Project Scope
Purpose
The northern white-cedar along the river’s banks provide needed shade to maintain the cold water fishery of the upper Au Sable and upper Manistee Rivers. The presence of the northern white-cedar sweepers at the water line provides protection for the fish, as well as provides for the preservation of the riverbank. However, due to the tremendous deer population, there is virtually no natural stand development along the river system.
Northern white-cedar seeds released onto undisturbed areas need moisture and light to survive. The forest experts tell us that we are not having problems with the germination and recruitment of northern white-cedar seedlings because we still have a viable seed source. We are experiencing a high mortality rate. With the growth rate of the northern white-cedar being only several inches in the first few years, this gives the white-tailed deer and the hare plenty of opportunities to browse the seedlings before they have an opportunity to become established.
Benefit
The northern white-cedar seedling along the river's banks will create many long-term ecological benefits to the future water quality of the river systems. The primary benefits of living northern white-cedar trees include stream shading, bank stabilization, undercut bank cover for fish and delivery of organic material. The benefits of dead northern white-cedar along the stream margins are the retention of organic detritus, creation of scour and plunge pools, erosion control and habitat for fish, macroinvertebrates and other food sources.
Expected Sponsorship Funding Sources for This Project
Each northern white-cedar seedling "planting kit" is a $35.00 value. To maintain the cost to the river property owner of only $15.00 per "planting kit", this project has been financially subsidized by Weyerhaeuser Company Foundation, Trout and Salmon FOundation, The Hal & Jean Glassen Memorial Foundation, 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, Clinton Valley Chapter (Bloomfield Hills) of Trout Unlimited, Arnold J. Copeland Chapter (Bay City) of Trout Unlimited, Leon P. Martuch Chapter (Midland) of Trout Unlimited, Lansing Chapter of Trout Unlimited, Upper Manistee River Association, Au Sable River Watershed Restoration Committee, and Mr. Craig Hinkle, Re/Max of Grayling.
Sponsorship funds are needed to subsidize the cost of northern white-cedar tree seedlings, with protective enclosures, to be planted in the "green-belt" natural vegetation strip along the upper Au Sable River system and the upper Manistee River system.