conservation EasementsConservation Easements Landowner Continues OwnershipLandowner Continues Ownership Can Continue to Use Forest Can Continue to Use Forest

AmenitiesAmenities• Timber managementTimber management• RecreationRecreation• HuntingHunting• Etc.Etc.

Photo and Commentary CourtesyOf Minnesota Division of Natural Resources

Forest Legacy Cont.Forest Legacy Cont.

FLEETFLEET Forest Legacy Ecological Evaluation ToolForest Legacy Ecological Evaluation Tool

• GIS processes used to develop projectGIS processes used to develop project• Based on DNR research for Forest Legacy Project.Based on DNR research for Forest Legacy Project.

Why So Important?Why So Important? Fragmentation:Fragmentation:

The process by which large areas of land are divided The process by which large areas of land are divided and isolated creating broken habitats and loss of and isolated creating broken habitats and loss of biodiversity. biodiversity.

Photo Courtesy of www.forestbiodiversityinbc.ca/

Fragmentation Cont.Fragmentation Cont. Some Important Notes on FragmentationSome Important Notes on Fragmentation

Fragmentation Occurs NaturallyFragmentation Occurs Naturally• GeologyGeology• FireFire• Disease (Drought, Insects)Disease (Drought, Insects)• Etc.Etc.

Some Species Do Benefit from FragmentationSome Species Do Benefit from Fragmentation• Edging EffectEdging Effect

Photo Showing Edging AlongWildfire. Courtesy ofwww.northernlattitude.com

Main Concerns About Main Concerns About FragmentationFragmentation

Human Influenced Human Influenced Fragmentation is Fragmentation is Threatening Our Valuable Threatening Our Valuable EnvironmentsEnvironments

Natural Processes are Natural Processes are Being DisruptedBeing Disrupted

We Do Not Fully We Do Not Fully Understand the Understand the Implications of Our Implications of Our ImpactImpact

What We Do Understand What We Do Understand is Mostly Negativeis Mostly Negative

Photo Showing the Effects of Clear Cutting a Forest For the Construction Of a Highway in CanadaCourtesy of Friends of the RougeWatershed: www.frw.ca/rouge

Purpose of The ProjectPurpose of The Project

How does fragmentation affect valuable How does fragmentation affect valuable water resources?water resources? Simple Answers:Simple Answers:

• Fragmentation often leads to the mass reduction of Fragmentation often leads to the mass reduction of or clear cutting of trees and forestor clear cutting of trees and forest

• Soil erosion, sedimentation, loss of biodiversity Soil erosion, sedimentation, loss of biodiversity occursoccurs

• Fragmentation often introduces development, Fragmentation often introduces development, resulting in pollution and unhealthy runoffresulting in pollution and unhealthy runoff

• Can lead to severe economic consequencesCan lead to severe economic consequences

So Why is the Water Issue So So Why is the Water Issue So Important?Important?

Lakes, Rivers, StreamsLakes, Rivers, Streams WetlandsWetlands

1) Water Storage1) Water Storage• Act as sponges, storing and slowly releasing water Act as sponges, storing and slowly releasing water • Slows water movement, reducing flood potential Slows water movement, reducing flood potential

and erosive propertiesand erosive properties• Helps manage flow properties; especially during Helps manage flow properties; especially during

heavy wet or dry periods.heavy wet or dry periods.• Economic Impact: Reduces costs of water Economic Impact: Reduces costs of water

treatment and potential flood damagetreatment and potential flood damage

Wetlands Cont.Wetlands Cont. WetlandsWetlands

2) Water Filtration2) Water Filtration• Slows water downSlows water down• Allows for particles to settle Allows for particles to settle • Plants capture and filter Plants capture and filter

sediment sediment • Pollutants such as fertilizers Pollutants such as fertilizers

and sewage are absorbed and sewage are absorbed by plant roots and soilsby plant roots and soils

Photo Courtesy of http://www.departments.bucknell.edu/geography

Wetlands Cont.Wetlands Cont. WetlandsWetlands

3) Biodiversity3) Biodiversity• 43% of threatened or endangered species in U.S. rely on 43% of threatened or endangered species in U.S. rely on

wetlands.wetlands.• Home to millions of species of aquatic plants, insects, fish, Home to millions of species of aquatic plants, insects, fish,

foul, and other wildlife. foul, and other wildlife.

Photo Courtesy of Mark Sharp: WWW.Atlas.Keystone.edu

Wetlands Cont.Wetlands Cont. WetlandsWetlands

4) Recreation4) Recreation• Wetlands provide a great place toWetlands provide a great place to

HuntHunt FishFish CanoeCanoe Explore our natural worldExplore our natural world EducateEducate

Photo showing a class being taught at a wetlands site. Courtesy of depts.washington.edu/wpa/youthfami.htm

Wetlands Cont.Wetlands Cont. Something to ConsiderSomething to Consider

Wetlands present in 1850:Wetlands present in 1850:18.6 million acres18.6 million acres

Wetlands present in 2003:Wetlands present in 2003:9.3 million acres9.3 million acres

EPA DID YOU KNOW?EPA DID YOU KNOW? In 1991 wetland-related ecotourism activities such as In 1991 wetland-related ecotourism activities such as

hunting, fishing, bird-watching, and photography added hunting, fishing, bird-watching, and photography added approximately $59 billion to the national economy.approximately $59 billion to the national economy.

