2000 CFAS News Release

CEDARS FOR THE AU SABLE
An Au Sable River System Cedar Tree Planting and Protection Project

Presented by the Au Sable River System Property Owners Association (ARSPOA), P.O. Box 15, Grayling, MI 49738. Funding sponsors for this project are: Weyerhaeuser Company Foundation, George W. Mason Chapter (Grayling) of Trout Unlimited, William B. Mershon Chapter (Saginaw) of Trout Unlimited, Paul H. Young Chapter (Detroit) of Trout Unlimited, Clinton Valley Chapter (Rochester Hills) of Trout Unlimited, Challenge Chapter (Bloomfield Hills) of Trout Unlimited, Anglers of the Au Sable (Grayling), Upper Manistee River Association, Au Sable River Watershed Restoration Committee, and Mr. Craig Hinkle, Re/Max of Grayling.

Contact: Howard N. Johnson, Project Chair
ARSPOA
3157 Church Street
Saginaw, MI 48604
517-753-6373
hnjohnson@aol.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Sixty-five river property owners planted over 900 northern white-cedar seedlings this fall in an effort to preserve and protect the cold water fishery of the Au Sable and Manistee River watershed. The fourth year of this “one-of-its-kind” restoration project encouraged seedlings planting by local property owners to help maintain the delicate balance of the river’s ecological system. Since the beginning of the project in 1997, over 4,500 northern white-cedar seedlings have been planted.

The northern white-cedars along the river’s banks provide needed shade to maintain the cold water fishery of the Au Sable River. The presence of the cedar sweepers at the water line provides protection for the fish, increases the amount of large woody debris in the water, as well as the preservation of the riverbank by locking in the soil.

There is virtually no natural reforestation of northern Michigan: mainly due to the tremendous deer populations. Many property owners have long recognized the complete absence of any young cedars in our area. They have attempted to plant replacement cedar seedlings only to have the deer and hares eat them again.
Recognizing that this problem exist and a solution needs to be found, volunteer members of the Au Sable River System Property Owners Association (ARSPOA) will pre-package northern white-cedar seedlings into a planting kit. Included in this planting kit will be: 10 northern white-cedar seedlings, protective fencing material, wooden stakes, and complete planting instructions. Also distributed to the participants this year was a planting survey. Through a cooperative effort with Michigan State University, a study is being initiated to research the growth patterns of the northern white-cedar seedlings and its survival. Volunteer members of the Au Sable River System Property Owners Association assisting with this year’s distribution included: April Andrus, Greg Stansbury, Ron and Ruth Joyce, and Jerry Gosnell. Committee members included: Bernie Fowler, Don Zelenka, Rodney Ney, Ralph Rucinski and Howard N. Johnson. Technical Committee members include: Brian Benjamin, Watershed Coordinator, Huron Pines RC&D; Keith Martell, NRCS State Forester, USDA; Craig Kasmer, Roscommon-Crawford Conservation District; Ivan Witt, Register Forester, Forestry Consultants, Inc.

Project chairman Howard N. Johnson announced that a program to further protect the maturing northern white-cedar that have been planted in previous years has been prepared. Past project participants may pick up the larger, permanent enclosures at McLean’s Ace Hardware in Grayling when their seedlings out-grow their existing enclosures.

To order planting kits for next summer, (or to start a similar project on your favorite river) please contact project chairman Howard N. Johnson at 517-753-6373, or visit the web site: www.cedarsfortheausable.org.

The actual cost for all the material in the planting kit was substantially more than the asking price. The purchase price was subsidized by Weyerhaeuser Company Foundation, Anglers of the Au Sable (Grayling), George W. Mason Chapter (Grayling) of Trout Unlimited, William B. Mershon Chapter (Saginaw) of Trout Unlimited, Paul H. Young Chapter (Detroit) of Trout Unlimited, Clinton Valley Chapter (Rochester Hills) of Trout Unlimited, Challenge Chapter (Bloomfield Hills) of Trout Unlimited, Upper Manistee River Association, Au Sable River Watershed Restoration Committee, and Mr. Craig Hinkle, Re/Max of Grayling. Many local businesses also helped with the project, including Wayne Wire Cloth Products of Hillman and Ace Village Hardware of Roscommon.