A new vista emerges at the site of
the former Republic Mine
Reclamation and remediation efforts at the site of the former Republic Mine in Michigan have created a stunning natural landscape, protected in perpetuity for the enjoyment of the surrounding community.
The Republic Wetlands Preserve serves as an excellent example of sequential land use and is consistent with Cliffs’ sustainable development ethic.
What for years was part of an economically beneficial mining operation providing the steelmaking industry with its chief raw material and offering high-quality job opportunities for local residents, is now a flourishing wetlands that sustains new plant life and has become home to a diverse population of birds, reptiles, and mammals.
The Republic Wetlands Preserve encompasses more than 2,300 acres of upland and wildlife habitat, including 679 acres of wetlands. The newly created acreage also is being used as a wetland mitigation "bank" to provide compensatory wetlands for those unavoidably impacted by ongoing operations at Cliffs’ Tilden and Empire mines. Monitoring by state agencies has shown that the preserve has successfully met performance standards for vegetation, hydrology, soils, wildlife, and water quality.
For more details on this compelling project, or to request a free brochure and video, please click on the Contact Us link.
