The KBIC Wetland Program Plan has identified strategies for developing a comprehensive wetlands conservation and monitoring program for the protection, enhancement, restoration, and sustainability of wetland resources vital to the KBIC.
The people of KBIC have a long and deep place-based cultural connection with water and wetlands and embrace the role of nurturing, protecting, and healing the natural environment. Wetlands are highly productive ecosystems that provide a number of gifts for both human and more-than-human communities, including pollution filtration, nursery habitat for fish and wildlife, and flood control during storm events or spring snow melt. For the Ojibwa, wetlands are often referred to as ‘living medicine cabinets’, providing habitat for culturally significant plant species. Importantly, in the Ojibwa language, the words for bog (mashkiig), swamp (waabashkiki) and medicine (mashkiki) are similar in origin, revealing the connection between different types of wetland ecosystems and the importance of wetlands for medicinal plants (KBIC Cultural Teachings).
Wetlands provide critical habitat for many wildlife and invertebrate species. Wetlands also contribute to the overall landscape by influencing nutrient cycles, improving water quality, and regulating water tables. The Wetlands Program utilizes the Michigan Rapid Assessment Method for Wetlands (MiRAM) to characterize the gifts each wetland offers and threats they are facing. As of 2025, the program has conducted over 80 MiRAMs across 41 study sites. This assessment method considers many factors, including anthropogenic disturbance, coverage of highly invasive species, potential wildlife habitat, and hydrologic regime, to score wetlands based on their unique characteristics, gifts, and health.
The Wetlands Program conduct vegetation surveys across 41 sites to inventory and monitor plant communities. Plant relatives tell a story that characterizes a wetland’s health. Plants are respected for providing food and habitat for all beings. Plants even maintain, and in some cases improve, natural functions like water quality, hydrology, and soil health. Additionally, plant inventory allows the program to map and monitor medicinal plant populations. Wetlands are often called a ‘living medicine cabinet’ because they provide habitat for culturally significant plants.
Previous wetlands projects have focused on large wetlands, greater than 4 acres in size. However, many small wetlands are an important part of the landscape. Among these small wetlands are vernal pools. They are temporary pools that fill in the spring and are dry by fall. Vernal pools are a hub of biological activity for many animals and plants. They are critical habitat for numerous animals, including spotted salamanders, blue-spotted salamanders, fairy shrimp, and fingernail calms. The project identified over 100 potential vernal pools using LiDAR aerial imagery. Since 2022, the Wetlands Program has worked to map and survey these vernal pools; 79 vernal pools have been verified so far. Surveys have documented vernal pool-dependent species utilizing the pools for breeding habitat. Some pools housed more than 100 salamander egg masses and thousands of breeding fairy shrimp! The Wetland Program will continue identifying, mapping, and monitoring vernal pools over the next few years.
For more information on vernal pools and survey protocols, please visit the Michigan Vernal Pool Patrol’s (MVPP) website. MVPP is a statewide program for citizen scientists who want to learn about vernal pools and participate in science and conservation.
