The Whitney State Forest Saga

There has been some interest on the blog as to what the future of the Whitney State Forest holds and more specifically what may be done concerning some of the invasive species found there. Here is a short synopsis of planned activities:

approximately 1 acre of kudzu control
approximately 15 acres of understory herbicide application in a Yellow Poplar stand to control invasives (Multiflora Rose, Wineberry, Bittersweet)
Approximately 11 acres of bittersweet control in the thinned area (cut and spray vines running up trees)
Burn the field (winter)
Plant shortleaf in the clearcut
Herbcide release of shortleaf seedlings over the next several years
Gravel for the parking lot
New kiosk
Replace stream crossing with engineered ford crossing

Also it is worth noting that we do know about the trail becoming overgrown for about 1/2 mile where it crosses one of the fields. Currently our tractor with the bush hog is down for repairs but as soon as that is back in service this portion of the trail will be tended to.

If you have interest in helping state forest staff with invasive control or trail work at the Whitney please contact Terry Lasher or Joe Rossetti at the Faquier County office at (540) 347-6358. We are more than happy to have volunteers on board and you can even earn a free forest use permit good for one year from the completion of the necessary hours.

Regardless of the content of the comments, I am very happy to see that so many people are concerned about the Whitney State Forest. Concern equals care, if no one cared then no one would be concerned. Thank you for the love and devotion to this wonderful resource!

PS...If you would like to know more about identifying and controlling invasive plant species consider attending the Good Green, Bad Green Invasive Plant Control for Habitat Restoration Conference in Front Royal on September 16th and 17th. The website for more information is: http://www.forestryforthebay.org/ggbg/. This should be a very information workshop and well worth your time.

The Whitney State Forest Saga

There has been some interest on the blog as to what the future of the Whitney State Forest holds and more specifically what may be done concerning some of the invasive species found there. Here is a short synopsis of planned activities:

approximately 1 acre of kudzu control
approximately 15 acres of understory herbicide application in a Yellow Poplar stand to control invasives (Multiflora Rose, Wineberry, Bittersweet)
Approximately 11 acres of bittersweet control in the thinned area (cut and spray vines running up trees)
Burn the field (winter)
Plant shortleaf in the clearcut
Herbcide release of shortleaf seedlings over the next several years
Gravel for the parking lot
New kiosk
Replace stream crossing with engineered ford crossing

Also it is worth noting that we do know about the trail becoming overgrown for about 1/2 mile where it crosses one of the fields. Currently our tractor with the bush hog is down for repairs but as soon as that is back in service this portion of the trail will be tended to.

If you have interest in helping state forest staff with invasive control or trail work at the Whitney please contact Terry Lasher or Joe Rossetti at the Faquier County office at (540) 347-6358. We are more than happy to have volunteers on board and you can even earn a free forest use permit good for one year from the completion of the necessary hours.

Regardless of the content of the comments, I am very happy to see that so many people are concerned about the Whitney State Forest. Concern equals care, if no one cared then no one would be concerned. Thank you for the love and devotion to this wonderful resource!

PS...If you would like to know more about identifying and controlling invasive plant species consider attending the Good Green, Bad Green Invasive Plant Control for Habitat Restoration Conference in Front Royal on September 16th and 17th. The website for more information is: http://www.forestryforthebay.org/ggbg/. This should be a very information workshop and well worth your time.

A Commentary on Clearcuts and Trails

To many people the word clearcut is the equivalent to any choice four letter word and conjures up the image of a wasteland. On our State Forests we often get comments from forest users when a clearcut occurs, especially when their favorite trail runs adjacent to or through the area. I am not going to pass judgement on anyone for their beliefs about forest management. First of all, I can easily see why people get upset over clearcuts. They are not aesthetically pleasing and it is hard not to miss the mature trees that once stood there. What I hope to accomplish is to give a different perspective on clearcuts and explain why we do them.

In forest management foresters apply basic ecological principles to manipulate or control the natural changes and reactions of trees to planned disturbances. Harvesting methods such as thinning, clearcuts, etc. are all types of planned disturbances. However, these methods all mimic unplanned disturbances. What are unplanned disturbances? Wildfire, hurricanes, tornadoes, ice storms, insect invasions, disease, etc. If you were to look at a clearcut versus a patch of forest hit by a hurricane, the differences would be minor with the exception of the wood being absent from the ground. Foresters try to be copycats of mother nature, afterall she has been taking care of the forests since the beginning.

So why do we clearcut instead of letting mother nature do it? There are many reasons. Income, to change species composition (hardwood to pine or vice versa), wildlife habitat, etc. In the most recent case of a clearcut, at the Whitney State Forest, the objective was to harvest a mature stand of White Pine (that was beginning to fall apart naturally) and replace it with a native stand of Shortleaf Pine. Trees do have a lifespan and will eventually die on there own. In a recreational setting such as a State Forest we must take caution when trees are beginning to die as this poses a risk to users passing by underneath.

