Natural Shorelines Forever of Pinckney, Michigan was awarded $17,000 for woody habitat installations on Big Portage Lake. This 680-acre lake has a public boat launch and is located in one of the most highly populated counties in Michigan (Washtenaw County). It is heavily used by anglers, birders, and recreational boaters.

The lake’s shoreline is highly developed according to the Midwest Glacial Lakes Partnership Conservation Planner, but watershed disturbance is moderate. Therefore, one of the primary concerns is disturbance to the littoral and shoreland zones of the lake. Degradation of these habitats decreases fish populations and fishing opportunities. It also reduces populations of amphibians, birds, and other wildlife. This group has already engaged eight shoreline property owners to install woody habitat to reduce wave energy and erosion, improve catch rates for anglers, and improve the overall health of the ecosystem.

Ancillary benefits are likely to include education and outreach as more shoreline owners learn of the efficacy of such practices. Specifically, this project will involve the installation of up to 18 clusters of 3 trees 15 to 20′ long for a total of 54 trees in the water at eight different Big Portage Lakefront sites at shoreline, extending into littoral zones at depths of 2 – 15′ of water.