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AN ANALYSIS OF LAND USE PROBLEMS
OF

MANISTEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN

By
LINDO J. BARTELLI

A THESIS

Submitted to the School of Graduate Studies of Hiehigan
State College of Agriculture end Applied Science
in partial fnlflllmnl: of the requirements

for the degree of
MASTER OF SCIENCE
Department of Land end Water Generation

1952

. ’4 IL: r: V‘
v, ‘ in

 

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(3'

.e

‘ .

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\—- ,
-

LCKNOWIEDGMHITS

Grateful acknowledgent is due to the late
Professor Lee Roy Adolph Schoemann under whose
lofty inspiration and unfailing interest this

investigation was started.

The author is also greatly indebted to
Dr. Louis Albert Wolfanger for his kind
guidance and valuable help during the course

of this study.

The writer extends his sincere thanks to

Mr. Clarence A. Engberg, State Soil Scientist,
and Mr. Everett 0. Sackrider, State Conservationist,
of the United States Soil Conservation Service,
for their permission to carry on the study and to

use the materials contained there in.

i

n: )‘1!)"fis')
Pave-"99.. l’d

AN ANALYSIS OF LKND'USE PROBLEMS
OF

MANISTEB COUNTY, IICHIGLAN

By
LINDO J. BARTELLI

AN ABSTRACT

Submitted to the School of Graduate Studies of Hichigan
State College of Agriculture and Applied Science
in partial fulfillment of the requirements

for the degree of

‘MASTER OF SCIENCE

Department of Land and later Conservation

Year 1952

Approved

 

11

Linda J. Bartelli

The story of the development of the land resources of Mandatee
County is typical of land development of the Great Lakes States.

‘lith the disappearance of the virgin forests,:man.turned to cultivating
the soil without the benefit of a preconceived plan of‘wise land use.
Productivity of the land has been undennined as a result of indifference
towards the forces leading to soil wastage and insecurity of farming
operations. This study offers a pattern which can.be applied towards
the solution of the conservation problems of similar areas of the

Great Lakes cut-over region. To further the development of a more
complete agricultural program, a land inventory, proposed changes

in land use, and the total conservgtion.need are presented and

amlysed.

Approximately eight per cent of the total land area in the county
was studied. These samples of conservation.surveys developed by'soil
scientists of the‘United States Soil Conservation.Serviee were picked
at random.and were expanded to depict the condition in the entire
county. This information was further supplemented with field
investigations by the author.

The physical features of the land have been grouped and presented '
as problem.areas. These problen.areas possess a unifona pattern.of
climate, soil, slope and erosion,eonditions‘which require similar soil
and water conservation.treatment and management practices.

An analysis of the present land use showed that 23.6 per cent of
the land area is in cropland. The study further showed that 11.6

per cent of the cropland falls in Class VI and VII. Pasture land,

iii

Lindo J. Bartelli

which is 12 per cent of the land area, includes 27 per cent of
Class II and III land. Woodland is 55.8 per cent of the land area,
and five per cent is Class II and III. Orchard land is 1.6 per
cent and idle land is seven per cent of the county land area.
Thirteen per cent of the idle land is Class II, III and IV.

The proposed use of land based on the land use capabilities
resulted in an increase of four per cent in the cropland acreage
from 23 to 27 per cent. There is a noticeable increase in the
amount of land in Capability Classes 1, II and III. Over seventy
per cent of the land proposed for cropland is in these three
capability classes. There also was planned a slight increase
(from 12 to 14 per cent) in the permanent pasture. The amount
of woodland and wildlife land remained about the same. Even
though no change was made in the total acreage a considerable
amount of Class VII land was planned to be converted from idle
land, cropland and pasture land to woodland.

To complete the analysis the conservation practices necessary
to maintain the proposed land use have been selected and sumarised
by problem areas and for the total land area in the county. Woodland
nanagement and reforestation are the major practices in Problem Areas
One and Four. In Problem Area Two, which is characterized by sandy
soils, reforestation and woodland management are also important
practices. On a county basis, 30,321 acres of land require

reforesting and 225,488 acres require woodland management. Contour

iv

Lindo J. Bartelli

farming, strip cropping, sod waterways, soil management and pasture
development and improvement are the major conservation practices of
Problem Areas Three, Six, Seven, Eight, Nine and Ten. On a county
basis the total need of these practices are; Contour farming -
38,087 acres; Strip cropping - 92,563 acres; Sod waterways -
6,391,350 feet; Soil management - 125,197 acres; Pasture
development and improvement - 35,819 acres. The orchard practices
of alternate middles, permanent grass seeding and mulching are of
major importance in Problem Areas Seven, Eight and Nine. on. total
need of these practices are: Alternate middles - 1,175 acres;
Permanent seeding and mulching - 5,165 acres.

An important problem.apart from.the technical is the develop-
ment of ways and means of putting this technical information on
the land. It was concluded that this can.be best accomplished by
participation.of the local people in the planning and operating
of the conservation program, keeping in harmony with the local

traditions and culture.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Acknowledgments
Abstract
I. Introduction
II. General Description of lianistee County
A. Location
B. Topography and Geology
C. Lakes and Streams
D. Population
3. Recreation
F. Climate
G. Markets and Transportation Facilities
H. Forest Land and Timber Resources
1. Land Ownership
J. Agriculture
III. Survey of Conservation Problems by
Physical Problem Areas
A. Description and Extent of Physical Problem Areas
B. Present Land Use in Reference to
Land Use Capabilities by Problem Areas

0. Major Conservation Problems

ii

11
11
14
14
16

19

24

24

49

TABLE or CONTENTS (continued)

IV. Applicable Measures and Practices Needed to

Meet the Conservation.Problen

A. Proposed Changes in Land Use

B. Selection and Evaluation of Applicable

Soil Conservation Measures

V. Suggestions as to How These Applicable Measures and

Practices May Be Applied to the Land
VI. Summary

VII. Bibliography

vii

58

58

73

79

83

86

IN TRODUCT KN

The present study of the land utilization problems of Hanistee
County, Kichigan summarises field examinations of hundreds of sites
through the past few years, and analysis of soil conservation surveys
developed by United States Soil Conservation Service soil scientists.
These problems, complex and intriguing, present a challenge to the
planner of land utilisation. This study offers a pattern which can
be applied to the solution of the land use problems of similar areas
of the Great Lakes cut-over region.

The story of the development of the land resources of Manistee
County is typical of land development of the Great Lakes States. The
forests were harvested first. Withthe disappearance of the forests,
nan turned to cultivating the soil without the benefit of a precon-
ceived plan of wise land use. Resultantly, many acres of land which
were not suited for corn or potatoes were put to the plow. Productivity
of the land has been undermined as a result of indifference towards the
forces leading to soil wastage and insecurity of farming operations.

The llanistee County land-Use'Planning Committee of 1941 recognized
this problem and recommended that local land-use committees should be
set up to function regularly in each community and that meetings be
held at least once a year to give the general farmer the opportunity

to take part in discussing any farm problem affecting his comnity or

county.1 As a result of the early planning work of these farm
leaders, the Hanistee County Soil Conservation District was
organised in 1945. The directors of the district developed a
program which listed the major conservation problems and outlined
the plan of operation.

To. further the development of a more complete agricultural
program, a land inventory, proposed changes in land use, and the
total conservation need are presented and analysed in the follow-
ing pages. The information has been collected from conservation
surveys developed in the mnistee County Soil Conservation District
by soil scientists of the United States Soil Conservation Service.
The sanples studied represented approximately eight per cent of the
total land area in the county. This inforlation was further

supplemented with field investigations by the author.

 

 

 

1. hyne I. Crampton and Russell . Johnson, End-Use Planning

Rpport For lanistee County, Ianistee County Land-Use Planning Con-
nittee, ianistee, lichigan, 1940-1941, p 85.

GENERAL DESCRIPTIO‘ OF MANISTEE COUNTY

Location. Manistee County is located in the northwestern part of
the Lower Peninsula of Michigan. It is bounded on the west by Lake
Michigan, on the north by Benzie County, on the east by Wexford County,
and on the south by Lake and Mason Counties. The approximate area of
the county is 357,120 acres. The county is approximtely a square in
shape, the north and south dimensions being about 24 miles and the east
and west dimensions varying from 21 to 28 miles. , (See Figure l)

Topography and Geolgq. The topography of Manistee County, typical
of glaciated country, varies from level outwash plains to moraines with
great relief, rising to heights of 150 to 200 feet above the intervening
depressions.

In northwestern Manistee County the outer moraine .is split into
several members which become successively lower from east to west and
which the intervening plains give a step-like appearance, the moraine
slope forming the riser and the gravel plain the tread. These ranges
of hills are part of the Port Huron Morainic system which extends along
the eastern part of the county ending abruptly at the Manistee River
and continuing in a southwestwardly direction as disjointed ridges.

To the west of this moraine lies a gravel plain which varies in
width from two to eight miles. This plain served as the drainageway
for the Port Huron system extending southward from Thompscnville along
the Bear Creek Valley to Manistee River and then led southwestward through

a series of gravel and sand plains that follow the line of the moraine.

4064'

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Figure 1

 

 
   
 
  
  

 

HUN '

 

 

 

Map showing location of Manistee County, Michigan

The topography of the northwestern section is the result of the
Manistee moraine which.extends northward from the city of’lanistee
along the shore of Lake Michigan to the county line. The altitude of
the Manistee moraine is scarcely 100 feet above Lake Michigan in the
'vicinity of’lanistee, but it rises gradually northward.

The major portion of the area south of the Manistee River con,
sists of a level, sandy drift not definitely'morainic but more closely
resembling an outwash plain.

Sand dunes are conspicuous on the border of Lake Iichigan.near
Manistee extending southward into Mason County. u‘ few'high.dunes are
also located south of Portage Lake and near the village of Arcadia.
The wind which formed them derived its material partly from the
abandoned shores and beds of the old glacial lake and partly from.the
present shore of Lake Michigan.

The character of the drift is largely calcareous till. Boulders
are rather numerous both on the surface and in.the upper part of the
till. Leverett reports that wells and deep ravines indicate that the
stony till changes to sand at moderate depths along considerable part
of the main Port Huron morainic system, and in the Manistee morainic
area to a fine silt or clay,'which‘bears some resemblance to a lake

deposit.1 Leverett also reports that the strong red color of the till

 

1. Frank Leverett and Frank B. Taylor, The Pleistocene of Indiana

and Michi an and The Histcr of the Great Lakes Department of Interior,
U. 3. Geological Survey, Washington, D. 5., 701. L111, 1915, pp 302-310.

 

appears to be due to the incorporation.of'material from.red rock forma-
tions in the Lake Superior basin.1

The eleveticn.of the sand plains south of the Manistee River is
about 600 feet above sea level. Highest points in.the county are
found in the Manistee moraine at about 900 feet above sea level and
in the Port Huron system at slightly over 1,000 feet above sea level.

Lakes and Streams. There are many lakes in.Manistee County,
varying in size from three square miles to many uncharted small ponds.
The lakes occupy depressions in the surface of the glacial deposits,
some of them.being in the moraines and others in.the outwash aprons.
Manistee Lake is located at the mouth.of the Manistee River and forms
an.excellent harbor. Portage Lake is also connected with.Lake'lichigan
by means of a dredged channel.

Table I contains a list of the major lakes which have been charted
on.the Michigan State Highway Department base map and their estimated
areas. They aggregate approximately eleven.square miles.

