2018 CFAS News Release

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

Originated and administrated by the Au Sable River Property Owners Association (ARPOA), P.O. Box 15, Grayling, MI 49738.

Contact: Howard N. Johnson, Project Chair
ARPOA
3157 Church Street
Saginaw, MI 48604
989-280-0381 – howard@cedarsfortheausable.org
www.cedarsfortheausable.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

On September 15, 2018, forty-seven river property owners planted 510 northern white-cedar seedlings to preserve and protect the cold-water fishery of the Au Sable and Manistee River watersheds. Now in its twenty-second year, the Cedars for the Au Sable project encourages river property owners to replant their native northern white-cedar seedlings along the river’s edge to help maintain the delicate balance of the river’s ecological system. Since the beginning of this project in 1997 by the Au Sable River Property Owners Association (ARPOA), over 21,500 northern white-cedar seedlings have been planted and protected in enclosures.

The northern white-cedars along the river bank provide needed shade to maintain the cold water fishery of the 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.

Volunteer members of the Au Sable River Property Owners Association assisting with this year’s distribution included: Marie Harrington, Rodney Ney, Boyd and Shirley Dillon, Pat and Peter Schmid, Steve Witt, Bob Andrus, Pam Alexander, Carolyn Johnson, Tim Hornsey, Steve Poulios, and Chairman Howard N. Johnson. Ivan Witt, Registered Forester, Forestry Consultants, Inc. and Patrick Mohney, DNR Unit Manager, Gladwin FMU provided technical assistance. Marlene and Mike Swiss of Lovells donated 140 cedar seedlings that were planted on the North Branch of the Au Sable.

There is virtually no natural reforestation of Northern White-cedar in northern Michigan. Many believe it is mainly due to the tremendous deer populations in our northern counties. River 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 existed and a solution needed to be found, volunteer members of the ARPOA pre-packaged northern white-cedar seedlings into a planting kit. Included in this planting kit are: 10 northern white-cedar seedlings, protective fencing material, wooden stakes, and complete planting instructions.

Plantings and caring of existing cedars continued within the Mason Tract by the Anglers of the Au Sable, Mason – Griffith Founders Chapter (Grayling) of Trout Unlimited, William B. Mershon Chapter (Saginaw) of Trout Unlimited, Sierra Club, Headwaters Chapter (Gaylord) of Trout Unlimited and Paul H. Young Chapter of Trout Unlimited. This is part of the on-going Mason Tract Northern White-cedar Reforestation Project which planted and protected 700 cedar seedlings within the Mason Tract. On September 8, 2018 – during the Anglers of the Au Sable River Clean-up, twenty volunteers completed maintenance work for three sites within the Mason Tract: At the Chase Bridge north side site, five replants and four large cages were installed. At the Upper Baldwin site, 9 replants were preformed, and 11 large cages installed. At the lower Canoe Harbor site, 5 replants were preformed, and 7 large cages installed.

The Upper Manistee River Northern White-cedar Restoration Project has completed its eighth year in the Deward area. One new plantings occurred this year on September 22, 2018 by the Angers of the Au Sable, led my Jim Shifflet. The group planted 30 new seedlings in their Zone 1 (east side of the river) at Site B, immediately downstream from Site A. There are approximately 20 additional cedars growing within Zone 1 from the 2012 planting at Site A.
Headwaters Chapter board member Gary Isaman organized and completed an inventory of Zone 2. He and his chapter members replaced 35 dead trees and re-tagged the cages, installed 22 large cages and recycled all the smaller cages. The group installed metal ID tags on all cages.

The Upper Au Sable River Northern White-cedar Restoration Project has completed its second year.
The Mason – Griffith Founders Chapter of Trout Unlimited, led by Bob Andrus, Marie Harrington and David Smith, planted 50 new seedlings within the Williams Tract on May 12, 2018. The site was marked for planting by DNR Forester Joan Charlebois. The planting site B was immediately downstream from the previous site. The seedlings used were grown from 2016 harvested seed from this location. A comparison of the sites will be tracked in the coming years.

Many additional donations have been made to the project during the year from supporters. Key donations were received from the Hodge Family Fund of the DuPage Foundation, Mr. Thomas Buhr, the Rotary Club of Roscommon, Challenge Chapter of Trout Unlimited, Michigan Fly Fishing Club, and Scientific Anglers.

Project chairman Johnson announced that a program to further protect the maturing northern white-cedars that have been planted in previous years has been prepared. Past project participants may purchase the larger enclosures at McLean’s Ace Hardware in Grayling when their seedlings out-grow their existing small enclosures. This taller enclosure is black PVC coated fencing material that will make the enclosure inconspicuous at the river’s edge. The cost of this larger enclosure, along with three additional wooden stakes, is $8.00 each. This expense is partially subsidized by project supporters, Riverdale Mills Corporation, and McLean’s Ace Hardware.

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 989-280-0381, howard@cedarsfortheausable.org, or visit the web site: www.cedarsfortheausable.org for more information or to make a donation to the project.

The actual cost for all the material in the planting kit is substantially more than the asking price. The purchase price is subsidized by: the Michigan Fly Fishing Club, Rotary Club of Roscommon, the Hodge Family Fund of the DuPage Foundation, Riverdale Mills Corporation, Weyerhaeuser Company Foundation, Trout and Salmon Foundation, The Hal & Jean Glassen Memorial Foundation, Scientific Anglers, AJD Forest Products, Anglers of the Au Sable (Grayling), Mason – Griffith Founders Chapter (Grayling) of Trout Unlimited, William B. Mershon Chapter (Saginaw) of Trout Unlimited, Paul H. Young Chapter (Detroit) of Trout Unlimited, Headwaters Chapter (Gaylord) of Trout Unlimited, Adams Chapter of Trout Unlimited (Traverse City), Challenge Chapter (Bloomfield Hills) of Trout Unlimited, Leon P. Martuch (Midland), Kalamazoo Valley Chapter of Trout Unlimited, Ann Arbor Area Chapter of Trout Unlimited, Kalamazoo Valley Chapter of Trout Unlimited, Upper Manistee River Association, Au Sable North Branch Area Association, Grayrock Rodmakers, Au Sable River Watershed Restoration Committee, and Mr. Craig Hinkle, Re/Max of Grayling.