By Dan Drislane
Now, sit back and think. When’s the last time you remember seeing an adolescent cedar along the banks of the Au Sable or Manistee? Chances are you have never brushed past a cedar sapling when getting into or out of the river because few of the young trees make it past sapling stage due to deer predation.
Historically, the northern lower peninsula was flush with cedars along river banks, keeping the currents shaded and cool. Thick white and red pine forests offered little choice habitat for white tailed deer, and the sweepers that so define the Au Sable’s pristine beauty thrived. Even after the logging heyday, when available browse increased deer herds, market hunting kept the numbers down, allowing cedars to regenerate naturally. Sapling predation was minimal. But due to a number of factors, deer populations in the Au Sable and Manistee watersheds have increased considerably in recent decades. Larger populations mean increased impact on available forage. Cedars are a staple of a white tail’s diet, especially in winter, when deer yards are often in or near cedar swamps and the fresh buds and leaves are one of the few foods available. For young white cedar saplings, deer eat the tops before they have a chance to grow into full-fledged trees. Though mature cedars can tolerate browsing, most, if not all, saplings don’t survive predation.
Recognizing this as a chronic problem, in 1997 a small group of volunteers from the Au Sable River System Property Owners Association (ARSPOA) began a cedar tree planting project. Led by Howard N. Johnson, they planted small northern white cedar seedlings, each protected by a small enclosure, along the banks of the Au Sable. Since then, the annual plantings and participants have steadily increased and the Manistee has been included. This past fall, sixty-five volunteers planted 900 seedlings, bringing the total to over 4,500 seedlings planted on the Au Sable and Manistee.
You organization has supported this unique and worthy effort with cash donations to help defray the cost of the planting kits. Included in the kit are: 10 northern white-cedar seedlings, protective fence enclosure, wooden stakes, ties to secure the fence, and complete planting instructions. When the seedlings outgrow their existing structures, volunteers may pick up larger enclosures donated by Ace Hardware in Grayling.
Also distributed to the participants this year was a planting survey. Through a cooperative effort with Michigan State University a study is being initiated to research the growth patterns of the northern white cedar seedlings and their survival.
In addition to the Anglers, other organizations helping fund the effort include: five Michigan Trout Unlimited chapters; the Upper Manistee River Association; Craig Hinkle of Re/Max of Grayling; the Au Sable River Watershed Restoration Committee; and Weyerhaeuser Company Foundation. The ARSPOA has also counted on the cooperative efforts of other organizations in the area, including: Huron Pines RC&D, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Roscommon-Crawford Conservation District and Forestry Consultants, Inc.
To find out more about the project, how you can volunteer for next year’s planting, or just make a donation, visit their web site at www.cedarsfortheausable.org, or email the project chair, Howard Johnson, at hnjohnson@aol.com. Help preserve the natural beauty of the Au Sable and Manistee. Plant a tree and watch it grow. RWOL
© Copyright 2001, Dan Drislane. All rights reserved. Page (but not copy) last modified November 29, 2001