The greater part of‘lanistee County is tributary to the Manistee
River which flows into Lake Michigan at the city of Manistee. The
Manistee River extends east to west across the southern half of the
county. The Pine River, a tributary of the Manistee River, enters the
county at the southeast corner and joins the Manistee River five miles

‘west of the lexford County line. The Bear Creek and its tributaries

 

 

1. Frank Leverett and Frank B. Taylor. 0p. cit.

drain the northcentral part of the county, flowing in a southerly
direction, and join the Manistee River a few miles west of Brethren.
The Little Manistee River flows in a northwesterly direction and
enters the county in the southcentral part and Joins the Manistee
River at Manistee Lake. Richley Creek flows westwardly into Lake
Michigan at Arcadia, the only major stream not part of the Manistee

River system.

TABLE I

LAKES IN MANISTEE COUNTY

 

 

Name Township Area in.square miles
Bear Lake Pleasanton and Bear Lake 3
Arcadia Lake Arcadia 0.?
Portage Lake Onekama 5
King Lake Filer 0.1
Clay Bank Lake Stronach 0.1
Dickson Lake Dickson 0.1
Eleanor Lake Dickson 0.1
Chief Lake Bear Lake 0.2
Healy Lake Springdale 0.1
Bar Lake Manistee 0.3
Manistee Lake Manistee and Filer 2.5
Canfield Lake Filer 0.2;
Pine Lake Norman 0.5
Sand Lake Norman 0.2
Lake of the Ibcds Norman 0.1
Long Lake Norman 0.1
Clovers Lake Pleasanton 0.1

 

 

 

Population. The 1950 preliminary report of the United States
Bureau of Census lists the total population of Manistee County as
18,393.

The city of Manistee, according to the 1940 census, is the
largest city in the county with a population of 8,640, representing
the majority of the urban population.

The rural population distribution is shown in Table II,

”Rural Population by Townships". The most populated rural areas

are surrounding the city of Manistee (Filer and Manistee Townships).
Other highly populated areas are distributed amongst the more
fertile land areas (Bear Lake, Onekana, and Maple Grove Townships).

The rural population reached its peak around 1920 with over
14,000, but now has stabilised to around 9,000. The trend in each
township varies considerably. Filer and Manistee Townships show
the greatest decrease over the decades, while the remaining town-

ships show slight decreases to no change.

TABLE II

RURAL»POPULATIGN OF IANISTEB OOUNTY'BY’TOINSEIPB1

 

 

 

Township 1940 1930 1920 1910 1900 1890
Arcadia 891 717 893 994 881 871
Bear'Lake 1228 1118 1217 1584 1428 1287
Brown 521 582 731 752 799 728
Olson 714 788 908 1357 1237 810
Dickson 574 491 429 425

Filer 1251 1127 1515 1989 2283 2101
lanistee 1390 1344 1781 2990 3128 2831
laple Grove 87? 877 928 903 508 381
larilla 379 344 507 350 404 341
lcrnan 399 313 399

Onekana 708 887 888 784 920 1082
Pleasantcn 451 480 553 685 859 593
Springdale 258 218 340 381 558 105
Stronach 315 287 318 733 791 710
Total 9758 9331 11,205 14,307 13,598 11,418

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I. fiync i. Cranptcn and fisscll H.70hnscn. 0p. cit.

p. 38

10

11

Recreatign. Due to a conbination of climatic and physicgraphical

 

features, Ianistee County has a vast recreational potentiality. The
Ianistee lational Forest and the Fife Lake State Forest provide
facilities for tourists, campers, fishernen, hunters, picnics, and
winter sports within the environ-cut of the forests. Cottages and
cabins are available within any of these forests. In addition,
there is a belt of sand dunes and sandy beach along lake lichigan
which extends from the border of Mason County on the south to Bensie
County on the north. This 25 mile stretch is only partially developed.

Robert lclntosh reported that close to 11.1: . 'nillion dollars
were spent by tourists and resorters in Manistee County during the
nonth of July, 1951. It was further reported by chntcsh that there
is a total of forty commercial resorts located in the county which
include cottages, motor courts, boys and girls camps, and fishing
and hunting camps.1

Clinatc. Two distinct types of climate have been observed in
lanistee County, continental and seninarine. The seninarins type
is due to the influence of Lake lichigan, which in turn is governed
by the force and direction of the wind. This stabilising influence
tends to retard the advance of spring and slows up the approach of
cold weather. This characterizes the clinate of a belt five to

eight niles wide extending along the shores of Lake lichigan.

 

1. ficbert McIntosh, Land and iter Conservation Department,
lichigan State College, Extension Service, written conunication.

12

The continental climate is characterised by pronounced fluctuation in
temperature between III-61' and winter. Wills reported in his climatic
summary of Michigan that the average maximal: temperature recorded at
the city of Manistee was 99°Fahrenheit, and the minimum temperature
was ~29°Fahrenheit, while at the city of Cadillac, located in the
county directly east, mimum temperature of 104°Fahrcnheit and
minimum temperature of -36°Fahrcnheit have been recorded.1

. The prinary climatic factors which affect the type of agriculture
'are the length of growing season and rainfall. Records have been kept
at the city of Manistee and the village of Wellston, which is located
about five miles west from the eastern county line. The precipitation
he been recorded to be fairly well distributed throughout the year

at both stations. There was a difference in that Wellston has
received a slightly higher amount of precipitation during the winter
months. An important character of the precipitation was that about
only 15 inches were received during the growing season. This is
sufficient to grow most crops on the level heavy soils, but can be
limiting on the coarse textured soils and on the rolling clay lands

which have suffered from past soil erosion.

 

 

l. H. Merrlll lWills, Climate admarbcfi of Igriculture,
United States Department of Agriculture, Washington, D. C., 1941,
pp 914-916.

13

TABLE III

AVERAGE PRECIPITATIONS BY noun-Isl

 

location Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. May June July Aug. 8ept. Oct. Nov. Dec. ual

 

Manistee 1.75 1.87 1.97 2.16 2.96 2.93 3.03 2.77 3.14 2.91 2.50 2.06 30.05

 

 

 

 

Wellston 2.10 2.01 2.12 2.51 3.14 2.98 2.62 2.94 3.85 3.37 2.86 2.29 32.79

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

lake Michigan is especially marked in its influence on the length
of the growing season. Mills has reported the average length of growing
season at the city of Manistee to be 155 days .2 This figure is not a
true description of the whole county, for unrecorded reports have
indicated the growing season in the eastern part of the county to
vary between 90 and 130 days, depending upon the elevation. The com-
bined effect of the equalizing influence of Lake Michigan on the
length of the growing season and the variations in topography offering
good air drainage has enabled a well developed fruit industry to
flourish in a belt five to eight miles wide, extending northward from
the city of Manistee to the Bennie County line.

The prevailing wind is from the southwest. The winds are
generally much stronger along the Lake Michigan beach, dwindling in
intensity as it moves inland. Wind erosion has been reported to be

very severe on the lighter soils along the coast and in the plains area.

 

Is He Herrill Will's Ops cite P 915s

2. loo. cit.

14

Markets and Transportation Facilities. Manistee, the county seat,
affords a.marketing center for a considerable amount of the agricultural
produce of the county. Located at the mouth of the Manistee River, it
has unusual harbor and transportation facilities for the junction of
water, highway, and rail transportation. The Hanistee and Northeastern,
and the Psre Marquette Railroads provide good rail service, while four
main highways focus on the city.

The Pere Marquette Railroad also serves the eastern half of the
county, connecting the smaller towns of Nellston, Brethren, Kalsva,
which.are important trading centers. The town of Copamish, located
in the northeast corner of the county, is served by the Ann Arbor
Railroad. Good gravel and ”black top' roads provide the farming
communities'with good motor transportation facilities. About 75 per
cent of the roads are either hard surfaced or gravelled.

The importance of the small towns and villages as trading centers
is brought to light by the 1960 preliminary report of the Bureau of the
Census. It was reported that the average distance travelled by farmers
visiting a trading center in.Manistee County to be 1.3 miles.1

Forest Land and Timber Resources. The pine forests of the southern

 

part of the county furnished the incentive for the development of the

county bwahite mane Lumbering flourished as the most important industry

 

1. Bureau of the Census, Preliminary 1950 Census of.Agricu1ture,
United States Department of Commerce, Washington, D. C., Series AC 50-1,
1951, P 2e

'15

from 1841 to 1912 and was greatly facilitated by the Manistee River
which crossed through the center of the pine region. After the
harvest of the pine was completed, the northern half of the county,
which was covered by a hardwood mixture consisting of oak, maple,
beech and aspen, was soon lumbered off.

Three of every five acres in the county are classed as wooded
land. Out of a total of 216,876 acres of wooded land, about 39,000

were classed as wooded farm lands.1

Farm ownership generally affords
a favorable setting for forestry, and public policy has long encouraged
farmers to make woodland management an integral part of the farm
business. Yet most of the farm woodlands are still mistreated, having
been subjected to unwise cutting, pasturing and burning. At present,
the amount of large timber is very limited, and in general the better
species have been harvested at a rate much faster than the rate of
regrowth. The lands under the jurisdiction of the United Forest Service
and the Michigan State Department of Conservation have fared much better.
All these lands have been protected by an effective fire control system,
and the state forests have been partially maintained by selective
cutting and reforestation.

The woodland industry is still considered an integral part of the
present economic structure. In 1935, Manistee County was sixth in the

total production of all species of forest products in the counties of

 

—1e E13: P 1e

16

Lower Michigan. The paper mill at Filer City affords a market for
most of the marketable jack pine and aspen. The 1941 report of the
Manistee County Land Use Planning Committee listed 18 active sawmills
producing cross ties, lumber, fuel wood, shingles, crates and building
timber.1

Figure 2 illustrates the present forest cover in Manistee County.2
The forest cover is classed in two broad groups: class a, depicting
the forest cover with over 40 per cent canopy, and class h, under 40
per cent canopy. The uncolored portions of the map are the agricul-
tural areas.

Land Ownership. The character of land ownership plays an impor-
tant role in the development of any land program, for the type of
ownership directly determines the character of use. Three types of
, ownership are conspicuous in Manistee County: private, public and
semi-public.

The privately owned land as indicated by the uncolored portion
of Figure 3 is owned by individuals and private companies whose prime
interest in the land is as a means of livelihood or personal satisfaction.

The public owned land is that which is owned by local, state and

federal government. This ownership represents land which was once owned

 

 

 

l. fiyne I. Crampton and Russell R. Johnson, ESE-Use Plannigg
Report for Manistee Count r, Manistee County Land-Use Flaming Committee,
Manistee, Michigan, 1940-1941, p 21.

 

 

2. Robert J. Amsterburg, Unpublished Forest Cover Map of Manistee
County, 1950, personal comunication.

 

FIGURE 2

   
 
 
  
  
  
  
  
  
   
   

FOREST COVER MAP OF MANISTEE COUNTYl

1 Over 1&0 per cent canopy (solid color)
: 10 - N0 per cent canopy (cross hatched)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

T 24 N
O
I Oak — Pine Type: Jack Pine, Oak, Aspen
{H
' II 1 Pine - Oak Type: Jack Pine, Oak, Aspen,
Scattered Red and White Pine T 23~
Lowland Hardwood Type: Elm, Ash, Red
Maple, Basswood, Aspen, Hemlock and.
White Pine
Upland Hardwood Type: Sugar
Maple, Beech, Elm, Ash, Yellow T22N
Birch, Scattered Hemlock and
White Pine
V a
[E
1. After an unpublished Forest‘I 0
Cover Map of Manistee County by u.
Robert J. Amsterburg, United T2lN

Soil Conservation Service,
Ludington, Michigan, October,

648-45
*- - ' 3-Nfl2567
I I I . ‘ I l I V dy n‘ u“. 2
' d b 1he Curio r0 hIc DIVISIon, Soul Conservuhon Servvce, Region III, Cooperohng wulh1he Dls1rlc1 Governmg 80 A , L
5* . Prepare y g p ' I ‘

 

 

 

 

718

RISW
pIsw R£4W

RIEW

 
 
   

FIGURE 3 LAND OWNERSHIP MAP

 
 

,.
carpmur
Sch.

