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Pictured Rocks National LakeshoreVisitors to Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore enjoy the beautiful beaches of Lake Superior as the waves roll gently in.
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Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore
Snow Removal and Grounds Maintenance
 
 
The picnic area at Miners Castle invites visitors to sit a spell and enjoy the view.

NPS photo

Picnic area at Miners Castle

Natural Vegetation Enhancement and Mowing Reduction Program

Over the past several years, the lakeshore has undertaken a reduced mowing program to:

 

1.    Reduce the number of man-made fixtures adjacent to natural areas.

2.    Return appropriate areas to their more natural appearance.

3.    Reduce manpower requirements to mow and trim outlying areas and maintain bollards and delineator posts.

4.    Reduce emissions from mowers.


An example of this initiative is at
Miners Castle, the lakeshore’s premiere day use area. Three of five developed acres have been allowed to grow back naturally. This action cuts mowing costs and allows wildflowers to multiply.

 
Lakeshore truck plows snow along Sand Point Road.

NPS photo

Snow plowing at the Lakeshore

Eliminating Use of Road Salt in Snow Removal Operations

In addition to parking lots and accesses, the lakeshore plows three miles of low speed roadway within 50 feet of the Lake Superior shoreline. In the past, salt was mixed with sand to clear snow from the roadway to bare pavement, as well as preventing the loaded sand from freezing in the truck while being stored outside.

In 1995, the park began keeping the spreader truck in a heated building, and determined that it was not necessary to maintain the roads at a "bare pavement" standard. These two actions eliminated the need for road salt use in the lakeshore. The lakeshore now spreads sand on roadways when conditions necessitate. 

Several immediate benefits were realized:

1.    Eliminated salt runoff into the adjacent streams and lake.

2.    Reduced corrosion of equipment from the salt.

3.    Reduced wear and tear on the equipment from frozen mechanical components.

4.    Eliminated the need to purchase road salt.


 

For more information ...
please visit our Green Resources page.

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Lakeshore staff are depicted with the NPS arrowhead and many environmentally friendly products
Pictured Rocks NL Environmental Leadership
PowerPoint Program
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Trees covered with snow on a sunny winter day.
It's a winter wonderland
with many outdoor opportunities
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Michigan's Upper Peninsula is surrounded by three of the Great Lakes.
Global Climate Change
and the Great Lakes
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The logo of the Environmental Protection Agency
Environmental Protection Agency
Individual Emissions Calculator
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Spray Falls drops 70 feet over the Pictured Rocks cliffs into Lake Superior.  

Did You Know?
There are seven named waterfalls within Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, plus several unnamed falls. From west to east, they are Munising, Bridalveil, Miners, Mosquito, Chapel, Spray, and Sable Falls. The sandstone outcrops of the Pictured Rocks escarpment create the many waterfalls in the area.
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Last Updated: February 14, 2007 at 15:16 EST