386 STATE BOARD OP AGRICULTURE. 



Many examples are found where a dune formation occurs covered with 

 forest and other vegetation. The sand is lirnily bound by the roots and 

 masses of vegetative cover. No movement of this sand has occurred for 

 many years. In fact, old forests now stand on and others have been re- 

 moved from these dunes. During the growth, development, and ripen- 

 ing of this forest there has been no change in the shape or form of these 

 dunes. Such formations are called estahlisJied dunes. With the removal 

 of the timber and other cover from the face of these established 

 dunes there occur breaks in the crust or soil cover. Burnings, cultiva- 

 tion and roadwa}' clearings are the most conducive to these breaks. As 

 soon as a break occurs in a place exposed to the wind, erosion may begin. 

 This wind erosion is often very swift in its action of tearing off the 

 broken crust from large areas and carrying the underlying sand on over 

 the surface and depositing it over the bank or steep slope on the leeward - 

 side of the once established dune. (Fig. 1.) Such breaks are called 

 traveling dunes and often form a menace to property because of the 

 suddenness of their appearance and activity. Properties have very often 

 been established in the shelter of the established dune and are always 

 more or less menaced by the possibility of a break in its surface. 



THE UPPER PENINSULA. THE SUPERIOR BELT. VALUE. 



The dunes of the Upper Peninsula do not as yet form a serious 

 economic problem. Until the demand for agricultural land rises to a 

 higher level than at present there is little use in trying to reclaim the 

 waste lands. Their value for summer resort purposes is overshadowed 

 by sites around the inland lakes. Nor is the climate well suited to the 

 handling of small garden farms of fruit, berries or truck. The factors 

 of economic value which warrant the development of the dune lands of 

 the Southern Peninsula's west shore are lacking. 



AREA. 



Beginning on the St. Ignace Peninsula at Point Aux Chenes and ex- 

 tending for fifteen miles along the shore is the first large active dune 

 region. This belt varies from two to five miles in width and includes 

 the entire west shore of Brevort Lake which is of timber covered or 

 estabished dune formation. The second area reaches from five miles 

 north of Point Patterson to the southwest shore of Indian Lake. This 

 belt is nearly forty miles long and ranges from two to seven miles wide. 

 The third area occupies the central portion of the Garden Peninsula 

 with a shore front on Big Bay De Noc of fourteen miles. An inland 

 or traveling dune occurs on Bay De Noc Peninsula about fifteen miles 

 inland from Peninsula Point and covers an area of approximately four 

 square miles. In all a total area of about 195 square miles or 124,800 acres 

 Avhich should never be used for any other purpose agriculturally than 

 timber production, now lies a waste and nonproductive area. 



SOUTH SHORE BELT. 



On the south shore of Lake Superior there is another large blow located 

 inland from Grand INfarais. This blow is from two to three miles wide and 

 twelve miles long, covering about thirty square miles. A conservative 

 estimate would give the Upper Peninsula about 154,000 acres of 



