IRON MOUNTAIN, Mich. (WZMQ) – In Dickinson County, the Iron Mountain Cemetery is poised for a significant improvement, thanks to a state grant secured through the Michigan DNR’s Urban and Community Forestry Program.
Isaac Micheau, the City Treasurer, announced, “Many of the trees in the cemetery are well over a hundred years old and have a decreasing condition that needs to be addressed, and this will help to remove some of those more difficult trees.”
The city applied for two grants from the Michigan DNR’s Urban and Community Forestry Program, one for the downtown area and one specifically for the cemetery. However, due to limited funding, only the cemetery grant was awarded so far.
The grant, totaling $41,000 of the initial $50,000 request, aims to replace deteriorating trees and plant new ones in the cemetery. Meanwhile, the downtown area, still in need of a tree upgrade, has over a dozen ash trees requiring replacement.
The city’s new cemetery arch has been installed, and the urban forestry developments continue. The treasurer was particularly hopeful for the cemetery grant as it includes planting new trees, while the Dickinson-Menominee District Forester, Joshua Isaac, emphasizes the need to prioritize downtown trees.
Isaac remarked, “It’s frustrating because they want to promote Urban Forestry, the State does. And they’re like: ‘we have all this grant money’. And it’s like, ‘we are really kind of struggling’ here. We planted a bunch of ash trees years ago, and now they all have emerald ash-borer and are dead, and,”
Isaac clarified “So, some of them do, the ones that are right next to city hall on that sidewalk, in my initial inspection I didn’t see any signs of emerald ash-borer, and they had been treating them. But then when I went back. I went back downtown, and I found one tree with one D-shaped hole, an exit hole from an emerald ash-borer.
While the downtown grant’s approval remains uncertain, the treasurer remains optimistic about finding resources since it’s unlikely the downtown grant will be approved. He noted, “In my opinion, it’s easier to find funding for those than it is to find funding for the cemetery, because those are more out-of-sight-out-of-mind.”
The cemetery grant has the potential to fund up to 35 new trees, with the forester focusing on a native variety for diversity. “I was trying to diversify it,” Isaac shared, “so we’d get some really nice tall shady trees, and have some nice flowering ornamental trees as well.”
The forester plans educational outreach for the grounds crew on proper tree maintenance and chainsaw safety.
Caution will be exercised to avoid disturbing tombs, and the project must be executed by winter 2025. The Forestry Department is also organizing a “Backyard Birding” workshop coming soon at the Dickinson County Library on January 11th from 6-8 p.m. Central Time.
The Conservation District also has a board meeting scheduled on Dec 21st at 3:30 Central.
The Conservation District’s Annual Spring Tree Sale is now LIVE. To shop the tree sale, visit:
*Below: Photos Courtesy Joshua Isaac, Menominee-Dickinson District Forester.
