Whitney State Forest Closing

The Whitney State Forest will be closing on June 1st due to some much needed timber harvesting. Due to the forest's small size and location of the harvesting, the state forest manager feels it is necessary to close the forest to protect the public and the loggers.

I know this is frustrating for users of this forest but please keep a few things in mind. First, it really is for your safety. Logging is the most dangerous job in the U.S. and accidents frequently happen. Broken branches can fall from the top of trees at any time. Logging equipment is large and loud, operators have difficulty seeing people walking around and will not hear you either. Another reason we are closing the forest is to help protect the loggers. Imagine how you would feel if you were responsible for the injury of another (unintentionally). Also profit margins in logging depends on the speed that the logger can get the trees on the ground, on the truck, and to the mill. If the logger has to worry about forest users or a truck gets blocked by a users vehicle then the logger loses money.

So why is this harvesting necessary? Well one of the stands of Loblolly needs to be thinned to increase the productivity of the trees and help to keep them insect and disease free. Another stand of Loblolly pine has reached maturity and will be harvested and then replanted with Loblolly pine seedlings next year. Will this affect the aesthetics of the forest? Well, yes. I will not lie and say that logging is pretty but it is necessary. Also keep in mind that the state forests are self sufficient and do not use taxpayer dollars to function. We must cut timber to afford to keep our forests open.

So if you frequent the Whitney State Forest, please bear with us during this closure. The faster the loggers get done, the faster we can reopen the forest. If you have any questions about the closure please don't hesitate to leave a comment for me or contact our Warrenton office at 540-347-6359.