Photo courtesy of Nicholas Mead Thousands of seedlings were planted in late June as part of the restoration project in the Ontonagon River watersheds and the riverbanks of the Sturgeon River.

KENTON — 48,500 native conifer seedlings have been planted around 150 acres in late June by the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) and The Nature Conservancy (TNC) across the Ottawa National Forest. This was done to help restore watersheds of the Ontonagon River and riverbanks of the Sturgeon River. The plantings took place near Kenton by Timberland Forestry Services from Munising, with the goal to replenish plant life destroyed by budworm infestations and in doing so help other flora and fauna.

The replanting efforts began in 2017 and will continue through at least 2027. Last year 51,000 trees were planted in the East Branch of the Ontonagon River and Upper Sturgeon Watersheds, covering 170 acres. The ten-year project is addressing budworm damage which consists of dead and dying spruce along riparian (wetlands neighboring rivers and streams) corridors.

The damage the budworms caused affected the environment beyond the trees, with the loss of trees along the riparian corridors removing shade over water. This in turn has increased the water temperatures which have impacted cold-water fish and invertebrates. By planting trees nearby the waters and inland, TNC and USFS hope to restore the habitat for these animals and more.

“This project supports healthy aquatic fauna such as micro and macro invertebrates and brook trout, but also helps maintain healthy terrestrial corridors that deer, bear, pine marten, small mammals, songbirds and even bats utilize for traveling, food and cover,” USFS Project Lead and Wildlife Biologist Pam Nankervis said.

Another problematic species that contributed to some of the forest damage is the invasive emerald ash borer, which has damaged ash trees. Some seedlings were once planted under the ash trees to address the problem, but the site conditions were not ideal for seedlings. These areas however regenerated other flora and thus the damage caused by the budworms have maintained priority.

The damage that occurred from budworms can sometimes be difficult to assess, with some trees that look to be dying being able to bounce back within a year to a few years later. This sometimes makes it difficult to determine where to plant more trees. Trees that are deceased produce even more difficulties for the planters due to the trees blocking travel and taking up potential space for more seedlings. Having ten years however to observe the area and determine where the best locations are for planting has allowed the team to overcome some of these challenges.

The seedlings that were selected for this restoration project included white and red pine, cedar, hemlock, tamarack, white spruce and some silver maple. The reasoning for the mix of species is to maximize shade and offer flora diversity. The number of seedlings planted per acre were determined by each species’ needs and how they grow together for higher chances of survival. A press release from TNC stated the diversity of trees protects water quality by improving stream bank stabilization with natural vegetation reducing erosion potential.

Proposed planting areas are selected by TNC staff about a year ahead of plantings and then approved by the USFS.

“The site selection criteria include evidence of spruce budworm damage to spruce and fir trees, partially open canopy cover, proximity to waterways, and reduced natural regeneration,” TNC Forest Partnership Project Manager Mindy Kantola said.

She also explained adjustments are sometimes made regarding the plantings sites due to things such as flooding, beaver dams and access roads.

Not all trees were planted in the heart of the wetlands, with some of the trees planted more inland for conifer connectivity. These clumps of plants assist in the ideal habitats for species such as moose, pine marten and songbirds.

Kantola explained the process of planting the trees. After a site for seedlings is selected, they are transported in boxes or bags under temperature regulating seedling protection tarps or kept in a refrigerated truck. The temperature is maintained to higher than 49 degrees. Tree boxes are placed in the selected areas and covered with temperature regulating tarps the day before planting.

“Seedling protection tarps have been shown to maintain the temperature of seedlings equivalent to that of deep shade,” Kantola said. “The trees are underplanted by hand throughout the existing forest stand that has been impacted by spruce budworm defoliation.”

With the overall project reaching near 10 years, TNC and USFS have both indicated there are signs of regrowth and success for the goals of the project.

“Over the years we have noticed some signs of recovery in spruce budworm impacted stands, where the impacted spruce and balsam fir trees survive and bounce back,” Kantola said. “In other areas, the budworm infestation has resulted in higher levels of tree mortality and our planting efforts combined with some natural regeneration has resulted in a new, diverse forest stand with long-lived conifer species recovering in the understory.”

TNC monitors the seedling survival rates and found survivability in spruce budworm underplanting efforts after a year of planting is above 90 percent. Deer and insects sometimes hinder the growth, though the numbers still demonstrate a success.

“The riparian planting project with The Nature Conservancy (TNC) has been a big success and an enjoyable multi-year partnership,” said Nankervis. “Between 2017 and 2025, TNC has scouted locations on over 3,000 acres of forest land and planted about 1,800 of those acres. The remote locations and the limited early spring planting timeline are challenges in implementing large-scale planting projects, so having a dedicated partner with expertise in this type of work has been very helpful in maintaining healthy riparian corridors across the forest.”