Deer Hunt on Conway Robinson State Forest

The 444-acre Conway Robinson State Forest is a mixture of pine and old growth hardwood stands in Prince William County, adjacent to Manassas National Battlefield and Route 29.
The forest is used for environmental education, hiking, mountain biking, preservation of historic sites, watershed protection and timber production. It also serves as a wildlife and wildflower sanctuary. Officials with the Virginia Department of Forestry (VDOF) recognized issues pertaining to declining forest health, future forest management, deer herd health and community safety. To actively manage these issues, foresters implemented a Deer Management Program on the forest. For more details and history, read the 2010 Deer Management Report.
Interested in participating in deer hunts on the forest? Read the Hunter Protocol and then submit an online ballot to enter the lottery. Hunters will be selected from a drawing of the ballots.

2010 Hunting Season on the Conway-Robinson State Forest.

Hunter Protocol Map of the Conway-Robinson State Forest (English; PDF format).
Online Lottery Ballot for the 2010 Hunting Season

Deer Hunt on Conway Robinson State Forest

The 444-acre Conway Robinson State Forest is a mixture of pine and old growth hardwood stands in Prince William County, adjacent to Manassas National Battlefield and Route 29.
The forest is used for environmental education, hiking, mountain biking, preservation of historic sites, watershed protection and timber production. It also serves as a wildlife and wildflower sanctuary. Officials with the Virginia Department of Forestry (VDOF) recognized issues pertaining to declining forest health, future forest management, deer herd health and community safety. To actively manage these issues, foresters implemented a Deer Management Program on the forest. For more details and history, read the 2010 Deer Management Report.
Interested in participating in deer hunts on the forest? Read the Hunter Protocol and then submit an online ballot to enter the lottery. Hunters will be selected from a drawing of the ballots.

2010 Hunting Season on the Conway-Robinson State Forest.

Hunter Protocol Map of the Conway-Robinson State Forest (English; PDF format).
Online Lottery Ballot for the 2010 Hunting Season

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.

Cumberland State Forest

On Monday I spent a wonderful day playing in the rain at Cumberland State Forest. I started the day off by taking a hike around Channel Cat Loop at Bear Creek Lake State Park. On May 15th during the trail celebration I will be leading a guided hike about trees and wanted to get a preview and some talking points. Halfway around this 2 mile loop the sky opened up and I got drenched. But it was totally worth it when I encountered a whole colony of pink ladyslippers! For those who don't like pine plantations and say they are not diverse, I would say, why then does this uncommon orchid make it's home there?

After getting out of the rain for a bit I decided to hike along the Cumberland Multiuse Trail and clear some downed trees. I also wanted to check on the swinging bridge and some other areas. I also began to look at a trail that will extend from the southern swinging bridge, past three beaver ponds, following the Willis River and Bear Creek, and popping out on the far side of the forest. This would be potentially a 5+ mile loop with an excellent opportunity for wildlife viewing.

At the end of the day I had a great time visiting with the wonderful Friends of Bear Creek Lake State Park and we prepare for the May 15th trail celebration!

Cumberland State Forest

On Monday I spent a wonderful day playing in the rain at Cumberland State Forest. I started the day off by taking a hike around Channel Cat Loop at Bear Creek Lake State Park. On May 15th during the trail celebration I will be leading a guided hike about trees and wanted to get a preview and some talking points. Halfway around this 2 mile loop the sky opened up and I got drenched. But it was totally worth it when I encountered a whole colony of pink ladyslippers! For those who don't like pine plantations and say they are not diverse, I would say, why then does this uncommon orchid make it's home there?

After getting out of the rain for a bit I decided to hike along the Cumberland Multiuse Trail and clear some downed trees. I also wanted to check on the swinging bridge and some other areas. I also began to look at a trail that will extend from the southern swinging bridge, past three beaver ponds, following the Willis River and Bear Creek, and popping out on the far side of the forest. This would be potentially a 5+ mile loop with an excellent opportunity for wildlife viewing.

At the end of the day I had a great time visiting with the wonderful Friends of Bear Creek Lake State Park and we prepare for the May 15th trail celebration!

Appomattox-Buckingham State Forest

Azalea in bloom
Sphinx moth flying
Swallow nest?

Last week I completed the flagging of the new trail. All together it's about 5 miles long, on rolling terrain, with 17 stream crossings. We are already looking to contract a skidder or bobcat with a mulching head to clear the trail. With any luck this trail should be completed within a year. Here are some pictures of what you might expect to find while out on the trail.

Appomattox-Buckingham State Forest

Azalea in bloom
Sphinx moth flying
Swallow nest?

Last week I completed the flagging of the new trail. All together it's about 5 miles long, on rolling terrain, with 17 stream crossings. We are already looking to contract a skidder or bobcat with a mulching head to clear the trail. With any luck this trail should be completed within a year. Here are some pictures of what you might expect to find while out on the trail.

Appomattox-Buckingham State Forest

The trail saga at Appomattox-Buckingham State Forest continues. I finally finished flagging the last of the potential new trail and have begun to look at looping options. The trail is roughly 4.75 linear miles (however the terrain is rolling which should add more actual mileage) and has 17 stream crossings. While implementing this trail will be difficult, it is my hope to have it completed and ready to open by Spring 2011 (maybe April).

This trail passes through a variety of scenery from hardwoods, various life stages of pine, soggy bottomland, clearcuts, and wildlife meadows. While on the trail today I saw at least 5 turkeys, a large black snake, and lots and lots of bear scat. I will hopefully have some pictures downloaded soon as I also saw a bird's nest nestled in the tall grass, dogwoods in bloom, rhododendron in bloom, and a sphinx moth. I also ran into some VDOF hoodlum's preparing to put in fire lines around a clearcut area adjacent to the trail. They will then burn this area in preparation for a new generation of Loblolly pine seedlings. It's amazing what you might see when you are out enjoying Virginia's forests!

Appomattox-Buckingham State Forest

The trail saga at Appomattox-Buckingham State Forest continues. I finally finished flagging the last of the potential new trail and have begun to look at looping options. The trail is roughly 4.75 linear miles (however the terrain is rolling which should add more actual mileage) and has 17 stream crossings. While implementing this trail will be difficult, it is my hope to have it completed and ready to open by Spring 2011 (maybe April).

This trail passes through a variety of scenery from hardwoods, various life stages of pine, soggy bottomland, clearcuts, and wildlife meadows. While on the trail today I saw at least 5 turkeys, a large black snake, and lots and lots of bear scat. I will hopefully have some pictures downloaded soon as I also saw a bird's nest nestled in the tall grass, dogwoods in bloom, rhododendron in bloom, and a sphinx moth. I also ran into some VDOF hoodlum's preparing to put in fire lines around a clearcut area adjacent to the trail. They will then burn this area in preparation for a new generation of Loblolly pine seedlings. It's amazing what you might see when you are out enjoying Virginia's forests!