DONGES BAY GORGE RENOVATIONS
Because of its vital location along the Lake Michigan flyway and its rich history including Jens Jensen landscape design Donges Bay Gorge Nature Preserve is a rare gem. We aim to make improvements so more community members can enjoy Lake Michigan views and the rolling beauty of the deep gorge. While concurrently providing diverse habitats for wildlife.
Donges Bay Gorge Renovations
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Located along Lake Michigan in the city of Mequon, WI, Donges Bay Gorge Natural Area is 23 acres. This preserve contains steep lake slopes, beach frontage, an undulating upland lake bluff, upland woods and a ravine that extends through the property. OWLT is restoring historically and regionally scarce vegetation communities to both increase biodiversity and improve wildlife habitat to greater support the Lake Michigan Migratory Flyway.
Contractors, OWLT stewardship staff, OWLT volunteers, and OWLT Youth Stewardship Program members – including OWLT stewardship interns and Great Lakes Community Conservation Corps young adults, will make improvements to the preserve. Activities include enhancing the parking lot and trails, performing upgrades to the pool house, removing invasive species, and planting trees/shrubs to create resilient, high quality nearshore habitat. Lakeshore Natural Resource Partnership (LNRP) partnership in this project is a valued collaborated to the project, leveraging in-kind services valuing $38,000 for re-sprout ttreatment, ravine brush removal, and woody plantings.