Affiliations

The proposed metallic mine project consists of approximately 2.5 square miles of undeveloped managed forest located in Gogebic County, MI.  The project proponent is in the process of having baseline information collected and analyzed for inclusion in an overall environmental impact assessment and subsequent permit application.

 

As a subcontractor for AECOM, Natural Resources Consulting, Inc. is in the process of conducting a comprehensive inventory of plant and animal species that inhabit the subject property.  This effort includes overall vegetation community mapping and seasonal botanical surveys to document the species and relative abundance of plant species present, including any that may be designated as threatened or endangered.  In addition, a comprehensive survey of terrestrial and semi-aquatic wildlife species is being conducted.  This effort includes migratory and breeding bird surveys, specific surveys for owls, raptors, and nightjar species, reptile and amphibian surveys using a variety of techniques, and mammal surveys using live traps, drift fences with pitfall and funnel traps, track pads, and motion detection cameras.  Animals are also being documented through identification of tracks, scat, and other forms of sign as well as visual and audible observations in the field.  In addition, bats are being surveyed with the use of an AnaBat echolocation recorder.  This information will be incorporated into the environmental impact assessment.