Point Beach State Forest

Site Description

This site harbors ridge-and-swale topography and a variety of natural communities ranging from open dunes to closed-canopy forest.  Deciduous upland forest, hardwood swamp, lowland conifer forest, rare dune plants, sand beach, shoals, and open water all can be found here.

Ornithological Importance

Point Beach contains a large block of undeveloped Lake Michigan shoreline and provides important nesting and migration habitat for a variety of birds.  Eastern wood-pewee, wood thrush, hooded warbler, ovenbird, and American redstart all breed here, as do small numbers of northern species such as Blackburnian warbler and Canada warbler.  Large numbers of diving ducks, loons, and grebes congregate in the offshore waters, especially in the fall, and tens of thousands of landbirds and raptors use the area during both spring and fall migration.

Photo Credits: Emmet Judziewicz