Fostering Conservation and Environmental Stewardship in the Industrial Heartland: Investing in Sense of Place as a Tool for Sustainability on the Detroit River's Humbug Marsh

Abstract

The Humbug Marsh, located in Trenton and Gibraltar, Michigan, represents the last mile of undeveloped shoreline along the U.S. mainland of the Detroit River. As over 97% of coastal wetlands in the river have been lost to shoreline development, the Humbug Marsh Unit contains critical habitat for many rare fish and wildlife species, and is considered “globally unique” and “globally significant in biodiversity” by The Nature Conservancy. The Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge acquired this 410‐acre unit in 2005, narrowly avoiding a fate of residential development and wetland infilling on the site. Since then, a comprehensive master plan for the unit and its adjacent Refuge Gateway, located directly north of Humbug Marsh on a brownfield site, has been completed. This project captures the transformation of Humbug Marsh into the keystone property of the Refuge and a hub for environmental education and interpretation in southeast Michigan during its second year of development. I explore the meaning of place and how a strong sense of place can be fostered and celebrated through landscape design and construction as a tool for achieving a more sustainable relationship between people and the environment. The unique contextual circumstances of this 410‐acre parcel have resulted in a compelling environment that fosters stewardship, innovation, and creative environmental and business leadership in the heart of a largely industrial landscape. These strengths, however, will become stronger as a greater connection between people and place is nurtured through collaborative design, volunteerism, and educational outreach. Strategies used to cultivate stewardship and strive towards sustainability by capitalizing and showcasing the Humbug Marsh Unit’s unique and compelling sense of place are described. By providing access to unique natural resources and teaching others about the marsh’s environmental significance, the next generation of conservationists and sustainability entrepreneurs will be cultivated and empowered.