brad i put a significant number of green cedars into my 8 acre lake several years ago and have no ill effects. I can still see some of them and seem to be holding up well. I cut and placed them around the edge of my pond and then drug each of them out with my john boat, tied wire around a large rock, and sank them all standing up. I used wire rather than twine or rope in hopes it would last longer. I placed each cedar just far enough out off of the bank to have the top of the tree be right below the surface. Fish love em!