You’re invited! Dear Friend of Isle Royale,

Thank you for your continued interest in the moose and wolf populations at Isle Royale National Park (Isle Royale). This predator-prey relationship has been studied for decades, has garnered national and even international attention, and is of great interest to Native American bands of the area, park visitors, researchers, and many other organizations and community groups.

The story of wolves on Isle Royale is compelling and ever changing. Their population has fluctuated over the past 65 plus years since they were first documented on the island, but has been in steep decline for the past five years. This past winter was no exception. Researchers from Michigan Technological University found three wolves on the island and documented one mortality. In addition, an ice bridge formed again this past winter for the second year in a row, and a pair of wolves crossed the ice bridge from their home range on the Grand Portage Indian Reservation and traveled about 14 miles to Isle Royale. The pair explored the island, but did not stay, returning to the mainland five days later. Furthermore, five out of the nine wolves present in 2014 are unaccounted for. They may have survived, perished, or left the island during the 2015 ice bridge events.

The moose population on the island has also fluctuated over time. Over the past few years the population has increased greatly for numerous reasons, including the fact that wolf predation rates have been low. The changes in these populations raise concern about the potential for impacts to park resources, including vegetation. As a result, the National Park Service (NPS) has published a Notice of Intent (NOI) in the Federal Register announcing the initiation of a Moose-Wolf-Vegetation Management Plan and Environmental Impact Statement (plan/EIS). The plan/EIS is meant to provide direction for the future management of the Isle Royale moose and wolf populations in light of the changes occurring on the island.

Additional information about the scope of the plan/EIS is included in this newsletter, such as the purpose and need, environmental issues to be considered in the plan, and preliminary draft alternative concepts. I encourage you to review the information herein and participate in the scoping phase of this planning process by providing your feedback to the planning team. You can provide comments on our NPS Planning, Environment, and Public Comment (PEPC) website at: http://parkplanning.nps.gov/ISROmoosewolf

A series of public open houses with identical format will be held later this summer and I invite you to attend one of them if you are able. We look forward to hearing from you!

Sincerely,

Phyllis A. Green, Superintendent Isle Royale National Park

Moose-Wolf-Vegetation Management Plan/EISIsle Royale National Park | MichiganSummer 2015

1

National Park ServiceU.S. Department of the Interior

Exact dates, times, and locations will be announced via press release and online at: http://parkplanning.nps.gov/ISROmoosewolf

Each meeting will have an identical format and agenda. The meetings will begin with a brief presentation followed by an open house, during which time staff from the National Park Service will be available to answer questions.

• Grand Portage, Minnesota

• Windigo, Isle Royale

• Rock Harbor, Isle Royale

• Houghton, Michigan

Locations of Public Scoping Meetings

Chickenbone Lake (Photo: D. Rosenbach)

Background Information

219

5919

6419

84 2004

1974

1994

2014

1969

1989

2009

1979

1999

2500 200

160

120

80

40

2000

Nu

mb

er o

f M

oo

se

Nu

mb

er o

f W

olv

es

1500

1000

500

0

Isle Royale Moose and Wolf Populations Over Time

Moose

Wolves

Year

Isle Royale National Park (Isle Royale) is an island archipelago in the northwestern portion of Lake Superior consisting almost entirely of designated wilderness. Isle Royale exhibits a unique biogeography. Organisms that live on islands have more dynamic population trends and are more often subjected to extinction events with colonization and immigration occurrences depending on island size, distance to the mainland, length of isolation (time), chance events, habitat suitability and human activity, to name a few influencing factors. In other words, things come and go from islands; local extirpation is natural, as is establishment and re-establishment of new populations.