  
   

MANISTEE COUNTY

T24 N.
DISTRIBUTED BY

MICHIGAN
DEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATION

til!

   

IYOU COULD NOT ENJOY THE CLEAN WHOLESOME RECREATION OF THIS COUHTY

IF

  

Duel-«mu a
knoll
rcvesl
I

   

ITS FORESTS WERE BURHED OVER

ITS STREAMS WERE POLLUTED

C; ,4 /V

ITS CAMP SITES WERE UNSAHITARY

/

AND IF

THERE WERE HO GAME OR FISH

KEEP MICHIGAN CLEAN AND GREEN

REPORT FOREST FIRES AND RETURN NEXT YEAR §

***

LEGEND

~YA‘I’E LANDS DEDICATE ED rOR STATE FORESTS. PARKS
D OTN NRE PUBLIC CONSERVATION USE

"mlmSTATE LANDS RESERVE ED FOR Exc ANGE IITH FEDERAL Q,

GNOVER NMENT FOR NATIONAL FOREST PURPOSES

     

Blownkmn
Sch.

2

 
  
 
 

In
W

    

T.22NI

 

EXCNANGE APPLICATION
BOUNDARV STATE FORESTS. PARKS Tc. 1

TBOUNDARV NATIONAL FOREST
BLE
. PUBLIC FISHING SITES (5 SITE NOT USA

' FOREsT CAMP GROUNDS.

STATE PARKS. Y

IT IS THE POLICY NOY To DISPOSE or STATE LANDS IN
STATE ON NATIONAL PROJECT AREAS. EXCEPTIONS MAV BE MADE
IN CERTAIN CASES NNERE TNE LANDS ARE DESIRED FDR AGRICUL-
TURE OR TO CONSOLIDATE OWNERSHIP. FOR FURTHER INFORMA-
TION INOUII-IE'LANDS DIVISION. DEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATION. \/
LANSING 1LT MICNIG

TE OWNERSHIP JUNE I. 1951

 
 

Orchard
State Park

   
  

on: crav-

 
     

LEGEND
— PAVED ROADS @ T
‘ GRAVELED ROADS ‘ HUNTING AND FISNING
CAMPS AND RESORTS
POOR DIRT ROADS G RAILROAD STATIONS. FOUR
-s‘I’RAIL CORNERS.
X x I FIRE BREAKS 1?“, Town HALLS
H—o ILROAD : SCHOOLS
”I” ABANDONED RAILROAOS ‘ CNURCHESE
QL LAX 1’ CEMETERI
6% INTERNITTENT LAKES Q CONSERVATION DEPARTMENT UNITS
Iv 5 ND STREAMS 0 FOREST FIRE
- - INTE NITTENT STREAMS Q TONERMEN'S CABIN NSs
’— DRAINAGE DITCNES B PATROL CADINS
--Av— DANSN A TOURIST CAMPS AND PARKS
r' SPR ? GOLF RCauR RSES
V4 WING 6 OBS TIoN TONERS
5 AIRPLANEW ELANDING FIELDS 5Q ‘, MINESV 0R QUARRIES
© OUNTv a‘mfs s OH PEAKS

*5 BOUNDARY LINES ARE SHOWN T0 DESIGNATE THE
CONSERVATION PROJECTS. ONL UM! [T5 OF
Y COLOSRED AREAS ARE PUBLIC
UN NCOLORED AREAS ARE PRIVATE LAN LANDS

E FEDERAL GOVERNMENT LANDS
E IN NATIONAL FOREST

PUBLIC UT ILIiI‘Y LAND

    

R I5 W, Modinn‘;

“"’”H ELP ' PREVENT “W FOREST ' FIRES “'3" MANISTEE

 

 

19

by private enterprise, but since private ownership proved to be
uneconomical has reverted back to public ownership as tax delinquent
land. In this group are also found parcels of land which have been
acquired through government purchase to better satisfy the public
demand. In this category are found such lands which are ideally
suited for parks, public fishing sites and other recreational uses.
Public owned lands are indicated by green color in Figure 3 and
represent approximately 25 per cent of the total land area in the
county.

The semi-public classification includes that land which is
owned by the Consumer Power Company, a public utility. This land
is distributed along the flood plain of the lanistee River and
totals approximately 19,000 acres. This land is indicated in
Figure 3 by the color blue.

Agriculture. Agriculture began in Manistee County at about
the tins of the Civil War with the advent of the Homestead Law of
1862. These early settlers selected the hardwood lands in the
northwestern part of the county for their farms. In many cases
lumbering and farming were combined, with work in lunber camps
consuling the greater part of the year. Their early crops , chiefly
corn, wheat, hay and potatoes, were raised for hone consumption
and the neighboring lumber camps served as an outlet for any surplus.

By 1900 the agricultural industry was well established, reach-

ing its peak around 1950. The 1950 prelimimry census reports

20

indicated that about 34.7 per cent of the land area was classed as
farm land, oonprising 971 farms. This is a slight decrease from the
1946 reports and is in line with the trend in shrinkage of acres in
farms since 1935, as reported by the Bureau of the Census. The
conspicuous trend has been a decrease in the number of fams and

acres in fans and an increase in the size of farms.1

 

 

new 17
summer or cmsus 23.90213 on wars, 102mm: AND LAND 11231, 1930 10 19502
Classification Unit 1930 1935 1940 1945 1950
Fans No. 1,172 1,371 1,338 1,049 971
App. Land Area 1o. 357,120 357,120 357,120 357,120 357,120
Proportion in farms % 38.7 36.1 34.?
Land in farms ’ 1o. 129,672 139,666 139,320 128,932 123,771
Average size of farm Ac. 110.6 101.9 103.4 122 .8 127.6

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

T. fiureau of the Census, United States Census of Agriculture,
United States Department of Comoros, Washington, D. C., 16th Census
of U. 8., 1940, p 153 and Preliminary 1950 Report, Series LC 50-1, p 1.

2. Loo. cit.

There is a fairly close relationship between types of farming and

the sise of faras.

21

ball fame (less than 50 acres) predominate in the

horticultural areas along Lake liohigan where the physical afi econonic

conditions are favorable to intensive type of fanning. 773113 on the
other hand, larger ferns are distributed in the remaining portion of
the county where a livestock type of fanning predominates.

presents the distribution of different size-groups since 1935.

 

 

 

rauv
mm or mm mm 13: nnmnrr 3123-3110099, 1933 10 19301
Sise-in acres lunber

1933 1940 1943 1930
Under 10 19 33 22 29
1o - 29 93 70 33 33
3o - 49 231 233 170 123
30 - 39 103 103 33 31
7o - 99 347 329 212 199
100- 139 233 219 170 174
140- 179 131 137 133 143
190- 219 33 31 70 33
220- 239 39 42 39 41
230- 499 39 30 90 72
300- 999 9 3 10 14
1000 and over i; 0 0 o 0

 

 

 

 

 

1. Ibid p30andp

 

22

There has been a definite decrease in.the number of farms under 179
acres and a slight increase in.the farms over 260 acres in size. These
slight changes have also been reflected in.the types of fanning. The
1950 preliminary census report1 indicated that the major source of fanm
income in 1949 was fron.1ivestock and livestock products. About 51 per
cent was derived from sale of livestock and livestock products, 40 per
cent fromathe sale of fruits and vegetables, 14 per cent fron.the sale
of field crops and 5 per cent fron.forestry products. It was further
reported that 207 farms were classed as residential (less than $250
value of products sold) and 185 as part-time (operator reporting 100
days or more of off-farm.work).

Ianistee's major crops, insofar as acreages are concerned, are
hay and tillable pasture, which occupy 40 per cent of the cropland.
Lllfalfa was reported to be the major forage crop with.timothy and
clover the next important. In.reviewing the past census reports,
it was noted that the acreage of timothy and clover is decreasing
as the acreage of alfalfa is increasing. Table VI gives the acreage
devoted to the principal crops in.lanistee County. Corn.and cats are
the most important grain crops. Crops are usually grown.in.a four
year rotation of corn, cats, clover and timothy or of corn, oats
seeded to alfalfa that remains until the crop is run.out. This sys-
tem.usually results in fields of fairly high fertility on which
alfalfa grows well remaining in long-term.alfalfa neadows, whereas

less fertile and eroded fields are used for row crops.

 

1. Ibid p 2.

TABLE VI

ACRBAGE DEVOTBD TO THE PRINCIPAL CROPS IN MISTER COUNTY, 19491

Corn. 6,308
lheat 1,634
Date 3,741
Barley 13
Rye 757
Buckwheat 40
Potatoes 755
Alfalfa 5,186
Clover and Timothy' 5,201
Fruits 3,947
Vegetables and Small Fruits 657

 

Infi—

1. Ibid P 3.

24

SURVEY OF CONSERVAIION PROBLHS BY PHYSICAL PROBLEM AREAS

Description and Extent of Physical Problem.Areas. In order to
systematically analyze the conservation problems, the physical land
features of the county have been grouped and presented as problem
areas.1 The problem areas are described as follows:

In Problem Area Number One are found the level deep dry sand
plains. The soils are mainly Rubicon and Grayling sands. ‘Host of
the area is level with a few pits occurring in the plain, and in
those areas there will be some short steep slopes. The soil is
highly subject to wind erosion when cropped and is also characterized
by a very low fertility level. Land Use Capability Class VII is
predominate.2

Problem Area Number Two consists of the rolling to steep dry
sands and loamy sands with some clay occurring in local areas. The
soils are very droughty and low in fertility. The main soils are

Emmet loamy sand and Roselawn sand. The complex slopes vary from

level to 30 to 40 per cent in steepness.

 

l. Afiroblem.Area is defined as a delineated area which possesses
a uniform pattern of climate, soil, slope and erosion conditions which
require similar soil and water conservation treatment and management
practices. Based on Soil Survey, Manistee County, 1926.

2. Class VII is not only unsuited to cultivation.but has severe
limitations for use for grazing or for forestry. It also requires
extreme care to prevent erosion. J. G. Steele, "The Measure of Our Land”,
Soil Conservation Service, U. 8. Dept. of Agr., lbshington, D. C., p 12,
1951.

25

Where the steep slopes have been cropped, erosion has been.moderate1y
severe. Both wind and water erosion affect these soils. The predominating
Land Use Capability Class is IV, with much VI and VII occurring in

the area.1

Problem.Area Number Three consists of wet, acid sand plains.
The soils in this area are acid and formed under wet conditions.
The soils are quite droughty when drained, and the fertility level
is quite difficult to maintain. The main soils are Saugatuck loamy
sand and sand with some areas of Newton loamy sand and sand, mucks
and Rubicon sand. Almost all of the area is level with only occa-
sional slopes as great as five per cent. ‘Wind erosion has been
severe on cropped areas and over-grazed pastures. The predominate
Land Use Capability Classes are IV and v with some 71 and 711.2

Problem Area Number Four consists of the wet river bottoms.
The soils are mainly wet and vary from sands to mucks, and are

subject to occasional overflows. The main.scils are Griffin, luck,

 

1. Class IV land is good enough for occasional cultivation under
careful management, but it is not suited for regular production.of cul-
tivated crops. Some of the areas are too dry for dependable use for crop
production. Class VI land is not suitable for any cultivation and it is
limited somewhat for grazing or forestry by such features as shallow soil
or steep slopes. This is good land for forestry or for grazing, although
not so good as parts of the cultivable land classes. Ibid, pp 6 and 12.

