Mud Lake futures analysis: Ecosystem services and community values
Citation:
Hoffman, J., K. Williams, AND R. Pedersen. Mud Lake futures analysis: Ecosystem services and community values. Mud Lake Workshop, Duluth, MN, May 30, 2019.
Impact/Purpose:
In the context of remediation to restoration to revitalization, revitalization depends on community values and plans for future uses at the contaminated site. Mud Lake is a large coastal wetland and a remediation and restoration site that will be cleaned-up and restored as part of the Great Lakes Areas of Concern program. We analyzed multiple proposed alternatives for future uses of Mud Lake to reveal the trade-offs for ecosystem services and community benefits associated with each trade-off.
Description:
: Six future alternatives were analyzed for the Mud Lake remediation and restoration project in the St. Louis River Area of Concern. We modelled ecosystem services for each future to identify specific trade-offs for the different alternatives. For example, Alt 4 provided the greatest opportunity for deep water habitat that fish need to overwinter. On the other hand, Alt 2 v2 and Alt 3 v2 provide the greatest opportunity for providing coastal wetland sheltered habitat, which is important for waterfowl, as well as fish diversity and life stage-specific habitat needs, including spawning. Final services are outputs of nature that provide a direct benefit to people. These services include recreational (e.g., trail, boating), subsistence (e.g., fish), and commercial beneficiaries. There are trade-offs for the different alternatives. For example, Alt 4 provides the greatest area for boating, combining canoeing, kayaking, and power boating. Alt 4, Alt 3 and Alt 3 v2 provide the most area for shore fishing. We also compared the community health impacts associated with the ecosystem services provided by the four causeway alternatives. The analysis demonstrates that every alternative produces a different mix of ecosystem services, which in turn has the potential to impact the health of several populations – current users of Mud Lake and the Lake Superior and Mississippi Railroad (LSMR), user groups and the outdoor recreation community, those who live in the Morgan Park and Gary-New Duluth neighborhoods, and the indigenous community. All alternatives have the potential to improve outdoor recreational opportunities by improving habitat, which might positively impact bird and wildlife watchers and anglers, and by adding a trail, which will positively impact hikers and bikers. Alt 3 and Alt 3 v2 in particular will expand canoe and kayak access to all of Mud Lake, and Alt 4 would provide recreational boating and fishing opportunities throughout all of Mud Lake. Alt 4 has the greatest potential to improve habitat through the creation of a high-quality coastal wetland, which will likely positively impact indigenous communities who wish to exercise treaty rights. Further, all alternatives have the potential to offer social, historical, and cultural opportunities. However, Alt 3, Alt 3 v2 and Alt 4 would have a negative impact on the social cohesion and place attachment for the LSMR, the neighborhood that identifies with the train, and train passengers. Recognizing that there is an attachment to place, as well as claims on the space by multiple groups, it would positively impact the mental health and social cohesion of all communities for them to participate in collaborative decision-making.