The Hartshorn Peninsula site is located at the northern end of the Hartshorn Marina, which is owned and operated by the City of Muskegon. The site is composed primarily of foundry fill, and the outer end of the peninsula historically consisted of a 675′ sheetpile wall, concrete, and miscellaneous debris and fill.
The site was restored by removing fill to restore open water wetlands, while also removing the sheeting and debris. A stone toe was placed along the shoreline, and native plants and seed were installed.
Pre-Restoration
Year restored: 2011-2013
Total Area Restored (by habitat type):
Shoreline softening=1,000 linear feet
Open Water Wetland=0.78 acres
Emergent Wetland=0.10 acres
Upland Buffer=0.05 acres
Construction Facts:
$777,420 construction cost
675’ of sheeting wall removed
13,936 tons of fill removed
856 native plants installed
12 trees installed
71 native species installed
Construction
Post-Restoration
2019 Site Monitoring Summary
Site Summary Statistics
2019 Native Mean Coefficient of Conservatism: 3.5
2019 Floristic Quality Index (FQI): 19
2019 Total Native Species: 36
2019 Percent Invasive Species Cover: <5%
Invasive species currently present:
White sweet clover (Melilotus alba)
For more information on invasive plants and their management, CLICK HERE
Dominant native species:
Sandbar willow (Salix exigua)
Switch grass (Panicum virgatum)
Little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium)
Jewelweed (Impatiens capensis)
Tall goldenrod (Solidago altissima)
For more information on native plants around Muskegon Lake, CLICK HERE
Site Summary:
High water levels have reduced the overall surface area of the outer end of the peninsula, although there were not visible signs of erosion. A submergent plant community has not become established in the shallow waters surrounding the peninsula, which is likely due to the higher wave energy at the site.
The site has a gentle slope and well established shrubs, which appear to be stabilizing the soil despite the high water.
Native Mean C=average coefficient of conservatism (C). Each plant is assigned a “C” value, which represents the probability that a plant will occur in an undisturbed area. C values range from 0-10. Wetlands with a native mean C greater than 3.5 are considered “high quality aquatic resources” (USFWS)
FQI=Floristic Quality Inventory, which is an indication of quality of the vegetation at a given site. In general, wetlands with an FQI above 20 are considered “high quality aquatic resources” (USFWS)
Management Recommendations
Invasive species are minimally present at the site. The only invasive plant species documented was white sweet clover, which can be removed by hand pulling. For more information on invasive plant management, CLICK HERE.
The site should be monitored 2-3 times per year to look for erosion and any invasive plants.