Great Lakes Wetlands, 1940ish

Coastal and estuarian wetlands in the Great Lakes Basin are increasingly impacted by habitat degradation, invasive species, and most recently (late 2010's), increased water levels. These wetlands act as an important buffer between the open lake and the near-shore areas, as key areas for nutrient cycling, as critical nurseries for many species of lake fish, and as habitat for numerous species of concern. Understanding how the cover and composition of these wetlands has changed over time is critical to making informed management decisions. By using both historical documents and imagery, multiple historic maps of wetland coverage were created in GIS to compare over time and to current maps and imagery of these critical wetlands.