Importance:
The natural area includes land in the area of the Upper and Lower
Falls, but also a large portion of the park that occurs in the
vicinity of Betsy, Sheephead and Clark Lakes. The Upper Falls are
one of the largest waterfalls east of the Mississippi River. The
area is undeveloped, for the most part, without roads, buildings or
power lines and is considered one of Michigan’s largest old-growth
northern hardwood forests.
Wetlands dominate the area around Betsy,
Sheephead and Clark Lakes, including one of the largest northern
peatlands in the eastern Upper Peninsula. In the wetter central
portions of these peatlands, the black spruce forests become open
muskeg, characterized by widely scattered and stunted spruce and
tamarack trees. This in turn opens up into true bog, dominated by
sedges and low shrubs. These peatlands are great habitat for the
moose who may occasionally be seen, as well as providing the perfect
conditions for wild cranberry bogs, as well as two state-threatened
plant species: small yellow water-lily and wild rye.
Other wildlife in the area include bald
eagles, wolf, black bear, coyote, osprey, spruce grouse, sharptail
grouse, river otter, fox, porcupine, beaver, mink, pileated
woodpeckers, and a variety of waterfowl and songbirds. Due to its
location near Whitefish Point, a target for birds entering or
returning from Canada, the Tahquamenon area also sees large numbers
of migrating birds during the spring and fall migrations. In
addition, this is one of the few nesting areas for sandhill cranes
in Michigan. |
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