2016 Manistee Planting Report

The Upper Manistee River Northern White-cedar Restoration Project has completed its sixth year in the Deward area. The purpose of this cedar tree planting and protection project is preserve and protects the cold-water fishery of the Manistee River by planting northern white-cedar seedlings along the river’s edge. Cedars help maintain shade, cool the water, and provide erosion control by locking in the soil.

There were no new site plantings this year in the Deward area. Anglers of the Au Sable are still planning to complete one additional 50 tree planting in their site number 6, thereby completing five total plantings. However, that date has not yet been confirmed.
Mason Griffith Founders Chapter TU did complete a maintenance project on May 21, 2016 of all their sites. Of the five previously planted sites (2011 – 2015) a total of 13 cedar replants were used, along with replacement stakes and states. Four maturing cedars were put into 6-ft replacement cages.

A total of 708 cedars are growing and protected in the Deward Area.

This initiative is part of the “Cedars for the Au Sable” project which is administrated by the Au Sable River Property Owners Association. Additional partners in this project include Michigan Department of Natural Resources, Forest management Unit and Huron Pines RC&D.