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Michigan's Critical Dunes Michigan's majestic sand dunes along the coasts of Lake Michigan and Lake Superior are one of the state's most defining natural features. Coveted for their beauty, recreational, and industrial benefits, dunes serve as a crucial transition zone from Great Lakes to inland areas. Many people believe that because Michigan's dunes are such an awesome natural feature, they are protected from destruction. In fact, only one state law attempts to protect the dunes along our coast and it does not provide protection from destruction for all sand dunes. ____________________________________________________________ Critical Dunes & High Risk Erosion Maps
____________________________________________________________ Michigan Conservation District's Vegetation Removal Assurance in Designated Critical Dune Areas The Critical Dune Areas (CDA) program is administered under the authority of Part 353, Sand Dune Protection and Management, of the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act, 1994 PA 451, as amended. The CDA program protects the extremely fragile areas of Michigan’s dunes by promoting the use of design and construction techniques to minimize impacts of uses on the dunes. As defined in part 353, “use” means “a developmental, silvicultural, or recreational activity done or caused to be done by a person that significantly alters the physical characteristic of a critical dune area or a contour change done or caused to be done by a person.” A Michigan Department of Environmental Quality permit is required for any use within a CDA. Regulated activities include construction of buildings, septic systems, water wells, driveways, all excavation and filling, and vegetation removal within the CDAs. These areas are identified in the “Atlas of Critical Dune Areas” dated February 1989, and adopted by the Michigan Legislature under Part 353. Section 35313(c) requires that all applications for permits for the use of a CDA include in writing: “assurances that the cutting and removing of trees and other vegetation will be performed according to the instructions or plans of the local soil conservation district. These instructions or plans may include all applicable silvicultural practices as described in the “voluntary forestry management guidelines for Michigan” prepared by the Society of American Foresters in 1987. The instructions or plans may include a program to provide mitigation for the removal of trees or vegetation by providing assurances that the applicant will plant on the site more trees and other vegetation than were removed by the proposed use.” |
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