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STORIES -> Success Stories
Trees Helicoptered Into Rivers Restore Watersheds
Large woody debris was re-established
in two northern Michigan rivers by using helicopters to place
whole trees into them. The debris plays an important role
in complex river ecosystems. It had been depleted as a result
of logging, wood removal (“river cleaning”), and
dam construction. Through a partnership that embraced innovation,
large stretches of the Au Sable and Manistee Rivers were restored.
Scientists have established the importance of large woody
debris in river ecosystems. A river channel’s natural
complexity is created in part by large trees that die and
fall into it. The debris slows the current so that rivers
can have a variety of depths, velocities, and bottom sediments.
It forms pools where fish and other wildlife can rest and
feed. Within its shadows, fish can hide from predators. Large-scale
replacement of large woody accumulations in depleted watersheds
plays a vital role in their restoration.
The Au Sable and Manistee Rivers flow through the heart of
the Huron and Manistee National Forests. They drain into Lake
Huron and Lake Michigan, and are premier recreation destinations.
The rivers were important historically, used by Native Americans
and early Europeans for transportation and fishing. In the
early 1900s, European settlements began affecting the rivers
when their lower reaches were harnessed to provide hydro-electric
power.
Feasibility Project Leads to Large Scale Project
 |
| Using helicopters to restore large
woody debris in rivers required project partners to be
willing and committed to promote innovation. |
A 1998 feasibility project used helicopters to place 100
whole trees into the Au Sable River. The trees formed accumulations
of large woody debris for six miles downstream of Mio Dam.
In the northwestern United States, this technique had successfully
restored the structure and function of river ecosystems.
By using helicopters, trees can be transported from outside
the riparian area so that their harvest does not reduce the
number of trees naturally available for future accumulations
of large woody debris. For this project, trees were taken
from upland regions where they were overabundant in what were
historically oak-pines barrens. Two years after placement
into the river, all trees remained in place and had blended
into their natural surroundings.
The project demonstrated that helicopter placement of whole
trees is a viable approach to restoring aquatic ecosystems
within upper-Midwest forests. The method was cost-effective
when compared to traditional techniques, mimicked natural
disturbance processes, and demonstrated an efficient procedure
for large-scale restoration across entire river systems within
watersheds.
The feasibility project’s success led to a multi-year,
large-scale restoration project implemented in the year 2000
involving both rivers. Upon completion, 1,000 trees will form
large woody debris accumulations in ten miles of the Manistee
River. Eight miles of the Au Sable River will benefit from
the placement of 1,500 trees. More than half of these trees
have been placed to date.
This project generated many concerns which working in partnership
helped to address. Of primary importance was an aviation safety
plan covering every aspect of implementing this high-risk
operation. In addition, threatened, endangered, and sensitive
species needed protection.
Partnership Demonstrates Commitment
The project’s success was the result of its partners
showing their commitment to restoring these rivers into fully
functioning ecosystems. Their willingness to promote innovation
and to support it with funding made the project possible.
The Huron-Pines Resource Conservation and Development Council,
Michigan Department of Natural Resources, and U.S. Forest
Service (Huron and Manistee National Forests) developed and
implemented the feasibility project. When it expanded into
a multi-year, large-scale project, these partners joined with
the Conservation Resource Alliance, Consumers Energy, the
Michigan Department of Environmental Quality, and various
state and local law enforcement agencies. Other organizations
lending support include the Michigan Department of Environmental
Quality, Trout Unlimited, Federation of Flyfishers, and Anglers
of the Au Sable.
Implementing large-scale projects require good coordination,
communication, and “ownership” by all its partners.
In recognition of the success of this partnership, the project
received the USFS Eastern Region "Excellence in Riparian
Management" Award.
Contact Person:
Bob Stuber, Fisheries Biologist, Huron-Manistee National Forests
U.S. Forest Service, 1755 South Mitchell Street, Cadillac,
MI 49601
(231) 775-5023, extn: 8763
rstuber@fs.fed.us |
PARTNERING WITH THE FOREST SERVICE