Wolves are the only predator of moose on the island, and they affect moose abundance and distribution across the island. Wolves were first documented near Isle Royale in the 1940s when they were observed on the ice between the Sibley peninsula of Ontario and Isle Royale. It is largely accepted that wild wolves arrived on Isle Royale by crossing an ice bridge during winter between 1948 and 1950 and that they founded the Isle Royale population. However, the 1948-50 arrival of wolves was followed in 1951-52 by the release of four pen-raised wolves from the Detroit Zoo, two of which were subsequently removed from the wild. Researchers have raised questions regarding the contribution of those that potentially persisted into the population. Like many mainland wolf populations, the population at Isle Royale has fluctuated widely over time even though wolves have always been protected and never hunted or subjected to control efforts. The long-term average wolf population on the island is 22. Wolf population variation on the island has been primarily driven by the availability of older moose and calves, which are most vulnerable to predation. The vast majority of wolf mortalities on Isle Royale are due to

natural processes, primarily wolves killing other wolves and starvation. Furthermore, genetic inbreeding, a natural process in small, isolated populations has led to physical deformities and has likely resulted in low productivity and survival. The future presence of wolves on the island is in doubt unless new wolves emigrate or are introduced.

Moose first arrived on Isle Royale in the early 1900s and their population has fluctuated dramatically over the past century. Moose are known to have important effects on island vegetation. For example, in the past the population has increased dramatically and then declined following severe over-browsing of island vegetation. This boom and bust cycle has occurred in both the presence and absence of wolves; however, the magnitude of the fluctuation is likely to increase without wolves. More recently, the moose population has again been on the rise and is currently estimated to be 1,250. Although the population is likely to increase in the short-term in the presence of a very low wolf population, it is unclear how sensitive moose on Isle Royale will be to the changing climate. Heat stress and the availability of preferred vegetation are issues if temperatures continue to warm. Some mainland moose populations have been in decline and it is unclear if the moose on Isle Royale will follow this same trend in the future.

Vegetation at Isle Royale is also changing. The park lies within a temperate-boreal forest transition zone where temperate tree species are near their northern range limits and boreal trees are near their southern range limits. Recent warming favors temperate over boreal species and early signs suggest a shift from boreal to temperate species in the region. Since moose favor some boreal tree species such as balsam fir for food in the winter, this change may alter the available moose forage in the future.

(Raw Data from Vucetich and Peterson, MTU)

3

WHY PREPARE A MOOSE-WOLF-VEGETATION MANAGEMENT PLAN/EIS?Moose have important effects on island vegetation, including forest cover, and wolves are the only moose predator on the island. The moose-wolf-vegetation food web is tightly coupled. Given that the wolf population at Isle Royale is very low and their long-term survival on the island is in question, the moose population is likely to increase in the short term (5-10 years), which could result in impacts to vegetation and forest cover because of over-browsing.

Purpose and Need

Information on this project is available at http://parkplanning.nps.gov/ISROmoosewolf From this site, you can follow the progress of this project, download project documents,

find out about meetings, and provide comments at critical points.

CHECK IT OUT ONLINE

Arctic disjunct species (Saxifraga tricuspidata) (NPS Photo)

Bull Moose (Photo: D. Rosenbach)

Eastern Wolf (NPS Photo)

Need: A plan is needed to address environmental impacts that could occur to the moose population and vegetation from the potential extirpation of wolves.

Purpose: The purpose of the plan is to provide direction for managing the Isle Royale moose and wolf populations for at least the next 20 years in light of the dynamic changes occurring on the island.

