- Tobico Marsh
Infobox_protected_area | name = Tobico Marsh
iucn_category =
caption =
locator_x =
locator_y =
location =Michigan
nearest_city = Bay City
lat_degrees = 43
lat_minutes = 41
lat_seconds = 24
lat_direction = N
long_degrees = 83
long_minutes = 55
long_seconds = 51.5994
long_direction = W
area = convert|1652|acre|km2
established = 1957
visitation_num =
visitation_year =
governing_body =Michigan Department of Natural Resources Tobico Marsh, located just north of Bay City, Michigan, is part of the
Bay City Recreation Area . Tobico Marsh was designated as a registeredNational Natural Landmark in 1976 because of its large size, relatively undisturbed condition and variety of aquatic plant life. With nearly convert|2000|acre|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. [ [http://www.michigandnr.com/parksandtrails/Details.aspx?id=437&type=SPRK Bay City Recreation Area Detail ] ]Habitat
Comprising convert|1652|acre|km2, the marsh contains three distinct habitats: a wide expanse of open water, an extensive area of marshland, and a mixed hardwood forest. [ [http://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,1607,7-153-30301_31154_31260-54037--,00.html DNR - Tobico Marsh ] ]
History
The first private ownership of Tobico Marsh was by logging 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. Recently, the refuge and game area were merged with the adjacent Bay City State Park, forming the Bay City State Recreation Area. [ [http://www.michigandnr.com/PUBLICATIONS/PDFS/ifr/ifrlibra/status/waterbody/97-1.htm Tobico Marsh, Bay County, MI ] ]
External links
[http://www.dnr.state.mi.us/publications/pdfs/wildlife/viewingguide/slp/118Tobico/index.htm Bay City State Recreation Area]
References
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.
