Impacts of Beach Maintenance and Removal of Vegetation under PA 14

The DEQ recently released the "Report on the Impacts of Beach Maintenance and Removal of Vegetation under Act 14 of 2003" proving the activities authorized by PA 14 have substantial, long-lasting negative impacts on Great Lakes coastal wetlands.

Specifically, the report finds that beach grooming activities:

• Result in fundamental changes to the chemical and physical conditions in near shore waters,
• Decrease the numbers and diversity of adult fish, including many important sport fish, and invertebrates
• Negatively impact larval fish through the loss of habitat and changes to near shore water chemistry, and
• Promote the spread of invasive plant species along the shore.

What the Reports Say...

• "Conversion of wetland plant areas to open beach areas results in very large and significant decreases in density and diversity of invertebrate communities."
• "The location where the vegetation was removed drastically changes larval fish composition."
• "Disking, raking, filling of swales, and hand-pulling of aquatic plants were all effective at killing aquatic plants."

Click here to read the report in its entirety.