2. Class V land is nearly level and not subject to erosion. Because
of wetness, climate, or some permanent obstructions like rock outcrops, it
is not suited for cultivation. The soil is deep, however, and the land
has few'ltnitations of any kind for grazing or for forestry use. Good
management is, of course, needed for satisfactory production with either
grass or trees. Ibid, p 12.

 

26

PLATE 1

Class V Land Bordering the lanistee River in Problem Area Pour

 

 

2?

Peat and Rubicon. The topography is level with.very little erosion.
The major Land Use Capability Class is V, with.some VII and VIII.1

Problem Area Number Five includes the muck and peat areas. The
soils are organic and vary in degrees of decomposition, acidity and
depth. The areas are level, with severe wind erosion common in the
cropped fields. Cropping is limited by the frost hazard. The main
soils are Luptonifluck'with.some Boughton, Rifle and Greenwood Peat.
The main Land Use Capability Class is V with some Class VIII.

Problem Area Number Six includes the very steep clay lands.
The main.scils are Nestor loan and silt 10mm'with.small areas of
Traverse and walkill. The area is very steep and the degree of the
slopes becomes a hinderance to cropping. 0n crop areas water erosion
is very severe, both sheet and gully erosion are common. The main
Land Use Capability Classes are‘VI and VIII wdth some II.2

Problem Area Number Seven includes the gently rolling to
steeply rolling sandy loans, with some loans and loamy'sands. The

soils in this area are deep and semi-droughty and are characterized

 

1. Class VIII land is suited only for wildlife, recreational, or
watershed purposes. Usually it is extremely arid, rough, steep, stony,
sandy, wet, or severely eroded. Loo. cit.

2. Class II is good land from.cvery standpoint, but certain physical
conditions make it not quite so good as Class I land. The slope may be
just steep enough to make water run off at a speed which will carry away
soil. Some Class 11 land is naturally wet and requires drainage. Some
has not quite as good water-holding capacity as Class I land. Each of
these deficiencies either limits the use of the land to some extent or
requires some special attention year after year. Ibid, p 6.

PLATB2

Rolling Class III hnd in Problem Area Seven

 

 

28

29

by a sandy clay loam subsoil. Small areas of clay soils occur in a
few local spots. The main soils are Emnet sandy loam and loamy sand
with some Nester loans and Iosco sandy loan. The topography of the
area varies from uniform slightly rolling slopes to steep complex
slopes. Erosion has been moderately severe on cropland. Water erosion
has caused the most damage, although some wind erosion is present. Land
Use Capability Classes 11, III and IV are the predominate classes.1
Problem Area Number Eight includes the rough steep sands, loamy
sands and sandy loans. The soils in this area are very similar to the
soils found in problem area number two. The loamy sands have a very
thin clay substratum. The main difference between this problem area
and problem area two is the climatic factor. Problem area eight
enjoys the influence of the lake-controlled climate, mking it
suitable for fruit production. The main soils are Met loamy sami
and sand with some Emmet sandy loam. Generally the area is very steep
with the slope being complex in nature. There are a few areas of
relatively level land. The predominating Land Use Capability Class

is IV with mch VI and VII.

 

1. Class III is moderately good land for cultivationfjft is more
limitedin use than Class 11 land by reason of one or more natural
features. It can be used regularly for crops but because of these
natural restrictions, intensive treatment of some kind is called for.
Some Class III land is moderately sloping and must have intensive care
to control erosion if used for crops in a regular rotation. Another
variation of Class 111 land calls for water management because of poor
drainage. Loo. cit. p 6.

PLATES

Class II had in Problem Area Ten

 

 

 

31

Problem Area Number Nine includes the deep dry sand plains with
a gravelly loamy sand. Most of the area is level with some short,
steep slopes along the streams and small pits which occur in the plain.
The soils due to their light character are highly subject to wind ero-
sion when cropped or over-grazed. The predominating Land Use Capability
Class is VI with some IV and VII.

Problem Area Number Ten includes the level silty sand plains.
The soils have a sandy gravelly substratum but they are covered with a
two to three foot layer of very fine sand and silt. This adds to the
inherent fertility of the soil. The main soils are Coventry and Karlin
fine sandy loans, Iancelona sandy loan and Kalkaslca loamy fine sand.
The slope of the land varies from level to gently undulating. Wind
and water erosion are serious in this area when cropped. The pre-
dominating hnd Use Capability Classes are II with some IV and VI.

Table VII shows that a hundred per cent of problem area one is
Class VII, while Classes VI and VII predominate in area two. Class V
land predominates in area five and Class II land predominates in area
ten. The remaining problem areas (three, six, seven, eight and nine)
are characterised by a major percentage of Classes II, III and IV lands.

Problem area one, as shown in Figure 4, dominates the southern
part of the county south of the Manistee River. The more productive
problem areas, six, seven and eight, occur in the northwestern half of
the county while ,the sandier and less productive problem areas, two,

three and nine, occur in the northeastern half of the county.

32

TABLE VII

m cm or LAND as: CAPABILITIES IN EACH PROBLml mail

 

 

 

 

Problem. Total Land Land Use Capability Class
Area Area in.Aeres
I II III IV V VI VII VIII
1 91,809 0 0 0 0 0 0 100 0
2 51,399 0 l 9 ll 1 16 62 0
3 54,030 0 2.6 11 48 37 0.4 l 0
4 20,560 No samples
5 15,242 0 2 0.3 7 80.7 0 9 l
6 6,026 l 27 16 ll 21 s 21 o '
7 47,500 0 l7 4? l7 5 8 6 0
8 22,687 0 8 27 30 2 23 10 0
9 54,944 0 lO 27 45.8 8 2 7 0.2
10 10,280 0 58 20 16 2 3 l 0

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1.IiThese figures are actual measurements of conservation.surveys
developed by the U. 8. Soil Conservation Service as part of the farm
planning activities in oooperation.with.the Manistee County Soil
Conservation District. The actual measurements express an eight
per cent sample of‘the total land area. There could have been Shy? Bias

0 1 >0 - o e e s A 0 n “ 4‘ p A f " ‘ q *1- _" 1 - r n f‘. L . F1

in toe final GLTFGSPlou in fast tnc Sghfilafi rollectnd f.rms :JiCd CeiqubCfl
". - ‘ ' h > - I .-. 1" 2 'l‘ - ’l‘ 1 '~ 1‘: 1‘ A hf ”; ~“ .3 1‘ ‘v‘ 1 ' ‘ . _" ' ,I-‘ V. v

a¢SJCiFJCC frag the l_eerch .ui that: l rm: CQHLn e3 she-3 seerng. _er

-!-Q r ‘\'- -‘- -—., r r
J .6 1 1.1017341: Cylfir.rl .

33

 

 

FIGURE 4 PROBLEM AREA MAP

Level Deep Dry
Sand Plains
2‘ Rolling to Steep
~' Dry Sands and Loamy

Sands

E'Wet Acid Sand Plains

 

   

" uck and Peat Areas

Scale m mlles

 

 

 

 

M A N I S T E E C O U N T Y

‘ Very Steep Clay

River Bottoms l3 Limey Sand Plains

4' looms

~ Rolling to Steep

 
  
 
 
  
 
  
 
 
  
   

T 24 N
Land V

R0 11 ing Sandy

Sands to Sandy
Loams
T 23 N

‘~

Level Silty
Plains

T2|N

0 K 3

3 3 Q

“—’ 2

f‘ m “ 648-45
3 — N—I2,5 67

SCI! Conservohon Service, Region III, Cooperohng mm the Disiric1 Governing Body

Prepared by 1he Cartoqruphic Divxsion,

 

 

 

 

 

 

34

Present Land Use in Reference to Land Use Capabilities 31
Problem Areas. Almost as important as the physical characteristics
of the land in the problem areas is the way the land is now being
used. Before any land use adjustments can be prepared it is
necessary to know the present use of the land in addition to the
physical characteristics. The present land use is delineated on
the conservation surveys developed by the U. 3. Sell Conservation
Service into five major classes: Cropland, Permanent Pasture,
Noodland, Idle and Miscellaneous.1 These conservation surveys,
distributed about the problem areas at random, were used as pilot
studies and expanded to depict the conditions in the whole

problem area.

 

I. These major land use elasses are defined as follows:
Cropland will include all land planted to crops and in addition
forage crops grown in rotation for hay and orchards. Permanent
Pasture includes grazing land other than pastured woodland, and
land in grasses and legumes that is devoted primarily to grasing.
Woodland includes land with forty per cent of the ground covered
by the spread of woodland species and land devoted to forest
plantations. Idle land includes land void of vegetation or
maintaining plant growth of little economic or agricultural value.
Miscellaneous includes farmsteads and areas not otherwise classi-
fied. Norton, 3. A. Soil Conservation Survgy Handboolg, U. S. D. A.
llisc. Pub. No. 352, 1939, pp IS, 14.

35

Table VIII shows the land use conditions for the total land area
in Problem Area Number One according to land capabilities. The total
land in farm.acreage represents the acreage which is now in private
ownership, the remainder of the total land area represents land owned
‘by public agencies and the Consumers Power Company. The figures show
that 91 per cent of the total land area is woodland and pasture, 4.5
per cent is idle, 4.5 per cent is cropland, and less than .05 per cent
is miscellaneous. It is apparent that due to the droughtiness and
sandy nature of the soils the total acreage of this area is not suited

for cropland but better suited for limited grazing or woodland.

TABLE VIII

LAND USE CONDITIONS FOR THE TOTAL LAND AREA.IN PROBLEM AREA.0NE

ACCORDING TO LAND CAPABILITIES1

 

 

 

Land Use Land Capability Classes
I II III IV V ‘VI ‘VII VIII Total

Cropland 4,131 4,131
Permanent Pasture 1,766 1,766
lbodland 81,938 81,938
Idle 4,131 4,131
Miscellaneous 219 219
Total Land Area 91,809 91,809
Total Land in Farms 25,942
Land Not in Farms 65,867

 

 

 

 

 

 

1. The conservation survey samples analyzed represented a 4 per
cent sample of the area. This information.was augmented by other infor-
mation collected by the author from.U. 8. Forest Service, observations
of aerial photos and various field trips throughout the area.

 

PLAIB4

Idle Land Adjacent to Reforested Class

In Problem Area One

 

VIILand

 

36

37

Table II shows the present land use conditions for the total land

area in Problem Area Number Two according to land capabilities.

The

major portion, as expressed by total land in farms, is in private

ownership .

The data show that 57 per cent of the land is in pasture

and woodland, 39 per cent is idle, 14 per cent is cropland, and less

than one per cent is miscellaneous.

Due to the high percentage of

Class VI and VII land which is a result of steep slopes and sandy

soils, it is apparent that the major portion of the idle land is best

suited for grasimg and woodland and that a small portion of the pasture

land and woodland is suited for cropland.

