Tobico Marsh
Encyclopedia
Tobico Marsh, located just north of Bay City, Michigan
, is part of the Bay City Recreation Area
. Tobico Marsh was designated as a registered National Natural Landmark
in 1976 because of its large size, relatively undisturbed condition and variety of aquatic plant life. With nearly 2000 acres (8.1 km²) of wetland woods, wet meadows, cattail marshlands and oak savannah prairies, Tobico Marsh is one of the largest remaining freshwater, coastal wetlands on the Great Lakes.
interests. As logging diminished, the land was sold to several individuals who formed the Tobico Hunting and Fishing Club. In 1956, Guy Garber and Frank Andersen, the only surviving members, realized the value of the area as a wildlife refuge
. Andersen donated the property to the State of Michigan in 1957 and it became the Tobico State Wildlife Refuge. Later, the State obtained adjacent land and formed the Tobico Marsh State Game Area, with the wildlife refuge as its core. In 1995, the refuge and game area were merged with the adjacent Bay City State Park, forming the Bay City State Recreation Area.
Bay City, Michigan
Bay City is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan located near the base of the Saginaw Bay on Lake Huron. As of the 2010 census, the city's population was 34,932, and is the principal city of the Bay City Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is included in the Saginaw-Bay City-Saginaw Township North...
, is part of the Bay City Recreation Area
Bay City Recreation Area
Bay City Recreation Area or Bay City State Recreation Area is a state park located near Bay City, Michigan in Bay County, Michigan, on the shore of Saginaw Bay. The Tobico Marsh, one of the largest remaining freshwater, coastal wetlands on the Great Lakes is located in the park...
. Tobico Marsh was designated as a registered National Natural Landmark
National Natural Landmark
The National Natural Landmark program recognizes and encourages the conservation of outstanding examples of the natural history of the United States. It is the only natural areas program of national scope that identifies and recognizes the best examples of biological and geological features in...
in 1976 because of its large size, relatively undisturbed condition and variety of aquatic plant life. With nearly 2000 acres (8.1 km²) of wetland woods, wet meadows, cattail marshlands and oak savannah prairies, Tobico Marsh is one of the largest remaining freshwater, coastal wetlands on the Great Lakes.
Habitat
Comprising 1652 acres (6.7 km²), the marsh contains three distinct habitats: a wide expanse of open water, an extensive area of marshland, and a mixed hardwood forest.History
The first private ownership of Tobico Marsh was by loggingLogging
Logging is the cutting, skidding, on-site processing, and loading of trees or logs onto trucks.In forestry, the term logging is sometimes used in a narrow sense concerning the logistics of moving wood from the stump to somewhere outside the forest, usually a sawmill or a lumber yard...
interests. As logging diminished, the land was sold to several individuals who formed the Tobico Hunting and Fishing Club. In 1956, Guy Garber and Frank Andersen, the only surviving members, realized the value of the area as a wildlife refuge
Wildlife refuge
A wildlife refuge, also called a wildlife sanctuary, may be a naturally occurring sanctuary, such as an island, that provides protection for species from hunting, predation or competition, or it may refer to a protected area, a geographic territory within which wildlife is protected...
. Andersen donated the property to the State of Michigan in 1957 and it became the Tobico State Wildlife Refuge. Later, the State obtained adjacent land and formed the Tobico Marsh State Game Area, with the wildlife refuge as its core. In 1995, the refuge and game area were merged with the adjacent Bay City State Park, forming the Bay City State Recreation Area.