22 September 21 - Logging is done, trails are back open!

Starting Monday, September 13, there’s been some logging on and around Duck Pond, primarily affecting “Ollie’s Folly” and “Who’s Ollie?” singletrack. We are working with the foresters and logging teams to coordinate when it’s safe for us to resume trail use. Tentatively this project should wrap up sometime during the week of the 20th. How to stay up to date? Your best bet as always is following along on our trail conditions board.

The Duck Pond harvest is being completed as part of the long term stewardship of the Pattersons by Lafoe Logging LLC under the supervision of Vermont Licensed Forester Rick Morrill of Northern Forest Conservation Services. Lafoe Logging was named Northeastern loggers of the year and they’ve done several of the logging jobs around the Center.

Part of the beauty of the Northeast Kingdom is derived from remaining a working landscape where recreation is one of many values and products. Sustainable timber harvests generate wood products we all use each day from firewood to paper and help support local natural resource economies and industries.

Each tree harvested is selected by the forester as part of a silvicultural strategy intended to enhance the health, productivity, and habitat values of the forest. A detailed forest management plan guides this work. To learn more about this work and other forest management ongoing across the Outdoor Center’s trail network see this webpage.