According to the Pacific Coast Federation of According to the Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen’s Associations, almost $79 billion per year is Fishermen’s Associations, almost $79 billion per year is generated from wetland-dependent species, or about generated from wetland-dependent species, or about 71 percent of the nation’s entire $111 billion commercial 71 percent of the nation’s entire $111 billion commercial and recreational fishing industry in 1997.and recreational fishing industry in 1997.

An acre of wetland can store 1–1.5 million gallons of An acre of wetland can store 1–1.5 million gallons of floodwater.floodwater.

Up to one-half of North American bird species nest or Up to one-half of North American bird species nest or feed in wetlands.feed in wetlands.

Although wetlands keep only about 5 percent of the Although wetlands keep only about 5 percent of the land surface in the conterminous United States, they land surface in the conterminous United States, they are home to 31 percent of our plant species.are home to 31 percent of our plant species.

Research QuestionResearch Question

How Do We Find Areas of How Do We Find Areas of Pristine Water Resources In Pristine Water Resources In Itasca County and Protect Itasca County and Protect Them from Fragmentation?Them from Fragmentation?

MethodologyMethodology

Used Fleet Model and Information from Used Fleet Model and Information from Minnesota Division of Natural Resources Minnesota Division of Natural Resources (DNR)(DNR)

Created 2 Initial ContinuumsCreated 2 Initial Continuums Human ImpactHuman Impact Environmental QualityEnvironmental Quality

Human Impact Continuum Human Impact Continuum VariablesVariables

Distance FromDistance From• DevelopmentDevelopment• RoadsRoads• Major RoadsMajor Roads• Recently Logged AreasRecently Logged Areas• Public Access to Water Public Access to Water

Single Output Map Single Output Map AlgebraAlgebra

Results:Results: Areas of Brown = Heavy Areas of Brown = Heavy

Human ImpactHuman Impact Areas of Green = Mild Areas of Green = Mild

Human ImpactHuman Impact

Environmental Quality ContinuumEnvironmental Quality Continuum VariablesVariables

Proximity toProximity to• WetlandsWetlands• StreamsStreams• LakesLakes• Trout StreamsTrout Streams

Single Output Map Single Output Map AlgebraAlgebra

Results:Results: Blue = Lakes/StreamsBlue = Lakes/Streams Green = High Green = High

Environmental QualityEnvironmental Quality Brown = Low Brown = Low

Environmental QualityEnvironmental Quality

Habitat ContinuumHabitat Continuum Human Impact Continuum + Environmental Quality Continuum = Habitat Human Impact Continuum + Environmental Quality Continuum = Habitat

ContinuumContinuum Habitat Continuum X (Habitat and In Holding + Fragmentation Parcels) = Habitat Continuum X (Habitat and In Holding + Fragmentation Parcels) =

Habitat, In holdings, and FragmentationHabitat, In holdings, and Fragmentation Results: Effects of FragmentationResults: Effects of Fragmentation

Final StepFinal Step Isolated Habitat, In Isolated Habitat, In

holdings, and holdings, and Fragmentation Map to be Fragmentation Map to be Within Itasca County Within Itasca County FloodplainsFloodplains

Why Floodplains?Why Floodplains? Great example of a mix Great example of a mix

between environmental between environmental and economic concernsand economic concerns

Realistically, we must Realistically, we must select feasible amounts of select feasible amounts of land to be changes. If we land to be changes. If we only have enough money only have enough money for one acre, this provides for one acre, this provides a view as to how and a view as to how and where it should be spent. where it should be spent.

Final Map/ConclusionFinal Map/Conclusion

ModelModel

DiscussionDiscussion

For any Questions, Comments, Concerns For any Questions, Comments, Concerns or if you would like information on nay or if you would like information on nay further research please feel free to contact further research please feel free to contact me by email at me by email at mrkreutzer@stthomas.edumrkreutzer@stthomas.edu

Thank You!Thank You!

Informational SourcesInformational Sources

http://www.epa.gov/owow/wetlands/pdf/funhttp://www.epa.gov/owow/wetlands/pdf/fun_val.pdf_val.pdf

http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/water/index.hthttp://www.dnr.state.mn.us/water/index.htmlml

http://http://files.dnr.state.mn.us/eco/wetlands/wetlandfiles.dnr.state.mn.us/eco/wetlands/wetland_monitoring.pdf_monitoring.pdf