Introducing the Water-Rich Obtawaing Biosphere Region
A StoryMap by Erin Graves, Mikela Dean, Marisa Smedsrud, and Ysabelle Yrad
University of Michigan Biological Station (lsa.umich.edu)
The University of Michigan Biological Station (UMBS) was designated as a Biosphere Reserve in 1979 under the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) program that identifies conservation and recreation lands as essential components to preserving and sustaining ecosystems and society on a regional scale (UNESCO, 2021).
Reimagined Obtawaing Biosphere Region
In 2020, the Biosphere Reserve was reimagined and redesignated as a Region, which includes a broad area stretching across Michigan’s Northern Lower Peninsula and Eastern Upper Peninsula. This new Biosphere Region was renamed Obtawaing, which reflects the Anishinaabek word meaning “at the halfway place”. In the following content, we will introduce and explore the dynamic ecological and social components that shape the emerging world of the Obtawaing Biosphere Region.
To learn more about the founding of the Obtawaing Biosphere Region, please visit this StoryMap by Samuel Frederickson & Daniela Fernández Méndez Jiménez (UM-SEAS, 2022).
Landscapes of the OBR
The regional geology has shaped the hydrology in Northern Michigan, building the foundation for diverse landscapes and ecosystems.
Ecosystems, Waterways, and Wildlife of the OBR
Social Systems of the OBR
Due to diverse landscapes and the distribution of waterways, Northern Michigan has fostered communities through time.
Peoples and Communities of the OBR
Tribal Lands:
Historical Tribal Lands (Atlas of Wisconsin)
The Anishinaabe, or “Original People”, are the group of Indigenous peoples who have lived in the Great Lakes region for millenia. These peoples share a migration story traveling westward on the St. Lawrence river, settling in areas where food, such as native fish and wild rice, grew in the water. This ancestral land stretches from what is now known as Georgian Bay in Lake Huron, toward the northwest coast of Lake Superior, and includes the entire state of Michigan. The Anishinaabe include three distinct groups: the Odawa (Ottawa), the Ojibwa (Chippewa) and Bodowadomi (Pottawatomi), which collectively are the people of the Three Fires Confederacy. The Anishinaabe people continue to live and support the landscape and relationships in the Obtawaing Biosphere Region. This may include practicing and sharing traditional ecological knowledge as well as governance and management as federal or state recognized sovereign tribal nations.
Please visit these resources below to learn more about the tribal histories and nations of the region.
Further exploring communities and social dimensions of the Region...
Looming Issues for Conservation in the OBR
Based on current trends, climate and development changes are expected in the Laurentian Great Lakes basin, and these will fundamentally alter the hydrologic system.
Climate & Development Change & Refuge:
Based on current trends, climate and development changes are expected in the Laurentian Great Lakes basin, thus necessitating collaboration and management of water resources. Michigan’s abundant freshwater services, mild temperatures, and related quality of life will be impacted by climate change in unique ways. The state of Michigan will experience more frequent inland flooding and precipitation events, however, recent trends provide evidence that the northern Lower Peninsula and Upper Peninsula of Michigan has experienced less seasonal precipitation within the last few decades. This trend is critical to northern Michigan, as the abundant freshwater and temperate climate of this region is likely to attract new-state residents, out-state tourists, and businesses/corporations, and thus, increases the demand of water resources into the future. Additionally, the predicted increase in frequency and intensity of heat waves as well as drought events in this region will result in new narratives for water resource use, particularly for agricultural irrigation. Groundwater depletion and subsequent water protection initiatives, such as the state legislature’s urge to conserve 30% of water and land in Michigan by 2030, has provided urgent awareness for freshwater conservation. With this urgency and hydrologic context of northern Michigan in mind, the OBR network seeks to drive regional identity for preserving freshwater resources through an integrated coalition of partners already organizing on such issues.
Furthermore...
There are many conservation organizations working in this patchy protected land network throughout the region, which creates challenges for management and collaboration.
Unifying the Region into the Future
The Obtawaing Biosphere Region is a collaborative initiative between stakeholders, rightsholders, and conservation organizations, which provides an opportunity to connect and unite around freshwater resources.
Emphasizing a Sense of Regional Identity:
~The Obtawaing Biosphere Region Mission & Vision Statements~
Vision:
The Obtawaing Biosphere Region is where all thrive from the sustaining relationships and responsibilities of people and the natural world.
Mission:
Obtawaing Biosphere Region partners will share ideas and implement solutions to improve relationships and to advance environmental, cultural, and socio-economic sustainability and well-being in the heart of the Great Lakes Region.
Read the OBR Strategic Planning Framework
References:
Introduction:
UNESCO. (2021). “Biosphere Reserves.” United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization: Biosphere Reserves. DOI: https://en.unesco.org/biosphere
Geology:
Michigan State University (n.d.) Geology.
Ecoregions:
Omernik, J., Bryce, S. (2010). Level III and IV ecoregions of Michigan. United States EPA. https://gaftp.epa.gov/EPADataCommons/ORD/Ecoregions/mi/mi_eco.pdf
Albert, D.A., Cohen, J.G., Kost, M.A., Slaughter, B.S. (2008). Distribution Maps of Michigan’s Natural Communities. Michigan Natural Features Inventory.
Tribal Lands:
Bemidji State University. (n.d.). Anishinaabe timeline | American Indian resource center. https://www.bemidjistate.edu/airc/community-resources/anishinaabe-timeline/
Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians. (n.d.). Eyaawing. https://gtbindians.org/history.asp
The Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians Official Web Site. (2017). Story of Our People. https://www.saulttribe.com/history-a-culture/story-of-our-people
University of Saskatchewan. (n.d.). The Anishinaabe (Ojibwe, Saulteaux). Gladue Rights Research Database: Legal Aid Saskatchewan | Gladue Rights Research Database. https://gladue.usask.ca/anishinaabeg
Looming problems in Northern Michigan:
NOAA National Centers for Environmental information, Climate at a Glance: Global Mapping, published March 2022, https://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/cag/
Schneider, K. (2021). As drought grips American West, irrigation becomes selling point for
Obtawaing Biosphere Region (OBR). (2019). Periodic Review for Biosphere Reserve .
Unifying the region into the future
Map modified from a previous core, buffer, and transition zone map created by Jason Tallant (UMBS) to include the new OBR boundary (Fernández Méndez Jiménez & Frederickson, 2022).
Mission & Vision:
OBR Strategic Planning Meeting, June 2022
Image/Photo Credits:
Atlas of Wisconsin. Trade Corridor, 1760s. Michigan State University. https://project.geo.msu.edu/geogmich/ojibwe.html
Wolff, Glenn. Groundwater: The Sixth Great Lake: Protecting the Vital Resource beneath Michigan’s Ground. For Love of Water. https://forloveofwater.org/sixth-great-lake/
Brenner, Dave. (2022) University of Michigan, School for the Environment & Sustainability.
International Joint Comission. (2019) https://www.ijc.org/en/wqb/opportunities-collaborate-restore-enhance-and-protect-great-lakes-coastal-wetlands
Ecosystem and Community Photos: Mikela Dean, Erin Graves, Ysabelle Yrad
Google Images
