Grand Traverse Conservation District » Coast Guard Tree Placement-PSA

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Steve Largent
Boardman River Project Director
941-0960

Greg Torgersen
United States Coast Guard
922-8212

Bill Fernandez
Adams Chapter of Trout Unlimited
941-7102

COAST GUARD TO PLACE 15 DEAD CEDAR TREES IN BOARDMAN RIVER TO IMPROVE TROUT HABITAT

TRAVERSE CITY, MI (Oct. 22, 2002) - A helicopter from the United States Coast Guard air station based in Traverse City will place 15 large dead cedar trees into the Boardman River above Brown Bridge pond as part of a restoration effort to improve the trout habitat.

The air-lifting of the cedar trees will take place on Monday, Nov. 4., at 9 a.m., with Nov. 5 and Nov. 6 designated as back-up days in case of inclement weather.

The restoration project is being spearheaded by the local Adams Chapter of Trout Unlimited and is in cooperation with the Boardman River Project, the City of Traverse City, and the United States Coast Guard.

Steve Largent, director of the Boardman River Project, said the restoration effort will aid the Project, the Coast Guard, and the Adams Chapter of Trout Unlimited.

"The Coast Guard benefits because this will be part of their flight-training program," Largent said. "The Boardman River Project is helped because it fits in with our goal of restoring, protecting, and maintaining the ecological integrity of the Boardman River as a blue ribbon trout stream and a recreational resource. And the Adams Chapter of Trout Unlimited also benefits because this project supports their Embrace-A-Stream program that is designed to help restore trout habitat in the Boardman River."

Largent said that over a period of several years, sediment has accumulated in the tail waters of the Brown Bridge (hydro) pond and as far as a half-mile upstream in the Boardman River. This sediment smothers what was once high quality trout habitat. This project will place a minimum of 400 lineal feet of cedar whole tree revetment (woody debris) and 50 lineal feet of half log structure to improve trout habitat and aquatic insect habitat conditions.

The Boardman River Project was founded in 1991 and works to restore streambank erosion sites on the Boardman River. The Grand Traverse Conservation District hosts the Boardman River Project.

The Adams Chapter of Trout Unlimited is named after a famous artificial fly created on the Boardman River. Adams Chapter volunteers will be used extensively in the placement of woody debris.