On September 14, 2024, thirty-seven river property owners planted and protected 470 northern white-cedar seedlings to preserve the cold-water fishery of the Au Sable and Manistee River watershed. Now in its twenty-seventh 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 Alliance (ARPOA), over 28,000 northern white-cedar seedlings have been planted and protected in enclosures.
The northern white-cedars along the riverbank 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.
There is virtually no natural reforestation of the 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. Volunteer members of the ARPOA assisting with this year's distribution included: Nate Hukill, Mark Ostahowski, Mark Rais, Bernie Campos, Luis Compos, Susan Thiel, Ken Rouston, Linda Kalita, Carolyn Johnson, Patti Johnson, Dean Miller, Jim Lawless, Tony Mollis, Marie Harrington, David Smith, and Chairman Howard N. Johnson. Ivan Witt, Registered Forester, Forestry Consultants, Inc
Gaylord, MI and Patrick Mohney, Unit Manager, DNR Gladwin FMU provided technical assistance. Marlene and Mike Swiss of the Au Sable North Branch donated 290 home-grown Northern White-cedar seedlings to the project to be re-planted on the North Branch.
Plantings and caring of existing cedars continue within the Mason Tract by the Anglers of the Au Sable, Mason – Griffith Founders Chapter (Grayling) of Trout Unlimited, Mershon-Neumann Heritage (Saginaw) Chapter of TU, Sierra Club, and the Headwaters Chapter (Gaylord) of Trout Unlimited. This is part of the on-going Mason Tract Northern White-cedar Reforestation Project which planted and protected 900 cedar seedlings within the Mason Tract. In June, a group of 12 volunteers from the TU Youth Camp completed a work project at Potter’s Landing by replanting cedar seedlings and installing larger 6-ft cages at the site. Eighteen Angler’s volunteers met on September 7th to repair 19 cedar cages at Canoe Harbor and Downey’s Stairs, install twelve larger 6-ft cages and released thirteen maturing cedars from their cages and are surviving naturally.
The Upper Manistee River Northern White-cedar Restoration Project has completed its fourteenth year in the Deward area. No new planting occurred this year. Members of the Headwaters chapter performed their annual cedar work project by replacing twenty larger 6-ft cages to protect their maturing cedars. Likewise, volunteers of the Mason-Griffith Chapter of Trout Unlimited replaced 50 maturing cedars with larger cages within their adopted section. The crews maintained the remaining cages on all sites.
The Upper Au Sable River Northern White-cedar Restoration Project has completed its seventh year. The Mason - Griffith Founders Chapter of Trout Unlimited surveyed and monitored their five sites on the upper Au Sable making plans for future projects.
Veterans participating in the Bamboo Bend’s flyrod building project in Lovells planted and protected ten Northern White-cedar seedlings at the river’s edge during their stay at the North Branch Outing Club. Likewise, in Lovells, a season-long Cedars for the Au Sable display was established at the Lovells Township Historical Society Fly Fishing Museum.
Following the completion of the East Branch reconnect project within the Grayling Fish Hatchery, fifteen cedar seedlings were planted along the river’s edge. Volunteers with Anglers of the Au Sable planted and protected fifty additional Northern White-cedars on Forest Service land below Mio at Abbe Road.
Scientific Anglers has partnered with Cedars for the Sable. SA’s President Brad Befus states, “ScientificAnglers supports fisheries conservation and restoration through various organizations and groups. Cedars for the Au Sable is one such organization we are proud to contribute to for the planting of cedars trees along the banks of the Au Sable River to help maintain the health of this famed Michigan fishery.” To learn more please visit https://scientificanglers.com/cedars-for-the-ausable/
As a marketing and fundraising project, Rivers Edge Brewing Company of Milford Michigan, created a special brew for a month-long promotion recognizing the uniqueness of the Cedars for the Au Sable project. Brewmaster Nathan Hukill awarded a promotional donation to Cedars for the Au Sable at the completion of the promotion. Ceders for the Au Sable provided for sale pre-cut cages and wooden stakes to both Crawford/Roscommon and Oscoda/Ogemaw Counties Soil Conservation Districts to better protect Northern White-cedars planted through their tree planting program.
Project chairman Johnson announced that the program to further protect the maturing northern white cedars that have been planted in previous years is continuing. 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 treated wooden stakes is $10.00. This expense is partially subsidized by donations to the Au Sable River Property Owners Alliance and project sponsor 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.
Regards,
Howard
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