Local Forest Managers Attend Wooden Skidder Bridge Mat Construction Workshop

September 15, 2013

The Downeast Lakes Land Trust wishes to thank Keith Kanoti from Water Resources Forester of the Maine Forest Service (MFS) and Pat Sirois, Director of the Maine Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) of the Maine Forest Products Council for leading the Wooden Skidder Bridge Mat Workshop as well as financially supporting it.

“Our emphasis was on restoring the two stream crossings in the Rolfe Brooke Watershed,” said DLLT Executive Director, Mark Berry.  “These two sites have had some ongoing use, so putting in bridges was good for habitat, keeping vehicles out of the streams.”

Bridge mats, or “temporary skidder bridges”, when used properly, allow temporary stream crossings to be installed with minimal impact to the waterbodies being crossed, and therefore protect the quality of the water.  This supports the DLLT’s work to restore habitat for brook trout and other aquatic wildlife.

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