'TABLB 1:

LAND USE CONDITIONS FOR THE TOTAL LAND AREA IN PROBLEI AREA no,

ACCORDING ro LAND CAPABILITIBSI

 

 

 

Land Use land Capability Classes

II * III IV V VI VII VIII Total
Cropland 218 2389 2621 604 1181 7013
Pernnsnt Pasture 219 1018 1448 67 550 1010 4310
Headland 76 938 1440 15 5313 17016 24798
Idle 5 22 86 1789 13146 15028
liscellaneous 83 93 17 57 250
Total Land Area 518 4448 5888 82 8253 32410 51399
Total Land in Farms 38393
Land Not in Farms 13006

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tim conservation surveys analysed
represent six per cent of the area.

in this problem area

38

Table 1 deals with the present land use conditions for the land area
in Prablem Area Number Three according to land capabilities. The analysis
indicates that the major portion (82 per cent) of problem area number
three is in woodland and pasture. A further study of this data reveals
that most of this land is classed as IV and V land use capability. The
major hazards to cropping these IV and V lands are excessive moisture
due to a high water table and unfavorable soil characteristics such as
droughtiness and hardpan. The land in cropland (18 per cent) is

classed as II, III and IV.

TABLE I
LAND USE CONDITIONS FOR THE TOTAL LAND AREA IN PROBLEM AREA THREE,

ACCORDING :0 LAND CAPABILITIES)“

 

 

 

Land Use Land Capability Classes

I II III IV V VI VII VIII Total
Cropland 424. 2815 1866 89 5194
Permanent Pasture 307 516 1195 1519 133 132 3802
Woodland 182 12813 11163 110 24268
Idle 84 520 10 614
Miscellaneous 38 52 62 152
Total Land Area 769 3649 16456 12692 133 331 34030
Total Land in Farms 24513
Land Not in Farms 9517

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

l. The conservsTtion surveys analysed in this problem area
represent nine per cent of the area.

39

Table II reflects the analysis of the present land use in.Problem
Area.Nunber Four according to land use capabilities. The analysis of
this problem area pointed out that the whole area is in.woodland and
pasture, capability Class V predominating. The chief hazards in.this
problem.area are excessive water due to frequent flooding and a high
water table. Only eight per cent of this land area was indicated as

privately owned.

TABLE II
LAND USE CONDITIONS FOR THE TOTAL LAND AREA.IN PROBLEM AREA FOUR

ACCORDING TO LAND CAPABILITIESI

 

 

 

Land Use Land Capability Classes

I II III IV V VI VII VIII Total
Cropland
Permanent Pasture 1120 1120
Wbodland 19440 19440
Idle
Miscellaneous
Total Land Area 20560 20560
Total Land in Farms 2040
Land Not in Farms 18520

 

 

 

 

 

 

1. 4N0 samples‘were available in.this area, information'was
secured frmm aerial photographs and field investigations by the author.

Table III presents the analysis of the present land use in Problem
Area.Nunber Five. This problen.area includes the wet organic soils and
at the time of this survey none of this land was under cultivation, the
major portion.being used as pasture and woodland. The analysis also
showed that capability Class V'predominates, but that 379 acres of this
area are potential Class II and III cropland. Fifty eight per cent of
this land area was privately owned. The chief hazard to the utilisa-
tion.cf this land is excessive water which.nmst be removed by drainage,

and frost which is influenced by location.

TABLE III
LAND USE CONDITIONS FOR THE TOTAL LAND AREA IN PROBLEM AREA FIVE

ACCORDING TO LAND CAPABILJrIssl

 

 

 

Land Use Land Capability Classes

I II III IV V VI VII VIII Total
Cropland
Pernanent Pasture 102 11 181 502 796
lbodland 226 40 920 11781 1360 119 14446
Idle
Miscellaneous
Total Land Area 328 51 i101 12283 1360 119 15242
Total Land in Farms ' 8956
Land.lct in.Farns 6286

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1. ’The conservation surveys analysed represent a two per cent
sample of the area.

41

Table 1111 presents the analysis of the present land use in Problem
Area Number Six. This area includes the heavy clay lands of the county.
The survey pointed out that a large portion of the cropland is classified
as I, II, III and IV lands and that a siseable acreage used as cropland
was classed as VI and VII. Fifty per cent Of the problem area was being
used as cropland. The survey also showed siseable acreage of Class II,
III and IV lands in pasture and woodland uses. lost all of the land
area in this problem area was under private ownership at the tires of the
survey. The principal hazard to crop utilization is the active water

erosion on the sloping lands.

TABLE XIII
LAND USE CONDITIONS FOR THE TOTAL IAND AREA IN PROBLEM AREA SIX

ACCORDmG T0 LAND CAPABILITIESI

 

 

 

Land Use land Capability Classes

I ll 1'11 IV v VI VII VIII Total
Cropland 80 1465 705 326 70 310 2956
Peraanent Pasture 63 130 306 339 69 592 1499
Woodland 42 85 33 927 11 347 1445
Idle 4 l9 7 3O
lliscellaneous 5 64 23 4 96
Total land Area 85 1634 947 669 1285 157 1249 6026
Total Land in Farms 5959
Land Not in Farms 67

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

l. The conservation surveys analysed in this problem area
represent a 14 per cent sample.

42

In Problem.Area.Number Seven is fcund the most important general
fanning area of the county. Table XIV reflects the present land use
by land capabilities. Over sixty per cent of the land area was being
used as cropland, with a large acreage classed as capabilities II, III
and IV. Another notable characteristic presented by the survey was the
acreage of Class II and III lands used as pasture and woodland. Two
per cent of the area was classed as idle land and a large percentage
of this area fell into capabilities II, III and IV. 7A‘very'sma11
acreage was listed as under public ownership. liter erosion and soil

fertility maintenance are tuo important hazards of the cropland.

TABLE XIV
LAND USE CONDITIONS FOR THE TOTAL LAND AREA.IN PROBLEM AREA.SEVEN

ACCORDmG T0 LAND CAPABILITIESJ'

 

 

 

Land Use Land Capability Classes

I II III IV V VI ‘VII VIII Total
Cropland 22 5283 13050 3608 998 244 23205
Pasture Land 716 3570 1395 764 1214 602 8261
Orchard 4 394 1603 427 352 259 3039
lbodland 1006 2250 2144 1824 992 1683 9899
Idle 150 1314 153 71 193 232 2113
Miscellaneous 276 548 107 52 983
Total Land Area 26 7825 22335 7834 2659 3801 3020 47500
Total Land in Farms ' 45904
Land.Not in.Farms , 1596

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

l. The conservation surveys analyzed represent an 8 per cent sample.

Problem Area Number Eight is located in the moraine section along
Lake Iichigan, north of the city of Manistee. Table IV presents the
distribution of land use by land capabilities. An important condition
brought to light by this analysis was that over half of the acreage listed
as pasture was classed as VI and VII capabilities, while on the other hand
a larger portion of the woodland was classed as II, III and IV capabilities.
Since agriculture first started in this section, it is quite probable that
the early settlers first cleared the thinly wooded sand hills and as the
virgin fertility was consumed, these hills were allowed to revert back to
native grasses which are now being used as pasture lands. Fifty five per
cent of the area was listed as pasture and woodland. Another interesting
fact is that most of the orchard land was classed as III and IV lands.
The main hazards to cropping these lands are the active wind and water

erosion and soil fertility maintenance.

LAND USE CONDITIONS FOR THE TOTAL LAND AREA IN PROBLEM AREA EIGHT

TABLE.XV

ACCORDING TO LAND CAPABILITIESI

44

 

 

 

Land Use Lend Capability Classes

I II III IV V VI ‘VII VIII Total
Cropland 1040 2491 2302 443 465 6741
Pasture 357 1580 1192 101 2472 1026 6728
Ibodland 284 1151 1959 202 1819 105 5520
Orchard 40 895 1100 349 158 2542
Idle 63 100 80 227 386 856
Miscellaneous 23 27 220 30 300
Total Land Area 1744 6207 6873 383 5310 2170 22687
Total Land in.Farms 21971
Land.Not in Farms 716

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1. The conservation surveys analyzed in this area represent a

seven per cent sample.

Table XVI presents the distribution of land use by land capabilities

in Problem Area Number Nine.

sand and gravel plains.

cropland, with Class IV the predominating land capability.

In the problem area are found the cutwash

Over half of the land in farms was being used as

The chief

hazard in cropping this land is the susceptibility of the soil to wind

erosion and the poor inherent soil characteristics, such as droughtiness

and coarseness of texture.

Fifty per cent of the total land area was

being used as pasture and woodland, here again the predominating land

use capability was Class IV.

idle, with a sizeable acreage as Class 111.

About 15 per cent of the

area was publicly owned, namely in the state forest.

TABIE XVI

LAND USE CONDITst FOR THE TOTAL LAND AREA. IN PROBLH AREA NINE

ACCORDING TO LAND CAPABILITIESI

Three per cent of the land was classed as

 

 

Land Use Land Capability Classes

11 III IV V VI VII VIII Total
Cropland 4503 9304 11907 224 704 26642
Pasture 691 1501 7353 1167 325 1812 12849
Woodland 438 2590 4809 2911 460 542 97 11847
Idle 5 813 51 300 17 536 27 1749
Orchard 53 63 686 158 960
liscellanecus 77 396 367 57 897
Total Land Area 5767 14667 25173 4378 1026 3809 124 54944
Total Land in Farms 45952
Land Not in Farms 8992

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1.The conservation surveys analyzed

represent an 8 per cent sample.

 

9.7

 

Problem Area lumber Ten represents one of the nest productive
agricultural areas of the county. In this problem area are found the
fertile silt covered sand plains. Table XVII presents the analysis of
land use by capability classes. The analysis showed that very little of
this land was idle and that only 28 per cent was classed as pasture and
woodland. lost of the woodland and pasture land was classed as Class II,
III and IV land. A very small acreage of Class VI and VII was found in
the cropland category, Class II predominated. The susceptibility of this
land to gullying and intensity of cropping makes water erosion and soil

fertility maintenance important hazards in this area.

TABLE 1711
LAND use CONDIrIONs m THE TOTAL LAND AREA IN PROBLnl AREA TEN
ACCORDING 70 LAND CAPABILITIBS1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Land Use land Capability Classes

I II III IV 7 71 711 VIII Total
Cropland 4555 1255 1015 132 19 7005
Pasture 492 as 81 as 42 719
Headland 725 594 490 91 151 25 2154
Idle s7 . 5 42
Orchard 28 57 so . 154
Hiscellanccus 105 61 9 175
Total Land Area 15970 2105 1669 157 295 so 10st
Total Land in Farms 10154
Landfilot in Farms 95

 

 

 

 

T. The conservation surveys analysed represent an 18 per cent sample.

47

The summary of the land use for the county is presented in
Figure 5. The cropland which is 23.6 per cent of the total land
area is summarized according to capability classes. The majority
of the cropland is in Classes II, III and IV with 11.5 per cent
in Classes VI and VII. Twelve per cent of the land is in permanent
pasture use with Class IV predominating. The major acreage is in
woodland use, which is 55.8 per cent of the land area, Class VII
predominating in.this usage. Orchard land includes 1.6 per cent
of the area with Classes III and IV predominating and seven.per
cent of the land was classed as idle, with the major part being

in Capability Class VII.

