November 6, 2006

ELLSWORTH — The forest at Woodlawn is alive with the sound of harvesting equipment. The Hancock County Trustees of Public Reservations has contracted with Prentiss & Carlisle, a forest management firm based in Bangor, to implement a forest management plan.

"We knew we had to do something," said Josh Torrance, the museum's executive director.Improving the health of the forest was a goal, as was reducing the fire hazard the forest posed, said Torrance. The last major harvest was in the 1940s.

The project will diversify the wildlife at Woodlawn, according to Tom Nelson, manager of Woodlot Management Services for Prentiss & Carlisle. The forest is uniform inage, which limits the type of wildlife, he said.Ellsworth Fire Chief Jon Marshall is pleased about the project. "The thinning they're doing is a great fuel reduction," he said.Parts of the forest had grown so thick it was difficult to walk through. Had a fire started, it would have been difficult to stop, the chief said.

Preserving the trails, the wildlife and the aesthetics of the 120-acre forest is a high priority, according to Nelson.Those who walk and run on the trails winding through the property likely won't notice the work that's been done.Nelson said his firm was taking out dead, dying, "suppressed" trees and "lower quality trees" and leaving the mature trees."I'm sure some people will ask why we're cutting any trees at all, but the reason is simple: well-planned cuts help new growth flourish and keep the forest healthy,"


Timber harvesting is not a new occurrence at Woodlawn, Torrance said. Timber harvesting has likely been done since John Black owned the property, he said.
Prentiss & Carlisle is using two complex pieces of equipment, called a "cut to length system," to harvest, Nelson said. The system has a low impact on the forest, he said.
A processor, which resembles a giant pair of tongs with blades inside, grabs the desired tree and cuts it off at the base. The processor pushes the tree through the tongs, which skins the tree, removing all the branches. This process takes seconds.
"It also allows you to reach in and select what you cut," Nelson said.
The system is called cut to length because the processor scans the tree's size and cuts it to the appropriate length, Nelson said. The logs are sorted into specific products, such as veneer or pulpwood, in the forest.
Another piece of equipment called a forwarder goes into the woods to pick up the piles of logs and carry them out without disturbing the remaining forest.
The branches and treetops are left on the ground, where they will become an important source of nutrients for the remaining stand and act as ground cover to reduce erosion and soil compression from the harvesting machinery, Nelson said.
A lot of landowners in Maine have high aesthetic concerns, thus the cut-to-length system is key, Nelson said.
The firm has done several projects for Hancock County residents. "Our niche is the fussier landowner," Nelson said.
Prentiss & Carlisle's woodlot division has managed properties ranging from four acres to thousands of acres, Nelson said.
An unexpected benefit from the harvest is the proposed return from the harvested logs, Torrance said.
Nelson said the museum could conservatively expect $20,000 to $30,000 from the project.
What turned out as a project to clean up the woods has turned out to be much larger, Torrance said.
The museum realized the project is an opportunity for the public to learn about sustainable harvests, said Torrance.
So, Nelson will give talks about forest management.
Also, the museum will schedule times for community members to view the harvest.
The project has just begun and will continue for about 10 more weeks.
The hiking trails will remain open during most of the harvest. Any sections temporarily closed for safety reasons will be coordinated to ensure the least amount of disruption to the public, Torrance said.