4

2 • Isle Royale National Park • Cultural Resources Management Plan

Rock

Har

bor

Vis

itor

Cen

ter

Win

digo

Vis

itor

Cen

ter

CAN

AD

A

UN

ITED

STA

TES

ON

TARI

O

MIC

HIG

AN

Litt

le T

odd

Har

bor

Lake D

esor

Hat

chet

Lak

e

Hay

Bay

Big

Sisk

iwit

Lake

Hal

lora

n

Rain

bow

Cove

Hug

inni

nCo

ve

Feld

tman

nLa

ke

Woo

dLa

ke

Inte

rmed

iate

Lake

Lake

Har

vey

Ryan

Isla

nd

Lake

Ric

hie

Lake

Whi

ttle

sey

Lake

Liv

erm

ore

Ang

lew

orm

Lake

Lake

LeS

age

Chic

kenb

one

Lake

Lake

Mas

on

Lake

Bens

on

Sarg

ent

Lake

Link

late

r La

ke

Belle

Har

bor

Mer

ritt

Lan

eFi

ve F

inge

rBa

y

Lane

Cov

eSt

ockl

y Ba

y

Lake

Ojib

way

Sisk

iwit

R

iver

Cree

k

Litt

le

Rive

r

Was

hing

ton

Mos

key

McC

argo

e Co

ve

Robi

nson

Bay

A

myg

dalo

id C

hann

el

Pick

erel

Cov

e

Chip

pew

a

Har

bor

Basi

n

Gra

ce H

arbo

r

Was

hing

ton

Har

bor

Nor

th G

ap

Mal

on

e B

ay

SI

SK

IW

IT

BA

Y

SI S

KI W

IT

LA

KE

TO

DD

H

AR

BO

RTo

bin

Har

bor

Du

nca

n B

ay

HA

RB

OR

RO

CK

LA

KE

SU

PE

RI

OR

RI

DG

E

GR

EE

NS

TO

NE

GR

EE

NS

TO

NE

MI

NO

NG

RE

D

OA

K

RI

DG

E

RI

DG

E

FE

LD

TM

AN

N

RI

DG

E

RI

DG

E

HO

UG

HT

ON

RI

DG

E

Stan

ley

Rid

ge

IS

LE

RO

YA

LE

Isla

nd M

ine

no alco

hol

noal

coho

l

Fish

erm

ans

Hom

e

Min

ong

Min

e

Pitt

sbur

g an

dIs

le R

oyal

eM

ine

Dai

sy F

arm

Suzy

sCa

ve

Sisk

owit

Min

e

Edis

enFi

sher

y

Thre

e M

ile

Rock

Har

bor

Ligh

thou

se

Isle

Roy

ale

Ligh

thou

se

Rock

of

Age

sLi

ghth

ouse

Pass

age

Isla

ndLi

ghth

ouse

Am

ygda

loid

Mal

one

Bay

Mot

t Is

land

Park

Hea

dqua

rter

s

Gra

ce Is

land

John

sIs

land

Beav

er Is

land

Wen

digo

Min

es

Was

hing

ton

Isla

nd

The

Hea

d

Cum

berl

and

Poin

t

Poin

t H

ough

ton

Long

Isla

nd

Men

ager

ieIs

land

Wri

ght

Isla

nd

Twel

ve O

’Clo

ck P

oint

Birc

hIs

land

Crys

tal

Cove Be

lle Is

le

Cano

e Ro

cks

Cari

bou

Isla

nd

Sagi

naw

Poi

nt

Took

ers

Isla

nd

The

Palis

ades

Rasp

berr

yIs

land

Blak

e Po

int

Dun

can

Nar

row

sLo

cke

Poin

t

Scov

ille

Poin

t

Look

out

Lou

ise

Isla

ndM

ine

Am

ygda

loid

Isl

and

Mou

ntFr

ankl

in93

8ft

286

m

Suga

rM

ount

ain

1329

ft40

5 m

Mou

nt S

iski

wit

1181

ft36

0 m

Mou

nt D

esor

1394

ft42

5 m

113

2 ft

345

m

Mou

nt O

jibw

ay

1365

ft41

6 m

Ishp

emin

g Po

int

ISLE

R

OY

ALE

NA

TIO

NA

L PA

RK

Trai

lCa

mps

ite

Ligh

thou

se

Look

out

tow

erD

ay-u

se o

nly

dock

Qui

et/n

o w

ake

zone

s

Ove

rnig

htdo

ck

Mar

ina

Rang

er s

tati

on

Mea

ls a

ndlo

dgin

gSe

lf-g

uidi

ng t

rail

Show

ers

Stor

e

The

Isle

Roy

ale

Nat

iona

l Par

k bo

unda

ry e

xten

ds 4

.5 m

iles

into

Lak

e Su

peri

or f

rom

Isle

Roy

ale

and

the

oute

r is

land

s, o

r to

the

inte

rnat

iona

l bo

unda

ry.

To r

educ

e no

ise

and

wak

e im

pact

s th

e pa

rk h

as d

esig

nate

d ce

rtai

n ar

eas

arou

nd t

he is

land

as

Qui

et/N

o-w

ake

Zone

s. F

or d

etai

led

info

rmat

ion

on

the

zone

s, c

onta

ct a

par

k ra

nger

.

