Timber Harvest 2017

Ollie Burruss along with Rick Morrill and Dawn Morgan of Northern Forest Conservation Services review where cutting will happen this summer.

In our second year of harvesting timber from an area of active trails, our small and efficient team comprised of LaBounty Timber Harvesting, Northern Forest Conservation Services, LLC, and the COC leadership are already improving upon our long-term Forest Management Plan that identifies the most appropriate areas and trees to harvest during the 2017 logging season. Judy Geer noted that the whole process is already much smoother. “We’ve learned a lot in a year.”

Skidder waits at the ready to drag trees out of the forest.

The COC strives to facilitate a positive coexistence between sport, ecology, and local commerce. Sustainable forestry is a detailed process that defines which trees to cut; when, how, and how much of the tree will be removed; how long COC trails will be closed as a result of the harvest; and how the cutting of select trees will change the evolution of the different layers of a forest ecosystem over time.

LaBounty Timber Harvesting taking a load away.

Part of the COC’s mission is to protect and enhance the quality of our forests, water, soil, and wildlife resources while simultaneously providing commercial forest products to the business owners of Vermont and educational resources to facilitate and grow awareness of Forest Stewardship. Our Forest Management Plan and participation in Vermont’s Current Use Program allows us to accomplish both our educational and economic goals.

Proper signage is a big part of the process.

We want to get people outside and enjoying the environment for all she has to offer. We believe that logging, environmental responsibility, healthy, active lifestyles, and support of local businesses can happen simultaneously and the success of each is not mutually exclusive from the whole.

For all the bikers and runners waiting with bated breath - all the trails off the upper biathlon loop are either open or in the process of being cleaned and will open soon. Our loggers are planning on wrapping up work on the east side of the harvest area this week. As always, you can see current trail status on our conditions board.