Summer Timber Harvests Planned

June 7, 2012

Downeast Lakes Land Trust has planned its summer timber harvests for 2012.  Sustaining the timber economy, improving wildlife habitats, and providing public recreation opportunities are the priorities for the trust in our management of the Farm Cove Community Forest.  Net income from timber harvests supports trust operations, including property maintenance, wildlife habitat projects, and public access improvements.

Our timber harvests are integrated with our wildlife habitat objectives  in our forest management plan through a “focus species” approach.  Individual seasonal harvest plans are developed to be compatible with our overall management plan and a five year plan.  The planning process relies on the expertise of our forester, Kyle Burdick of Orion Timberlands, and the local knowledge and expertise of our staff, Forestry Resources Committee, and Board of Directors.  More information about our sustainable timber management and wildlife habitat management are available at www.downeastlakes.org, or by calling Mark Berry at 207-796-2100.

To help recreational users or campowners who may wish to avoid active harvesting operations, Downeast Lakes Land Trust provides a general location map for planned harvests.  The 2012 summer harvest will occur within the area displayed on this Planned 2012 Summer Harvest Area map.  Harvest prescriptions vary within this area.

The smaller (eastern) harvest area is an early-successional habitat project that will involve 2 to 5 acre cuts, totaling 20 acres within a 100 acre area, and is expected to be completed in June.  This wildlife habitat project was planned with the assistance of biologist Andy Weik of The Ruffed Grouse Society.  Early-successional habitats benefit grouse, woodcock, and other species such as chestnut-sided warblers, while providing browse for deer and moose.

The larger (western) portion of the summer harvest is expected to occur in the second half of July and in August, within an area of 566 acres to the north and west of Hayes Brook.  A portion of the harvest area is within a larger area of over 2,250 acres that the trust has designated for management as white-tailed deer wintering area and travel corridor under our focus species plan, with the goal of benefiting deer and a wide range of wildlife species that also utilize mature conifer forest.  This habitat area did not provide adequate deer winter cover when the trust acquired the property, but our plans are designed to develop this habitat over time.  This harvest will involve a mix of single tree selection and small patch cuts of up to 75 feet in width, and is intended to contribute to the development of late-successional forest characteristics over time.