Yatsevitch Timber Tour

Last Saturday more than 30 guests joined Forest Society staff Wendy Weisiger (Forester) and Dave Anderson (Director of Education and Volunteer Services), Forester Jeremy Turner (Meadowsend Timberlands, LLC), Logger Tracy Burns (Pioneer Forestry), Sullivan County Forester Chuck Hersey and UNH Extension Wildlife Specialist Matt Tarr on a tour of an active timber harvest on the Michael M. and Claudia Yatsevitch Forest in Cornish and Plainfield. This is the second phase of a two-year harvest on the roughly 1,000 acre Yatsevitch Forest. The harvest plan includes fairly large (>10 acre) wildlife openings to promote habitat diversity and provide resources for species that utilize early successional habitat. As UNH Wildlife Specialist Matt Tarr explained to the group, recent research indicates that forest openings must be quite large in order to truly increase the species diversity in an area. So while 1 or 2 acre clearcuts for wildlife may be more aesthetically (and politically) appealing, these openings should really be closer to 10+ acres in order to attract the greatest diversity of wildlife. Read more here.

Jeremy Turner talks about a wildlife opening created in 2010

Larger (>10 acre) forest openings are more likley to increase wildlife species diversity

White pine is the predominant species being removed during the current Yatsevitch Forest harvest, which should allow the remaining northern harwoods to mature nicely and increase in value. Sugar Maple and White Ash are common canopy trees in this rich mesic forest, and a portion of the property to the north of the harvest area is an active sugarbush leased to a local maple producer. The Yatsevitch Forest boasts an exceptionally high level of plant diversity, including several state-listed rare plants. In order to protect these uncommon resources, a 300+ acre "ecoreserve" has been designated on this forest, within which no timber harvesting will occur.

Dave Anderson points out sugar maple borer damage on a young tree

In addition to discussing the harvest plan, silvicultural prescriptions, and harvesting methods for the Yatsevitch operation, the group also convened on the log landing to discover which markets and forest products the harvested wood will be headed for. If you missed the Yatsevitch Timber Tour, please join us later this month for a tour of another timber harvest at the Rocks Estate in Bethlehem. To register, visit the Forest Society's website!