Well how can a clearcut be good for wildlife when there are no trees left? Clearcuts allow for full sunlight to hit the ground. This allows more grasses and shrubs to become established alongside tree seedlings and stump sprouts. These grasses and forbes provide a food source and habitat not found in a mature forest. Birds, small mammals, and other animals need these things to survive. It may look like a tangled nightmare but think of it from a rabbit's perspective. Do you think you would be safer in that tangled thick brush/thorns or on an open forest floor? A good friend of mine was helping me with a forestry talk recently. We were with a group of adults standing next to a clearcut which was separated from a mature forest by a gravel road. He showed the group something special. He told them to close their eyes and listen carefully. Then he asked what they heard. The answer was bird calls. Then he asked from which direction they were coming. The group sheepishly admitted that it was coming from the clearcut. Neotropical birds thrive in clearcut environments where small seed sources and shelter are readily available.

So I think I have beaten the subject to death, I could keep going, but hopefully I gave readers a little more information to think about. Again, for those of you who don't like clearcuts, I'm not saying you're wrong in your opinion or that you have to like them because foresters do. I'm just trying to bring to light why we use them and will continue to.

A Commentary on Clearcuts and Trails

To many people the word clearcut is the equivalent to any choice four letter word and conjures up the image of a wasteland. On our State Forests we often get comments from forest users when a clearcut occurs, especially when their favorite trail runs adjacent to or through the area. I am not going to pass judgement on anyone for their beliefs about forest management. First of all, I can easily see why people get upset over clearcuts. They are not aesthetically pleasing and it is hard not to miss the mature trees that once stood there. What I hope to accomplish is to give a different perspective on clearcuts and explain why we do them.

In forest management foresters apply basic ecological principles to manipulate or control the natural changes and reactions of trees to planned disturbances. Harvesting methods such as thinning, clearcuts, etc. are all types of planned disturbances. However, these methods all mimic unplanned disturbances. What are unplanned disturbances? Wildfire, hurricanes, tornadoes, ice storms, insect invasions, disease, etc. If you were to look at a clearcut versus a patch of forest hit by a hurricane, the differences would be minor with the exception of the wood being absent from the ground. Foresters try to be copycats of mother nature, afterall she has been taking care of the forests since the beginning.

So why do we clearcut instead of letting mother nature do it? There are many reasons. Income, to change species composition (hardwood to pine or vice versa), wildlife habitat, etc. In the most recent case of a clearcut, at the Whitney State Forest, the objective was to harvest a mature stand of White Pine (that was beginning to fall apart naturally) and replace it with a native stand of Shortleaf Pine. Trees do have a lifespan and will eventually die on there own. In a recreational setting such as a State Forest we must take caution when trees are beginning to die as this poses a risk to users passing by underneath.

Well how can a clearcut be good for wildlife when there are no trees left? Clearcuts allow for full sunlight to hit the ground. This allows more grasses and shrubs to become established alongside tree seedlings and stump sprouts. These grasses and forbes provide a food source and habitat not found in a mature forest. Birds, small mammals, and other animals need these things to survive. It may look like a tangled nightmare but think of it from a rabbit's perspective. Do you think you would be safer in that tangled thick brush/thorns or on an open forest floor? A good friend of mine was helping me with a forestry talk recently. We were with a group of adults standing next to a clearcut which was separated from a mature forest by a gravel road. He showed the group something special. He told them to close their eyes and listen carefully. Then he asked what they heard. The answer was bird calls. Then he asked from which direction they were coming. The group sheepishly admitted that it was coming from the clearcut. Neotropical birds thrive in clearcut environments where small seed sources and shelter are readily available.

So I think I have beaten the subject to death, I could keep going, but hopefully I gave readers a little more information to think about. Again, for those of you who don't like clearcuts, I'm not saying you're wrong in your opinion or that you have to like them because foresters do. I'm just trying to bring to light why we use them and will continue to.

Whitney State Forest Reopening

I am pleased to announce that the Whitney State Forest will be reopened on Thursday July 15, 2010 around 4pm. Forester Joe Rossetti will be at the forest from approximately 4-7pm to answer any questions and talk about the harvesting operations. I do ask that people use caution while walking near the thinned pine area as there may still be branches hanging in the canopy. We appreciate everyone's patience while this important harvesting was completed. Thank you and please enjoy our beautiful forest!

Whitney State Forest Reopening

I am pleased to announce that the Whitney State Forest will be reopened on Thursday July 15, 2010 around 4pm. Forester Joe Rossetti will be at the forest from approximately 4-7pm to answer any questions and talk about the harvesting operations. I do ask that people use caution while walking near the thinned pine area as there may still be branches hanging in the canopy. We appreciate everyone's patience while this important harvesting was completed. Thank you and please enjoy our beautiful forest!

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.

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.

Whitney State Forest trail closure/reroute

Last week, forester Joe Rossetti, technician Chris Clayton, and myself helped to close a small section of trail on the Whitney State Forest. The trail followed the natural fall line of water and went almost straight downhill causing major erosion and creating an unstable tread. With the help of a local eagle scout and some boyscouts we were able to close that section of trail and reroute it along the contour of the slope. The eagle scout project involved building brush impoundments on the closed section of trail using hazard trees cut from the trail. They even added a creative hand etched rock sign telling users to turn. They installed water bars on both sections to help prevent future erosion. A big thank you goes out to the scouts and staff involved!

While we were up there we were able to open all of the trails on the forest which had been blocked by fallen trees. The forest should now be completely open for use. Please let me know of any additional problems that anyone comes across out there.