Cedars for the Au Sable

 

The Cedars for the Au Sable (CFAS) is administered by the Au Sable River Property Owners Alliance with Howard N. Johnson, CFAS Founder and Chairman.  The project focuses on the restoration and reforestation of northern white cedars along the Au Sable and Manistee rivers.  Since this project started in 1997, its many volunteers have partnered with private river property owners, river conservation organizations, and MDNR and Forest Service to plant almost 30,000 northern white cedar seedlings in protective enclosures.

Northern White Cedars

The northern white cedars have been a vital part of the river ecosystem for centuries.  These long-lived trees provide shade necessary to maintain the cold-water fishery of the river, stabilize the riverbank by locking in the soil, and leave large woody debris to create habitat for fish and their food sources.

In the last several decades, young northern white cedars began disappearing from Michigan’s river banks due to over-browsing by white-tailed deer and hares.  Tiny cedar seedlings are consumed before they have an opportunity to develop. As a result, there is virtually no natural reforestation of northern white cedars in northern Michigan. 

Cedar Planting Kit

To address this issue, a pre-packaged Cedar Seedling Planting Kit  is made available annually to assist river property owners in replanting native northern white cedar seedlings along the river’s edge to help maintain the delicate balance of the river’s ecological system.

Orders for Cedar Planting Kits are accepted through July 1 and are available for planting in September each year.  Kits are $35 (a $100 value subsidized by our many sponsors).  Each kit includes 10 northern white cedar seedlings, protective fencing, wooden stakes, and complete planting instructions.   

To learn more about Cedars for the Au Sable, go to www.cedarsfortheausable.org.