Cropland
23.6%

Pasture
12%

Woodland
55.8%

Orchard

1.6%
Idle

FIGURE 5

DISTRIBUTICH OF LED IN MISTEE CMTY

ACCORDING TO CAPABILITY CLASS AND LAND USE

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

II III—20X IV-31 .4% V VI VII
7% 13.4% 11.4 16.8%
*111-4
, 71.4 5
IV
12 .675 V-24 {1% VII-52 .775
1..ng
II FIII-44,§% Flt-27.85 tan-12,21
7 l I 1‘ VII-7.3%
III VI Ii :
9.3 9% l VII-75% I-
II-.8%§ v.23:

49

Major Conservation Problems. A detail analysis of the present

 

use of land in Manistee County has been presented. In conjunction
with using land, problems arise dealing with the maintenance of pro-
duotion on such lands. The directors of the Manistee County Soil
Conservation District listed and analyzed these problems during the
process of developing the district program}1 These problems can be
grouped and discussed as six separate problems.

The first and one of the major problems of the agricultural lands
is soil management. This problem deals with the productivity of the
soil as affected by such soil amendments as commercial fertilizers,
barnyard manure, lime, green manure crops, and rotations using
nitrogen adding legumes. The district directors rated this problem
the most acute in problem areas Two, Three, Six, Seven, Right and
Ten.2 It was further stated that the growing of recommended legumes
is impossible without first correcting the soil acidity with the proper
amount of line. The economic advantages of using commercial fertilizers
in Michigan soils have long been proven, but the farmers of Manistee
County have been slow in adopting this practice. In reviewing the
many conservation farm plans developed with the Soil Conservation
District, it was noted that the major task facing the technician

assisting these farmers was the adoption of a definite and beneficial

 

l. Manistee County Soil Conservation District, Prong of Work,
Manistee, Michigan, unpublished, 1945.
2. Ibid.

 

PLATES

A Legume and Grass Seeding in all Grain on Slightly

Rolling Class II Duet Sandy Loan in Problem Area Bight

 

 

 

51

( crop rotation system. The more successful farmers of the county have

I proven.that with the employment of sound soil management practices
beneficial crop rotations can.be successfully established. The use
of a good crop rotation is closely related to a productive soil
management program.and they both are needed to improve and maintain
soil productivity at optimum.levels indefinitely.

Another important conservation problemgin.the agricultural areas
is erosion control. This problem is acute on the cropped lands where
the removal of soil by'water or wind is the predominant hazard to the
land. The conservation surveys analyzed indicated that this problem.
occurs in all of the problem.areas where soil is cultivated. The
applicable erosion control and water conservation practices are:

1. Terrace systems, sodded waterways, diversion ditches
possessing erosion control hydraulic characteristics whose main
attainment is the removal of excessive surface runoff.

2. Contour cultivation and strip cropping which prevent excessive
concentrations and velocities of overland flow, either wind or water.

3. Mulches, cover crops, sod crops, special tillage practices
such as field cultivating, which reduce the surface flow runoff
through increased infiltration and surface storage and increase the
resistance to movement of the soil by either wind or water.

4. 'Windbreaks, which.reduce the force of the wind over the

sheltered area.

52

PLATES

Small Fruit Planted on the Contour in Problem Ares. Eight

\7

 

 

 

53

5. Lush vegetative growth, which reduces the force of rainfall
impact or soil dispersion from the beating action of the raindrop.

The third major conservation problem deals with either the removal
or addition of water to increase the productivity of the land. Drainage
is not a major problem throughout the agricultural land of the county,
but the directors of the district rated this as an.important conserva-
tion problem in problem areas Five and Six.1 Irrigation has become
important during the last decade as a few progressive farmers have
proven that supplementary irrigation during the dry sumer months is
econmaically sound on the level light-textured soils. Irrigation has
also been successfully used as a frost control measure on strawberries
by growers in problem areas Seven and Eight. It must be pointed out
that the removal or the addition of water is not the entire answer,
but that a good soil management program should be considered as part
of the treatment needed to totally'meet the needs of this conservation
problem.

It was pointed out under the agricultural section that a livestock
type of agriculture predominates throughout most of the farming areas.
Resultantly, the fourth conservation problem, which deals with the
improvements and management of permanent pastures, is one of the most
important phases of conservation farming in most of the problem areas.
On most farms the successful initiation of many of the soil management

practices on cropland hinges on supplying adequate pasturage for livestock.

 

A____._.~

1. Ibid.

54

For example, on farms where the permanent pasturage acreage is
limited, farmers may'be reluctant to practice strip cropping on

all fields unless some provision is first made to meet the grazing
needs of the livestock they have. Likewise, the success of the
woodland and wildlife management phases are dependent on.the pasture
phase. Farmers find it not necessary to graze wooded areas when
present unproductive pastures have been improved. The principles
involved in.a sound pasture management progrmm which are applicable
to the Manistee County farm.lands are:

l. A sound soil management program, which entails the proper
use of lime and fertilizers, and selection and seeding of plant
species to meet soil conditions and seasonal pasture needs.

2. The use of supporting conservation practices such as
terraces and diversions and contour furrows and strips.

3. .1 sound grazing program.which entails regulated grazing,
mowing and rotational grazing.

The fifth conservation problem which deals with.the management
of the wooded lands is equally important on.both the farm.and nonpfarm
lands in all of the problem areas. Much of the non-farm lands in
problem.areas One, Two, Three and Four were reported to be in second
growth.timber and under private ownership. These land owners must
be encouraged to adopt a fire and grazing protection program to
enable these young woods to properly develop into productive timber

stands. In problem areas One, Two and Three are located private

holdings which at one time were under cultivation. These areas are
now laying idle, producing only a few shrubs and grasses. These lands
offer an opportunity for reforestation with adaptable species. The
survey has also pointed out that many acres of cropland are scattered
throughout all of the problem areas in the county which should be
converted to woodland. These plantings will require a program of
protection from fire and grazing and of thinning and pruning of

older plantation. All of the woodlands whether on farms or not will
require a program which calls for the following measures:

1. Protection from fire and grazing.

2. Underplanting of recomended species in overgrazed or

burned woodlands.

3. Improvement management such as thinning, pruning and weeding.

4. A sound harvesting program which entails the cutting of only

the mature trees which are ready for market.

The sixth conservation problem deals with the management of land
for the production of wildlife. The Manistee Soil Conservation District
directors listed this as a major problem in problem areas One, Two, Four
and Five for the reason that in these areas are found the major wooded
areas which are well populated with deer and the important trout streams.
To maintain and improve this sportman's paradise it is imperative that
a program which calls for the protection from fire and grazing, stream-

bank protection, marsh management, planting of adapted fish in the

56

various streams, planting of shrubs and trees, controlled hunting and
fishing based on the productive capacity of the land and streams be
enforced. It is rather difficult to analyse and sumarise the wildlife
management practices needed on the other lands of the county, for in
planning for wildlife land, it is not possible to follow the land
capability classification completely. On most farms there are areas
best used as wildlife land, and their use will not be based on land
classification but primarily because of their location and because the
practice to be applied on it will make wildlife the principal crop to
be produced. In the various problem areas, one or more of the follow-
ing practices my be applicable to most of the farms:

1. Pond management.

2. Windbreaks.

3. Wildlife borders.

4. Harsh management.

5. Fence-row management.

6. Drainage ditch bank management.

7. Management of odd areas.

8 . Streambank management .

57

Table XVIII expresses the analysis of the conservation problems
of hmistee County as prepared by the directors of the llamistee County

Soil Conservation District as part of tb district's program of work.1

TABLE XVIII
manic or musm scum consmvnms muss s! moans mas'
A 3 IaJor Importance
B = Iediam Importance
C 3 liner Importance

D 3 lo Problem

 

 

 

 

Conservation Problem Areas

””1“ 1 z 3 4 s s 7 - s 9 10
Soil lanagemsnt B A A D C A A A A

Erosion Control B A A C B A A A A

Pasture lamagement C A A C D A A A A

Woodland Ianagement A A A A B C A A A

lildlife lamgement A A C A B C C C C

Drainage D C C C A B C D D

Irrigation C A C D D D A A C

*r‘fifd.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2. $5111.

58

APPLICABLE MEASURES AND PRACTICES NEEDED TO MEET

THE CONSERVATION PROBLEM

The ultimate objection of soil conservation is the utilization
of the soil consistent with the maintenance of production. To attain
this objective it is essential that a sound soil conservation program
be developed which provides for the use and management of each tract
of land according to its capabilities and adaptabilities. If, however,
the program is to be feasible it lust also meet the economic and
social demands of the farm of which the tract is a part and of the
farmer who operates the farm. Since it is impossible to evaluate all
of the essential ,nfconomic and social factors, the areas of usable
land presented in this section nay not necessarily represent precisely
the IOBt desirable over-all pattern of land use. They simply indicate
how far it is possible to go and where changes can be made in utilizing
the physical land resources of the county. The conservation needs
presented are based on the converted land use figures.

Proposed Changes in Land Use. One of the first and nest inpcrtant
steps in the conservation of the land resources is the adoption of a
good land use progran. This section presents the proposed land use
based on the land use capabilities. Generally, this neans that lost
all of the Land Capability Classes V, VI, and VII new used for crop-

land, are proposed to be converted to either grassland or woodland use.

There were ninor exceptions to this general rule. This occurred when

59

sons of the capability classes were distributed in such proximity to
lands suitable for cultivation that it was not feasible to convert
these lands to their proper use in accordance with capability. The
same general rule was applied to Class I, II and III lands in wood-
land and grazing land use. The land use conversions were guided by
land use capability classes, type of farming, and past experience

in farm conservation planning in Manistee County.

60

Table XIX reflects the change in land use based on land use
capabilities in Problem Area Number One. The land analysis showed
that all of the land in this problem area falls in Class VII. Since
these soils, Grayling and Rubicon, are best suited for woodland use
nest of this land is proposed for such use. Another reason for pro-
posing a large acreage of woodland is the present sparse population
in the area. A few scattered acres were left in cropland and grazing
land to accommodate a few part tine farmers who are now located in

this area .

TABLE III
PLANNED LAND USE CLASSIFIED ACCORDING TO LAND CAPABILITIES IN

PROBLEM AREA ONE

 

 

 

Land Use land Capability Classes

I II III ' IV V VI VII VIII Total
Cropland 826 826
Permanent Pasture 353 353
Woodland 90411 90411
Miscellaneous 219 219
Total land Area 91809 91809
Total Land in Farms 25942
land Not in Paras 65867

 

 

 

 

 

61

Table II.presents the proposed land use for Problem Area.lunber Two.
The main change occurred in.the woodland acreage, which'was increased
frma 24,798 acres to 39,888 acres. This change was nainly a result of
the large acreage of Class VI and VII whieh'was classed as idle land.
There was also a slight decrease in the cropland acreage and a slight
increase in the grazing land acreage. These lands were napped level to

slightly rolling Blue Lake and Inlet soils which are being used as woodland.

TABLE XXL
PLANNED LAID U83 CLASSIFIED ACCORDING TO LAID CAPABILITIES II
PROBLEI‘ARIA.TIO

 

 

 

Land Use Land Capability Classes

I II III IV V VI VII ‘VIII Total
Cropland 405 2629 2546 5580
Per-anent Pasture 51 198 1509 87 2923 227 5881
Ibodland 58 938 I440 15 5313 52128 39888
lflscellanecus 85 95 17 57 250
Total Land Area 518 4448 5688 82 8253 52410 51599
Total Land in Far-s 58395
Land.lot in.Farns 15006

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

62

Table III presents the planned land use for Problem Area Number

Three .

increased from 5194 to 6462 acres.

The changes in this area were in the cropland acreage, which

This increased acreage was the

result of proposing that the Class II and III lands in grazing and

idle uses be put into cropland.

The woodland acreage remained about

the sane since nest of the Class IV and V lands found in this area

are wet acid sands mapped Saugatuck and Roscomon which are not well

suited for cropland or grazing.

