Humbug Marsh, a
wetland
A wetland is a distinct ecosystem that is flooded or saturated by water, either permanently (for years or decades) or seasonally (for weeks or months). Flooding results in oxygen-free (anoxic) processes prevailing, especially in the soils. The p ...
in southeastern
Wayne County, Michigan, is a constituent element of the
Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge
The Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge is the only international wildlife refuge in North America. Established in 2001 and managed jointly by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service and the Canadian Wildlife Service, it is located in ...
. It is listed as a Ramsar
wetland of international importance.
Although Humbug Marsh is located within heavily populated
Metro Detroit
The Detroit metropolitan area, often referred to as Metro Detroit, is a major metropolitan area in the U.S. State of Michigan, consisting of the city of Detroit and its Southeast Michigan, surrounding area. There are varied definitions of the a ...
, it is acclaimed as a high-quality remnant of the wetlands that once lined both sides of the international
Detroit River
The Detroit River flows west and south for from Lake St. Clair to Lake Erie as a strait in the Great Lakes system. The river divides the metropolitan areas of Detroit, Michigan, and Windsor, Ontario—an area collectively referred to as Detro ...
. This slow-flowing river was a hotspot of
biological diversity
Biodiversity or biological diversity is the variety and variability of life on Earth. Biodiversity is a measure of variation at the genetic ('' genetic variability''), species ('' species diversity''), and ecosystem ('' ecosystem diversity'') ...
, particularly as a location for
fish spawning. The remnant marsh is classified as a place of "importance to threatened, endangered, and vulnerable
species
In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...
and ecological communities."
Humbug Marsh is located on the
Downriver
Downriver is the unofficial name for a collection of 18 cities and townships in Wayne County, Michigan, south of Detroit, along the western shore of the Detroit River.
The place is sometimes referred to as South Detroit.
Etymology
The name ...
shoreline of the Detroit River, straddling the boundary line between
Gibraltar
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, song = " Gibraltar Anthem"
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and
Trenton in southeastern
Wayne County, Michigan. A small offshore island (
Humbug Island
The following is a description of islands in the Detroit River. The Detroit River is a major waterway in the Great Lakes system, and it flows for from Lake St. Clair south to Lake Erie. The river serves as a major shipping channel, jointly c ...
) is included within the official boundaries of the marsh.
The Humbug Marsh parking lot is located at 5437 West Jefferson Avenue, Trenton, Michigan.
References
{{Ramsar sites in the United States
Detroit River
Protected areas of Wayne County, Michigan
Wetlands of Michigan
Ramsar sites in the United States
Landforms of Wayne County, Michigan