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| Ludington Dunes |
| Recognition:
|
Proposed
for Legal Dedication,
The Nature Conservancy Natural Area Registry |
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| Size: |
2820 acres |
| Location:
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Approximately 8 miles north of
Ludington |
| Management: |
Ludington State Park |
| Activities:
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Hiking, nature study, photography,
swimming, cross-country skiing, hunting, camping (adjacent), wildlife viewing |
Importance:
The proposed Natural Area ecologically is part of the Big Sable
Dunes complex, which includes Ludington Dunes and Nordhouse Dunes to
the north. Open sand dunes and their characteristic natural
communities occurring on freshwater are better represented in
Michigan than anywhere else in the world. Big Sable Dunes offers the
greatest expanse of open dunes in the Great Lakes, as well as some
of the most extensive interdunal wetlands, a distinctive natural
community unique to the Great lakes, and good examples of secondary
dune forest that can be found on some of the older dunes.
At the fore edge of an open dune system,
the habitat is quite harsh, with moving sand, extremely dry
conditions and organic material for nutrients. Only a few plants are
able to endure and thrive in this environment. One of these is the
State threatened pitcher's thistle. Ludington Dunes encompasses one
of the world's two largest populations of this species. Several
other plant species of special concern also occur here.
Ludington Dunes may be the best spot in
the Lower Peninsula to view a piece of Michigan's landscape that
still looks like it did prior to European settlement, something very
rare in eastern North America. |
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Oak tree
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