TABLE III

PLANNED LAND USE CLASSIFIED ACCORDING TO LAND CAPABILITIES II

PROBIBI AREA THREE

 

 

 

 

land Use land Capability Classes

II III IV V VI VII VIII Total
Cropland 636 3165 2672 6462
Permanent Pasture 96 292 909 1529 133 2959
Woodland 150 12813 11163 331 2445?
Miscellaneous 38 52 82 152
Total land Area 769 3649 16456 12692 133 331 34030
Total Land in Farms 24513
land lot in Farms 9517

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

63

Table XIII reflects the planned land use for Hoblen Area Number
Four. This area includes the wet bottom lands of the major rivers of
the county and most all of the land was classed as Class V and in wood-
land uses. Because of public ownership the land is now being used in
accordance with its character and the proposed land uses remained the

sane as the present.

TABLE XIII
PLANNED LAND USE CLASSIFIED ACCORDIRG TO LAND CAPABILITIES Ill

PROBLEI AREA FOUR

 

 

 

land Use land Capability Classes
I II III IV V VI VII VIII Total

Cropland

Permanent Pasture 1120 1120

Woodland 19440 19440

Miscellaneous

Total land Area 20560 20560

Total land in Farms; _ 2040

land Not in Barns 18520

 

 

 

 

 

Problem.Area.Nunber Five includes the poorly drained organic soils
which at the time of the survey were not being utilized for crop produc-
tion. The Class II acreages located near lake Michigan do offer possibil-
ities for special crop production. It was proposed that these 226 acres
be so utilised. ‘A large acreage of the Class V fara.1and now in woodland
use offer good pasture possibilities, resultantly a portion of the Class
V'woedland was converted to grazing land.use. Table XXIII presents the

planned use for Problem.Area Number Five.

TABLE XXIII
PLANNED LAND USE CLASSIFIED ACCORDING TO LAND CAPABILITIB IN

PROBLEM AREA.FIVE

 

 

 

 

Land Use Land Capability Classes

I II III IV V' VI VII VIII Total
Cropland 226 . 228
Fernanent Pasture 102 11 181 6502 1796
lbodland 40 920 5781 1360 119 8220
liscellaneous
Total Land Area 328 51 1101 12283 1360 119 15242
Total Land in Farns 8956
Landiot in Far-s 18520

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

65

Problem Area Number Si: is one of the physical regions in which

most of the land is in farms. The nain soil is Nestor which varies from
level to steeply rolling. The changes in land use occurred in the crop-
land acreage which was slightly reduced by shifting the Class VII crop-
land to woodland uses and the Class VI into pasture. Changes in pasture
land occurred as a result of shifting the Class VII land to woodland and
a portion of the Class II and III land to cropland. A portion of the
Class II and III lands new in woodland was also proposed for cropland
use. The idle land acreage was eliminated by proposing that this land
be developed as pasture land. Table XXIV summarises the complete

proposed land use for Problem Area Six.

TABIE HIV
PLANNED LAND USE CLASSIFIED ACCORDING TO LAND CAPABILITIES Ill

PROBLH AREA SIX

 

 

 

land Use land Capability Classes

I II III IV V VI VII VIII Total
Cropland 80 1531 778 326 ‘ 14 2729
Permanent Pasture 19 77 306 358 132 178 1070
Ioodland 20 69 33 927 11 1071 2131
liscellanecus 5 64 23 4 96
Total land Area 85 1634 947 669 1285 157 1249 6026
Total land in Barns 5959
land Not in Farms 67

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

66

The important change in Problem Area lumber Seven was the
increase of approximately 3000 acres in the cropland category.
This change was the result of proposing that a large portion of
the Class II and III woodland, pasture land and idle land acreage
be utilized as cropland. These acres were minly level to slightly
rolling Hester and brunet soils. Other changes in the cropland were
the transferring of the Class VII land to woodland and a large
portion of the Class VI land to pernnent pasture. The total idle
land was eliminated by transferring the Class II, III and IV to
cropland, the Class V and VI to pasture land and the Class VII to
woodland. The orchard land remained about the cane since nest
all of the adapted fruit sites are now being utilized for fruit
production. The only change was made in the Class VII land, the
seriously eroded orchards were transferred to woodland use. As
a result of these recommendations the total planned woodland area
remitted about the same as the present and the planned pasture
land acreage showed a slight drop over the present use. Table XXV

su-arises the complete planned land use for Problems Area Seven.

67

TABLE m

PLANNED LAND USE CLASSIFIED ACCORDING TO LAND CAPABILITIES 1N
PROBLH AREA ssvnz

 

 

 

land Use land Capability Classes

I II III IV V VI VII VIII Total
Cropland 22 6224 16487 3761 246 26740
Permanent Pasture 261 1701 1395 835 2159 180 6531
Woodland 670 1996 2144 1824 992 2790 10416
Orchard 4 394 1603 427 352 50 2830
liscellanecus 276 548 107 52 983
Total land Area 26 7825 22335 7834 2659 3801 3020 47500
Total land in Farms 45904
Land lot in Fans 1596

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

68

About 900 acres of Class VI and VII land were being used as crop-

land in Problem Area Eight.

pasture and woodland uses, the total planned cropland acreage equaled the

croplaml acreage under the present use analysis.

Even though this acreage was transferred to

This was a result of

transferring a similar acreage of Class II and III lands at present in

pasture and woodland to cropland uses.

lost of the idle land was classed

as non-cropland, and this acreage was planned for grazing and woodland

“.0 e

Using land capabilities as guides within practical limits, the

total planned cropland, pasture land, orchard land and woodland acreage

was about the same as under the present use category.

presents the planned land use for Problem Area Bight.

TABLE 11171

Table XXV I

PLANNED LAND USE CLASSIFIED ACCORDING TO LAND CAPABILITIES IN

PROBLEH AREA EIGHT

 

 

 

land Use lad Capability Classes

II III IV V VI VII VIII Total
Cropland 1334 3236 2313 54 6952
Pernanent Pasture 179 1143 1276 181 3058 286 6123
Ibodland 168 906 1939 202 1339 1735 6839
Orchard 40 895 1100 349 89 2473
liscellaneous 23 27 220 30 300
Total land Area 1744 6207 6873 383 5310 2170 22687
Total land in Paras 21971
land lot in Farms 716

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

69

Approxintely fifty per cent of the land in Problem Area Nine was
classed as IV land. This was mainly due to the large acreage of Kalhaska
loamy sand, which characterizes this physical region. These soil charac-
teristics give rise to rather level droughty lands, low in crop produc-
tivity and very susceptible to wind erosion when cropped. It was felt
that these Class IV lands were better suited for pasture 1am develop-
nent. As a result of these changes in addition to transferring Class
VI and VII croplands to pasture and woodland, the total cropland
acreage showed a slight decrease after planning. There was little
change node in the Class II and III lands presently in woodland due
to the fact that these II and III lanis were small in size and inti-
mately associated with the IV and VII lands. Table BVII su-narises

the planned land use for Problem Area Nine.

TABLE m II

PLANNED LAND USE CLASSIFIED ACCORDING TO LAND CAPABILITIES II
PROBIH ARIA NINE

 

 

Land Use Land Capability Classes

I II III IV V VI VII VIII Total

Cropland 15129 10449 9922 26500

Permanent Pasture ' 150 1319 9399 1467 566 400 13291

Woodland 358 2440 4809 2911 460 3272 124 14374

Oron 53 63 686 80 882

liscellaneous 77 596 367 57 897

Total Land Area 15767 14667 25173 4378 1026 3809 124 549“

~ Total Land in Paras 45952
Land lot in Par-e 8992

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Proqu Area Ten is an inportant agricultural region including

some of the most productive land, nainly Iarlin soils which are level

and silty. This area offered the best opportunity to increase the

cropland potent ialities .

70

Over 1500 acres of Class II and III land now

in woodland and idle were proposed for croplanduse. Both woodland and

pasture land were decreased after planning.

planned land use for Problem Area Ten;

PLANNED LAND USE CLASSIFIED ACCORDING TO LAND CAPABILITIES m

TAB“ XIVIII

PROBLHAREATI

 

 

 

land Use land Capability Classes

I II III IV V VI VII VIII Total
Cropland 5855 1877 989 8521
Permanent Pasture 104 51 112 86 152 445
loodland 78 279 490 91 181 88 1185
Orchard 28 57 89 154
Miscellaneous 105 81 9 175
Total land Area 5970 2105 1869 157 293 88 10280
Total land in Paras 10184
land lot in Farms 98

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Table mlll presents the

 

71

The needed land use conversions are sunarised for the county
in Figure 8. This study showed that 27 per cent of the land could
be used as cropland. By making the changes nearly four per cent
more cropland is available and it will be land that will not be
subject to so rapid depletion and great soil and water losses,
providing soil conserving measures are used on the lam in
Capability Classes II, III and IV. There is a noticeable increase
in the amount of land in Capability Classes 1, II and III. Over
seventy per cent of the land proposed for cropland is in these
three capability classes.

There also resulted a’ slight increase in the permanent
pasture. Very much of the increase is on land that is not at
present providing very good grazing. A further analysis showed
that the land needs good cover if erosion and depletion are to be
kept within reasonable limits.

The alcunt of woodland and wildlife land remained about the
cane. Even though no change was made in the total acreage a
considerable amount of Class VII land was cemented from idle

land, cropland and pasture land to woodland.

72

FIGURE 6

DISTRIBUTION OF PROPOSED LAND USE IN MANISTEE COUNTY

ACCORDING TO CAPABILITY cuss AND LAND 8831

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

- 4
2.9
Cropland II-25.4% (21) III-46.5% (38.9) ( )
27.0% IV-27.0% VII- 8 (8.6)
(23.6) (28.5)
W - % (7)
Pasture III IV-34.2. 31.4 v-27.3 13.4 71-2 .5 711- .
.14~4% 2.1% 7( ) %( ) (12.4? H.113 (16 8)
(12) 20)
I-.7% he)
F111..:5,4IZL(4.1)
.MMJ)
Woodland IV V-22.6%
56.5% 13.2% (24.7) VII-57.9% (52.7) fill-.22. (o)
(55.8) (12.6)
(44.6) .
FIN-41.5%
Orchard . I I 1 I. “IIJ (7-3)
2.1% LII-8.1% (87 LIV-36.0% (27.8)Tv1-12L.o% (12.2)

 

(1.6) 16.2% (.1)

l. The figures in parenthesis are the present land use
percentages which are mentioned here to facilitate comparison
between present and proposed land use.

73 FT

 

Selection and Evaluation of Applicable Soil Conservation leasures.
In the selection of practices to be used consideration was given to:
(1) Local Soil Conservation Service land capability recommendation
tables. (2) Para conservation plans developed in the county.

(3) Practices and adjustnents which are needed to carry out a
coordinated prograa of soil and water conservation. (4) Author's
own experience in developing conservation surveys and farm plans in
the county.

To evaluate practices as accurately as possible, certain known
factors were carefully considered, each in its relation to the others.
For a given type of land use, for cropland, as an example, the prac-
tices shown by experience to be needed for the best protection of
the soil and laxiaum practicable conservation of rainfall were used
as basic guides. The total quantities of practices needed were based
on the proposed land use acres.

The soil and water conservation practices shown in Table III!
are defined as follows:

1. Contour farming: A method of farming which entails the
plowing, planting, cultivating and harvesting of crops in rows which
follow lines that are level or cenfcrn to acceptable standards for
grades.

