Wayside: No Deer Here

"No Deer Here" wayside sign on South Manitou Island

Quick Facts

Location:

45°00'57.2"N 86°06'50.0"W

Amenities

2 listed

Audio Description, Tactile Exhibit

Main Exhibit Text

There are no deer on South Manitou Island today. They have only ever been chance visitors. The distance from the mainland to the island is too great for most mammals to survive the crossing. But it is the absence of deer that has the greatest impact on island plants.

Can you see a difference in the vegetation? Without these heavy grazers, plant species rare on the mainland thrive here. Notice the lush understory of Canada yew. A rich variety of flowers also flourish, including several species of trillium, Jack-in-the-pulpit, bluebead lily, and twelve species of orchids.

Image Descriptions

Background Image

The background of this exhibit is a color photograph of a forest on South Manitou Island. The understory is densely packed with saplings and a variety of plants.

Closeup Photos

There are five pop out circles across the exhibit with closeup photos of different plants. From left to right the pop outs include Bluebead lily, Corn lily, Common trillium, Northern slender ladies’ tresses, and Canada yew. These images are all close-up photographs highlighting the species in bloom, with colorful berries or flowers.

Tactile Exhibit (bottom right)

In the bottom right corner of the exhibit is a bronze tactile of a millipede. It includes raised letters and braille of the word “MILLIPEDE.”

Caption

Millipedes grow much larger here than on the mainland. These arthropods are beneficial “recyclers’ found in damp locations where they feed on decaying matter.