Wen

onah

Gra

nd P

orta

ge, M

inn.

to

Win

digo

3

hour

s on

e-w

ay22

mi/3

5 km

Voy

ageu

r II

Gra

nd P

orta

ge, M

inn.

to

Win

digo

2

hour

s on

e-w

ay

Rang

er II

IH

ough

ton,

Mic

h. t

o Ro

ck H

arbo

r 6

hour

s on

e-w

ay73

mi/1

18 k

mV

ia S

eapl

ane

Hou

ghto

n, M

ich.

to

Rock

Har

bor

or W

indi

go30

min

utes

one

-way

Isle

Roy

ale

Que

en IV

Copp

er H

arbo

r, M

ich.

to

Rock

Har

bor

3 ho

urs

one-

way

56 m

i/90

km

Voy

ageu

r II

fer

ry r

oute

Win

digo

to

Rock

Har

bor

5 ho

urs

Rock

Har

bor

to W

indi

go 4

1 ⁄2 h

ours

Voy

ageu

r II

fer

ry r

oute

Do

not

use

this

map

for

nav

iga-

tion

. See

Boa

ting

and

Boa

ters

N

otes

abo

ve.

No

rth

01

01

5 M

iles

5 K

ilom

eter

s

Gra

ndPo

rtag

eN

M

Isle

Roy

ale

Nat

iona

l Par

k

LA

KE

SU

PE

RIO

R

WIS

CO

NS

IN

MIC

HIG

AN

ON

TA

RIO

MIN

N

UNIT

ED S

TATE

S

CAN

AD

A

1717

28

26

2875

35

2

2

2

5361

45

41

Thun

der

Bay

Gra

ndPo

rtag

e

Gra

nd M

arai

s

Dul

uth

Supe

rior

Hou

ghto

n

Copp

erH

arbo

rSa

ult

Sain

tM

arie

Snuf

f Jar

, Edi

sen

Fish

ery

(NPS

pho

to).

Wre

ck o

f GEO

RGE

M. C

OX,

193

3

(Rob

ert E

. Joh

ns C

olle

ctio

n - I

SRO

arc

hive

s).

Sent

er P

oint

Pow

der H

ouse

(NPS

pho

to).

Fall

colo

rs a

t Isl

e Ro

yale

(NPS

pho

to)

Isla

nd S

hore

line

(NPS

Pho

to)

Fog

at Is

le R

oyal

e (N

PS P

hoto

)

5

An “issue” describes the relationship between actions and environmental resources (natural, cultural, and socioeconomic). Issues are usually problems that either the “no action” alternative (or current situation) has caused or that any of the proposed alternatives might cause, but they may be questions, concerns, problems, or other relationships, including beneficial ones.

With respect to moose, wolves, and vegetation management at Isle Royale National Park, the NPS has identified issues related to the following resources or values.

• Moose and wolf populations

• Plants and woody vegetation, due to impacts from moose browsing

• Sensitive plant species, such as orchids, that are affected by forest changes

• Other wildlife species (e.g. beaver, hare, coyote, fox, ravens, and other bird species) affected by changes in natural habitat conditions

• Streams and hydrology, due to changing streamflow conditions

• Wetlands, due to potential changes to wetland plant communities

• Visitor experience, due to changes in forest structure and populations of moose and wolves

• Wilderness character, due to the majority of the island’s land area being designated wilderness and actions under consideration that could affect the quality of wilderness character

• Challenges associated with access and a short operating season on a remote island

Issues

Beaver Logging at Isle Royale (Photo: D. Rosenbach)

View from Mount Ojibway (Photo: D. Rosenbach)

WILDERNESS

Ninety-nine percent of the land area of Isle Royale National Park was designated as wilderness in 1976 and therefore the plan/EIS will be developed in accordance with the Wilderness Act of 1964 and agency wilderness policy. A minimum requirements analysis will be conducted.