2. Cover crops: A crop used between regular cropping periods

and in orchards to cover or protect the surface of the soil.

74

3. Diversions: A graded channel with a supporting ridge on the
lower side constructed at the top, base, or across the slope to inter-
cept runoff and nininise erosion, used as an individual channel or in
series with wider spacing than terraces.

4. Strip cropping: The growing of crops in a systematic arrange-
ment of strips or bands which serve as vegetative barriers to wind and
water erosion.

5. Farn drainage: The removal or exclusion of excess water from
wet farn land by drainage structures, such as open or closed drains.

8. Terracing: The construction of channels, with ridges below,
across the slope at specified intervals.

7. Line: Total umber of cropland and pasture acres needing line.

8. Fertilizer: Total mnber cf cropland and pasture acres need-
ing fertiliser.

‘ 9. Outlets and sod waterways-s Protected natural or constructed
channels for the purpose of disposing of runoff in a manner which
minimizes erosion. Such channels are usually protected by grass.

10. Crop residue managenent: The operation and management of
cropland to conserve stubble, stalks, and other crop aftermath on or
near the surface in order to prevent wind and water erosion, to
conserve noisture, and insure crop production.

11. Mulching: Use of vegetative litter not grown on the site to
cover the ground around the base of fruit trees with a layer of naterial
which protects the land from erosion, conserves moisture, and discourages

weed growth .

12. Reforestation: The planting of seedlings or transplants of
woody plants in order to establish or re-establish a forest.

15. Harvest and improvement cutting: The cutting in any woodland
for the purpose of harvesting trees ready for market or for the purpose
of increasing the utility of the forest.

l4. New’ground development: The removal of trees and brush in.the
preparation of the land for cropland.

15. Improved rotations: The use of a legume or grass and legwme
in the crop sequence. It is assumed that all cropland needs a soil
conserving rotation.

16. Renovating and seeding: Establishment of perennial vegetation
for pasture.

17. Marshland development: The clearing of organic soils for either
crop or pasture use.

18. Fire and grazing protection: Intentionally providing protection
to existing woodlands from.firc and grazing by domestic animals.

19. Permanent seeding of orchard land: Establishment of perennial
grass or grass and legume in.the orchards.

20. Alternate middles: ‘Establishment of legume and grass in
alternate middles between.the fruit tree rows.

21. Dune erosion control: Establishment of beach grass to stabilize

the active sand dune areas.

 

Table 1111 summarizes the quantity of conservation practices needed
to utilise the lands of Nanistee County under a conservation system of
management. Woodland management and reforestation are the major prac-
tices in Problem Areas One and Four. In Problem Area Two, which is
characterized by sandy soils, reforestation and woodland management
are also important practices. Strip cropping, sod waterways and soil
management practices are of prime importance on the light textured
rolling cropland of this problem area. Problem Area Three is another
area where woodland management is the major practice. Pasture develop-
ment‘on the wet organic soils is another important practice which will
improve the condition of the few farms which are established in this
area.

Contour farming, strip cropping, sod waterways, soil management,
pasture development and improvement are the major conservation
practices of Problem Areas Three, Six, Seven, Eight, Nine and Ten
where cropland predominates.

The orchard practices of alternate middles, penanent grass
seeding, mulching, diversions and terraces are of major importance
in Problem Areas Seven, Eight and Nine.

Dune stabilization is an important conservation practice of

Problem Area Nine .

77

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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SUGGESTIONS 18 TO mu '1" APPLICABLE HEASURES AND

PRACTICES MAY BE APPLIED TO THE LAND

The conservation problem of lanistee County has been presented
and it is recognisable that at least a large part of the physical
technology needed for the conservation, wise use, and development of
land and water resources of Manistee County is known. There is
sufficient scientific knowledge available to bring about an
improvement over existing conditions, if it is used on a sufficiently
broad scale. The biggest single problem imediately ahead is to
devise practical ways and means of putting this scientific knowledge
to work on a larger scale. The vital problem is the development of
the social and political techniques and associations that are so
vital to widespread action in a demoratic nation.

The vital question is what met be done so that the people on
the land will accept the program. The ultimate goal is the assumption
of the responsibilities by each single person in the county and in
turn regard himself as an integral part of the conservation movelent.
This requires a program of education and information that will
eventually lead the people to the point that they will feel that the
county's conservation problem is their problem. It seems evident that
this can be best accomplished by participation of the local people in
the planning and operating of the conservation program, keeping in

harmony with the local traditions and culture.

80

With the enactment of the District Enabling Act of Iichigan
the legal machinery providing for the participation of the local
people in the developing and administering of the conservation
program is available. The land owners in Manistee County organised
their soil conservation district in 1945 and duly elected directors
to fomlate and administer the conservation program. To make their
program more effective it is suggested that the following agencies
be given the respective assignments:

l. The public school system should assume the responsibilities
of promoting conservation education with the younger generations,
concentrating on the problems in Manistee County. The school
administrators and teachers should familiarize themselves with
the local conservation problems and incorporate these problems
into the teaching schedules.

2. The civic and rural organisations, such as the Rotary,
Women's Clubs, Farm Bureau, and Sportmen's Clubs, should mks the
conservation program of llanistee County a major issue in their
respective programs.

3. The county and township governing bodies should familiarise
themselves thoroughly with the conservation problems and program of
the county and serve as consultants for the Soil Conservation
District governing body.

4. The Agricultural Conservation Program of the Production

and Marketing Administration is a federal financed program installed

81

for the purpose of providing incentive payments to encourage the
farmers to adopt soil conservation practices. The local comitteemen
should administer this program in complete accordance with the intent
of the program and approve payments for conservation practices in
close harmony with the conservation program of the county.

5. The United States Soil Conservation Service is a federal
agency requested by the District Directors to assist the landowners
to develop a soil and water conservation farm plan in accordance
with the capabilities of the land and apply difficult conservation
practices. The Soil Conservation Service should also furnish the
District Directors with basic physical land informtion necessary
in developing and administering a conservation program.

6. The Iichigan Extension Service should utilize all of its
resources in developing and carrying out an educational and
informational program on the soil and water conservation problems.
This program should be closely correlated with the over-all
conservation objective of the county as administered by the
District Directors.

1. The United States Forest Service and Michigan Conservation
Department are administering public owned land in the county. These
agencies should serve as technical consultants to the District
Directors and furnish such assistance as low priced reforestation
stock, woodland and wildlife management assistance and fire protec-

tion to the private owned lands in cooperation with the County

82

Soil Conservation District. These public agencies should also
administer the programs for the public owned lands in closer coopera-
tion with the local people. The local leaders should be consulted
in the development and administration of the program for the public
lands and thereby secure the support and confidence of the local people.
8. The directors of the Soil Conservation District should assume
the responsibilities of developing and administering a soil and water
conservation program for the county. They should secure the assistance
of all civic and public agencies active in the county and closely
coordinate the activities of these various public agencies with the
over-all objective of the conservation of the natural resources of
Manistee County. An attempt should also be made at drawing each
individual farmer into some particular phase of the conservation

program with definite responsibilities.

SUMMARY

Soil conservation surveys, which represented an eight per cent
sample of the total land area, were used as a basis in assembling
data on the inventory of land resources, present and proposed
changes on land utilization and the total conservation need for
the county. This data was collected and analysed by problem areas,
which are physical regions with similar soil, utilisation and
conservation problem characteristics.

Before any land use adjustments can be proposed it is necessary
to know the present use of the land in addition to the physical
characteristics. The study showed that 23.6 per cent of the total
land area in the county is used as cropland. Of this acreage,

11.5 per cent is not suitable for cultivation, being classed as
use Capability Class VI and VII land. Twelve per cent of the land
is in permanent pasture use with Class IV land predominating. The
study further revealed that 55.8 per cent of the land area is in
woodland use, 1.6 per cent in orchard use and 7 per cent is idle.

Over 90,000 acres of forest in Manistee County are owned by
the United States and State of lichigan. State and federal forestry
agencies have done mach to protect the forests from fires, develop
the wildlife potentials, and reforest the open lands not suited for
agriculture. These lands are being managed on a basis of furnishing

a permanent putput of wood and wildlife products.

 

In conjunction with the utilisation.of the land, six major
conservation problems were listed. These conservation problems are:
1. Soil management. 2. Erosion control. 3. The addition and
removal of excessive water. 4. Improvement and management of
pastures. 5. lbodland management. 6. ‘lildlife production.

To attain the ultimate objective of good soil and water
utilisation.it is essential that a sound soil conservation.prcgram
be developed which provides for the use and management of each tract
of land in accordance with its capabilities and adaptabilities. In
accordance with this objective, the study showed that 27 per cent
of the land could be safely used as cropland providing soil eon-
serving measures are used on land in Capability Classes II, III
and IV. Ninetybeight per cent of the land proposed for cropland is
in these threeucapability classes. There also resulted a slight
increase in.the planned acreage of permanent pasture over the present
usage and the woodland and wildlife land acreage remained the same.
Even though no change was made in.the total woodland acreage a
considerable amount of Class'VII land was planned for woodland from
idle land, cropland and pasture land, which require reforestation.

Considering the local Soil Conservation.3ervice land capability
recommendations and past experience in local conservation farm
planning, an estimate of the quantities of conservation practices

needed was made based on the proposed land use acreage.

85

It is recognisable that at least a large part of the physical
technology needed for improving the use of the land resources of
Manistee County is known. The biggest single problem immediately
ahead is to devise practical ways and means of putting this
scientific knowledge to work on a larger scale. It seems evident
that this can be best accomplished by participation of the local
people in the planning and operating of the conservation program,

keeping in harmony with the local traditions and culture.

 

1..__-vw~_u‘-n-ran=--' a—r- .-

 

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

,, 6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

11.

86

B IB LIOCERAPHY

Amstcrburg, Robert J. Unpublished Forest Cover Map of
Manistee County, 1950, United States Soil Conservation
Service, ludington, Michigan, Personal Comnication.

Bureau of the Census, Preliminary 1950 Census of
Agiculture, United States Department of Commerce,
Washington, D. C., Series AC 50-1, 1951, 4 pp.

 

 

Bureau of the Census, United States Census of Agriculture,
United States Department of Commerce, Washington, D. C.,
16th Census of the United States, 1940, p 15.

 

Crampton, Wayne I. and Johnson, Russell H. Land-Use
Planning Report for LManistee Count Manistee County

as Planning Committee, Enistee, Michigan. In
Mimeograph, 1940-1941.

 

Leverett, Frank and Taylor, Frank B. The Pleistocence
of Indiana and Michign and the Histo of the Great

BI... Department of Interior, United gates Geological
Survey, Washington, D. C. Vol. LIII, 1915, pp 502-310.

 

 

Manistee County Soil Conservation District, Progam of
Work, Manistee, Michigan, In Mimeograph, 194 . \.

\
McIntosh, Robert. Land and Water Conservation Department,
Michigan State College, Extension Service, East Lansing,
Michigan, Written Cominication.

Mickey, Karl B. Man and the Soil, Chicago, Illinois,
R. R. Donnelley a Sons Company, 1945, pp

Norton, 3. A. Soil Conservation Survey Handbook, United
States Department of Agriculture, Miscellaneous Publication
Number 352, 1939.

Steele, J. G. The Measure of Our Land, Soil Conservation
Service, United StatesDe Departmcnt of Agriculture, Washington,
D. C., 1951, pp

Wills, Merrill H. Climate and Man, Yearbook of Agriculture,
United States Department of Agriculture, Washington, D. C. ,
1941, pp 914-916.

 

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