Project Scope
Participation
Upper Au Sable River and upper Manistee River property owners may order "planting kits" by mail (through July 31st) at a cost of $15.00 for each planting kit. Each planting kit will contain: 10 northern white-cedar seedling, protective fencing material, wooden stakes, and complete planting instructions. Detailed information will be mailed directly to you. The kit(s) will be available for planting in September.
Make your check payable to ARPOA, and mail to P.O. Box 15, Grayling, MI 49738.
Protecting the northern white-cedar seedlings in an enclosure is the only practical method at the present time to ensure we will have this native species in the years to come. To receive more information about "Cedar Tree Planting Kits" for this uniquely, one-of-a-kind program; or if you have an interest in developing a similar program on your home waters, please contact project chair Howard N. Johnson at hnjohnson@aol.com.
Project Goals
The goal of the project is to plant 5,000 seedlings with a 50% survival rate to mature trees. Annual surveys will be preformed to evaluate the results.
Financially subsidize the river property owner for the placement of 6-foot enclosure to protect their maturing northern white-cedar.
Partner with the educational community to investigate ways to prevent the browsing of the northern white-cedar seedling without the need of a protective enclosure. We will attempt to research the possibilities that there could be members of this conifer family that have characteristic that the white-tailed deer find undesirable. There is the potentiality that these traits could be genetically reproduced into our native northern white-cedar.