HISTORY OF DEGRADATION (WHY)

During the 19th Century, Michigan was the nation’s leading lumber producer. The area was intensively logged to build cities such as Chicago and Milwaukee. The native forest has since been replaced by monoculture spruce plantations. A monoculture is when a single plant is grown across a specific area of land, often for a more profitable harvest. This practice is bad for the local ecosystem as it destroys unique habitats, the resulting ecosystem is less resilient towards climate change and more susceptible to diseases. 

RESTORATION (WHAT)

Through your support, the goal of this project is to restore the local ecosystem through enhancing biodiversity by reintroducing a diverse range of native tree species in the Michigan Upper Peninsula, the Hiawatha National Forest. This allows local species, such as bears, wolves and waterfowls, to thrive in an ecosystem that is suited to their needs.