Nature & Science

Our air, water, soil, forests, oceans, rivers, lakes, scenic beauty, wildlife habitat… that is the wealth of the country. -Gaylord Nelson

Twenty-two Apostle Islands lie off the Bayfield Peninsula in Lake Superior, the largest and most pristine of the Great Lakes.The National Lakeshore includes twenty-one of these islands and a 12-mile segment along Wisconsin’s north coast. Colorful Precambrian sandstone eroded into cliff formations, sea caves, and a collection of sandscapes, including sandspits, cuspate forelands, tombolos, a barrier spit, and numerous beaches.

The lakeshore is at the continental northwestern limits of hemlock-white-pine-northern hardwood forest as well as elements of boreal forest. This diversity provides habitat for nesting and migratory birds, and a variety of mammals, amphibians, and fish.

The park provides a scientific laboratory for researchers to study. The Great Lakes Inventory & Monitoring Network, academics, and park scientists all spend time on a variety of projects to better understand and monitor the natural world of the Apostle Islands. You can find a variety of technical reports and resource briefs below.

Orange sandstone cave over emerald green water.

Geology

The Apostle Island archipelago's sandstones were deposited during the late Precambrian era, about one billion years ago.

Wildlife

Island environments, naturally isolated, provide important habitat for numerous bird species, mammals, amphibians, and fish.

Plants

Apostle Islands lies in the tension zone between the boreal and temperate forests, giving them an ecosystem that is unique in North America.

Greenish slime floating on water near a beach.

Climate Change and Sustainability

Although the Apostle Islands appear unchangeable, several forces contribute to shape the lakeshore.

An aerial photo of green forested islands surrounded by blue water.

Minisan (Islands)

Connecting Ojibwe Ecological Knowledge and Climate Change in the Apostle Islands.

Round, open mouth with rows of teeth and view into throat of a sea lamprey.

Non-native Species

The spread of invasive species is a major factor contributing to ecosystem change and instability.

Resource Briefs

Showing results 1-9 of 9

Amphibian Monitoring in the Apostle Islands, 2014-2019
- Type: Article
- Locations: Apostle Islands National Lakeshore
- Offices: Great Lakes Inventory & Monitoring Network
A summary of amphibian monitoring at Apostle Islands National Lakeshore from 2014 through 2019.
Bat Monitoring in the Apostle Islands, 2015–2019
- Type: Article
- Locations: Apostle Islands National Lakeshore
- Offices: Great Lakes Inventory & Monitoring Network
A summary of bat monitoring at Apostle Islands National Lakeshore from 2015 through 2019.
Songbird Monitoring at Apostle Islands, 2014-2018
- Type: Article
- Locations: Apostle Islands National Lakeshore
- Offices: Great Lakes Inventory & Monitoring Network
A summary of songbird monitoring data collected at Apostle Islands National Lakeshore from 2014 through 2018.
Apostle Islands National Lakeshore
Remote Wildlife Camera Use at Apostle Islands
- Type: Article
- Locations: Apostle Islands National Lakeshore
Remote wildlife cameras have allowed researchers and park users to take a look at the Apostle Islands like never before.
Piping Plovers On The Move
- Type: Article
- Locations: Apostle Islands National Lakeshore
- Offices: Great Lakes Inventory & Monitoring Network
A flurry of activity early in the 2019 nesting season. Piping plovers spent time exploring the park early last spring looking for suitable nesting sites. Birds were reported on Cat and Michigan Islands at first but they ended up nesting on Long, Stockton, and Outer Islands.
Apostle Islands National Lakeshore
Formation of the Stockton Island Tombolo: A 6,000 Year Process
- Type: Article
- Locations: Apostle Islands National Lakeshore
A tombolo is a landform that develops over time between two formerly separated islands due to specific conditions. Subsequently, tombolos are quite rare. At Apostle Islands, the largest tombolo extends between the previously separate Stockton and Presque Isle Islands. The location and orientation of these islands, and the direction of prevailing storms and winds, contributed significantly to the tombolo formation.
Invasive Mussels at Apostle Islands: They're Hardier than You Thought
- Type: Article
- Locations: Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, Grand Portage National Monument, Isle Royale National Park, Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore
Lake Superior was once thought to be inhospitable to zebra and quagga mussels because of it’s cold water and low calcium levels, yet they have been found in the waters of Apostle Islands National Lakeshore in recent investigations. What is the National Park Service doing, and what can you do to help?
Apostle Islands National Lakeshore
American Marten on the Apostle Islands
- Type: Article
- Locations: Apostle Islands National Lakeshore
American martens are a small rare species of weasel that live in mature forest stands in the upper Midwest. These animals are state endangered, with animals only existing in small populations on the northern limits of their previous range. American martens are often confused with Fishers, but can be identified by their smaller size and proportionally larger ears.
Apostle Islands National Lakeshore
Bats of the Apostles
- Type: Article
- Locations: Apostle Islands National Lakeshore
Apostle Island National Lakeshore hosts up to seven bat species: big brown(Eptesicus fuscus), eastern red(Lasiurus borealis), hoary(Lasiurus cinereus), silver-haired(Lasionycteris noctivagans), little brown(Myotis lucifugus), northern long-eared(Myotis septentrionalis), and tricolored (Perimyotis subflacus) bats. Big brown, little brown, and tricolored bats are each listed as threatened in Wisconsin, while the northern long-eared bat is both state and federally threatened.