The National Park Service (NPS) is taking steps to continue in its fight against invasive species, starting with planting trees in targeted areas throughout Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore (SBDNL).
This fall, SBDNL Rangers collaborated with scientists from the U.S. Forest Service, The Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians (GTB) and the Little Traverse Bay Band of Odawa Indians’ to plant trees near North Bar Lake. According to NPS, each young tree planted in the wetland will help to restore the ecosystem and fight against the effects of invasive species.
Emma Somers, a biological science technician that works on forest health projects at Sleeping Bear Dunes, helped with the implementation of the planting itself this past spring and fall. She said they planted five different species this year including red maple, yellow birch, paper birch, northern white cedar, and Dutch elm disease (DED) resistant American elm. The American elm is one species that has especially been affected by invasives for decades, as well as ash trees, which have been affected by the invasive emerald ash borer beetle.
