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Traverse Area Paddle Club

Remember: all TAPC outings are listed on our event calendar and are color coded using this scheme:

 

Small Inland Lakes   

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Difficult Rivers 
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Trip Reports

July 23 - ACA - Betsie River Tree Trimming Project

Published on 7/23/2016
 
July 23 - ACA - Betsie River Tree Trimming Project
 
Last winter, the BRCS made an application to the American Canoe Association
for a grant to buy a gas powered pole saw in order to remove the worst
offending tree limbs on the Betsie River that attracted the most fishing line and
which were so high that they could not be cleaned off.
 
When the ACA send us the grant award in April, we began to prepare
a plan to complete this important project.
 
We purchased our Husqvarna pole saw at Roy's General Store of Traverse City.
They gave us a great price and even better service.
 
With the help of John Ransom of the Benzie Conservation District,
Max Bromley of Thompsonville, Dan and Laura Hahn of the
and Jim Keglovitz of Honor, MI, we completed this project today.
 
John Ranson had an old pole saw but our new one did most of the work.
His saw jammed up and would not work after we started.
 
 
We had marked 13 trees at the June 11 cleanup but we took out 23 trees in
2.5 hours with our two saws.   Most of the trees we trimmed were dead.
 
We skipped one tree because it had an active hornet's nest in it.
 
Look closely to see the fishing line in this typical tree limb that we trimmed.
 
 
 
Our saw is awesome.
 
 
This is a good example of what we wanted to remove.
 
 
John, Max and Laura picked the line and hooks off the limbs that we cut.
 
 
 
We loaded it all into one canoe and took it up the hill to the campsite dumpster.
 
 
And we dumped it all at once so we didn't have to handle it again.
 
 
The Betsie is a safer and more beautiful place now that we have completed
this much needed project.
 
The BRCS wishes to express its gratitude for the very generous grant
from the American Canoe Association.   Their grant made it possible for
us to purchase the necessary equipment to complete this project.
 
Also, to the volunteers that worked so hard in such a good natured
way to get this done, I wish to say THANK YOU!!  I know you only did
this because you love this river and want it to be more beautiful
and safer for birds and humans.
 
Link to All Photos
 
Link to Short Video of the project.
 
Respectfully submitted by:
 
Norm Fred