Hog Island (Michigan)
Encyclopedia
Hog Island, an uninhabited 2,075-acre (8 km²) island
in Lake Michigan
, is the fourth largest island in the Beaver Island
archipelago. It is owned by the U.S. state
of Michigan
as part of the Beaver Islands State Wildlife Research Area and is administered by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources
.
Hog Island is approximately 4 miles (6.5 km) long in a north-south direction. Its low, swampy terrain is of significant interest to naturalists because it is one of the least-disturbed islands in Lake Michigan. The island's wetland
s are important spawning grounds for yellow perch
and smallmouth bass
, as well as lake birds that feed on fish, such as the common tern
, listed as threatened within Michigan .
Three endemic riparian plant species, Houghton's goldenrod, the Lake Huron tansy, and Pitcher's thistle
, have been identified on Hog Island. All three plants are listed as threatened within Michigan as of 2006.
Old-growth northern hardwood
and boreal softwood
groves continued to exist on Hog Island as of 2006.
Island
An island or isle is any piece of sub-continental land that is surrounded by water. Very small islands such as emergent land features on atolls can be called islets, cays or keys. An island in a river or lake may be called an eyot , or holm...
in Lake Michigan
Lake Michigan
Lake Michigan is one of the five Great Lakes of North America and the only one located entirely within the United States. It is the second largest of the Great Lakes by volume and the third largest by surface area, after Lake Superior and Lake Huron...
, is the fourth largest island in the Beaver Island
Beaver Island (Lake Michigan)
Beaver Island is the largest island in Lake Michigan and part of the Beaver Island archipelago. Once home to a unique American monarchy, the island is now a popular tourist and vacation destination....
archipelago. It is owned by the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
as part of the Beaver Islands State Wildlife Research Area and is administered by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources
Michigan Department of Natural Resources
The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is the agency of the state of Michigan charged with maintaining natural resources such as state parks, state forests, and recreation areas. It is governed by a director appointed by the Governor and accepted by the Natural Resources Commission...
.
Hog Island is approximately 4 miles (6.5 km) long in a north-south direction. Its low, swampy terrain is of significant interest to naturalists because it is one of the least-disturbed islands in Lake Michigan. The island's wetland
Wetland
A wetland is an area of land whose soil is saturated with water either permanently or seasonally. Wetlands are categorised by their characteristic vegetation, which is adapted to these unique soil conditions....
s are important spawning grounds for yellow perch
Yellow perch
The yellow perch is a species of perch found in the United States and Canada, where it is often referred to by the shortform perch. Yellow perch look similar to the European perch, but are paler and more yellowish, with less red in the fins. They have six to eight dark, vertical bars on their sides...
and smallmouth bass
Smallmouth bass
The smallmouth bass is a species of freshwater fish in the sunfish family of the order Perciformes. It is the type species of its genus...
, as well as lake birds that feed on fish, such as the common tern
Common Tern
The Common Tern is a seabird of the tern family Sternidae. This bird has a circumpolar distribution, breeding in temperate and sub-Arctic regions of Europe, Asia and east and central North America. It is strongly migratory, wintering in coastal tropical and subtropical regions. It is sometimes...
, listed as threatened within Michigan .
Three endemic riparian plant species, Houghton's goldenrod, the Lake Huron tansy, and Pitcher's thistle
Pitcher's thistle
The Pitcher's thistle , sometimes called dune thistle, is a species of thistle native to sand dune shorelines along the upper Great Lakes. It grows endemically only in Indiana, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Ontario. It is listed by the U.S...
, have been identified on Hog Island. All three plants are listed as threatened within Michigan as of 2006.
Old-growth northern hardwood
Hardwood
Hardwood is wood from angiosperm trees . It may also be used for those trees themselves: these are usually broad-leaved; in temperate and boreal latitudes they are mostly deciduous, but in tropics and subtropics mostly evergreen.Hardwood contrasts with softwood...
and boreal softwood
Softwood
The term softwood is used to describe wood from trees that are known as gymnosperms.Conifers are an example. It may also be used to describe trees, which tend to be evergreen, notable exceptions being bald cypress and the larches....
groves continued to exist on Hog Island as of 2006.