6

As part of the planning process, various alternatives for the management of moose, wolves, and vegetation at Isle Royale will be evaluated. Preliminary draft alternative concepts being considered early in the process include the no-action alternative (continuation of current management) and multiple action alternatives that propose NPS intervention to manage moose, wolves, and vegetation in various ways. These preliminary concepts explore options for potentially perpetuating the role wolves play as natural predators, managing the moose population and resulting levels of herbivory, and directly managing vegetation. Under all of the alternative concepts, the park would continue to permit research efforts, as applicable, in accordance with law, regulation and policy. Furthermore, the NPS will consider an adaptive management framework, as appropriate, to address key uncertainties.

Range of Preliminary Draft Alternative Concepts

TOOLS UNDER CONSIDERATION FOR MANAGING MOOSE DENSITY

• Wolf augmentation (adding wolvesto an existing population)

• Wolf reintroduction (adding wolvesafter local wolf extirpation)

• Translocation of live moose

• Culling of moose

Effective management of moose may require the use of motorized or mechanized equipment, such as helicopters.

(NPS Photo)

Alternative Concept A (no-action alternative)

Current management would continue; the park would not actively manage vegetation or the moose and wolf populations

Alternative Concept B (introduce wolves once)

Reestablish wolves on the island by bringing in new wolves one time to mimic a migration event; no moose management

Alternative Concept C (maintain both species)

Maintain populations of moose and wolves on the island, which could include wolf reintroduction or augmentation

Alternative Concept D (introduce wolves once and reduce the moose population)

Reestablish wolves on the island by bringing in new wolves one time; reduce moose density if/when the wolf population is no longer impacting the moose population and moose herbivory is having a demonstrated impact on park resources

Alternative Concept E (reduce moose population)

No wolf reintroduction or augmentation; reduce moose density if/when the wolf population is no longer impacting the moose population and moose herbivory is having a demonstrated impact on park resources

Alternative Concept F (intensively manage the moose population)

No wolf reintroduction or augmentation; intensively manage moose population to a low level; potential for direct vegetation restoration through seed gathering and planting on offshore islands

7

How to Comment

Please submit ALL comments no later than 30 days after the last scheduled public meeting.

PLAN/EIS ESTIMATED SCHEDULE

The National Park Service is preparing this plan/EIS in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), which requires federal agencies to analyze impacts to the human environment for any major federal action. Important steps in the NEPA process and an anticipated timeline are as follows:

NEPA Process

June/July 2015Notice of Intent to Prepare a Moose-Wolf-Vegetation Management Plan/EIS (Public Scoping Period Begins)

Summer 2015 Public Scoping Meetings

30 days after the last public scoping meeting

Public Scoping Comment Period Concludes

Fall 2015 Analyze comments and prepare Public Comment Analysis Report

Fall 2015 – Fall 2016 Gather Data, Refine Alternatives, Analyze Impacts, and Prepare the Draft Plan/EIS

Winter 2016/2017 Draft Plan/EIS Available for Public Review

Summer/Fall 2017 Final Plan/EIS Released

Fall/Winter 2017 Record of Decision

WE ARE HERE

When making public comments, please consider the following questions:

1. What other alternatives, alternativeelements, or management tools shouldbe considered?

2. What issues should be considered whenevaluating future management of moose,wolves, and vegetation at Isle Royale?

3. What type and intensity of managementshould the NPS consider given thatapproximately 99% of the land area ofIsle Royale National Park is designatedwilderness?

4. What type and intensity of managementshould the NPS consider in the faceof a changing climate?

5. What do you like and dislike aboutthe preliminary alternatives?

Submit comments electronically at: http://parkplanning.nps.gov/ISROmoosewolf

Submit written comments at an in-person public meeting.

Mail or hand deliver written comments to: Isle Royale National Park Attention: Moose-Wolf-Vegetation Management Plan 800 East Lakeshore Drive Houghton, Michigan 49931

Comments will not be accepted by fax, e-mail, or any other way than those specified above. Bulk comments in any format (hard copy or electronic) submitted on behalf of others will not be accepted. Before including your address, phone number, email address, or other personal identifying information in your comment, you should be aware that your entire comment—including your personal identifying information—may be made publicly available at any time. While you can ask us in your comment to withhold your personal identifying information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so.