merck forest and farmland center's forest management plan

FOREST MANAGEMENT PLAN

2012 - 2021

MERCK FOREST AND FARMLAND CENTER www.merckforest.org · 802.394.7836 · PO Box 86 · 3270 Route 315 · Rupert VT 05768

Merck Forest & Farmland Center Forest Management Plan 2012‐2021

Cover Page

Property Owner: Merck Forest Foundation, Inc

911 Address: 3270 Rt 315, PO Box 86 Rupert,VT 05768

Contact Information: 802‐394‐7836

Property Location: Rupert, Bennington County, Vermont

Plan Preparer: Jack O’Wril, MFFC Staff Forester

Merck Forest, 3270 Rt 315, PO Box 86 Rupert, VT 05768

Contact Information: info@merckforest.org

Total Property Size: 3164 acres

Acreage Covered in this Plan: 3097 acres (excludes farm)

Number of Stands:

Plan Start Date (pending approval): _____June 2012_____________________

Landowner Signature: ____________________________________ Date: _____________

Tom Ward, Executive Director, MFFC

County Forester Signature: _________________________________ Date: _______________

Chris Stone, County Forester

TABLE OF CONTENTS

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 2 FOREST MANAGEMENT PLAN 5

SECTION 1: FOREST MANAGEMENT OBJECTIVES 5 SECTION 2: PROPERTY ADMINISTRATION 9 SECTION 3: LANDSCAPE DESCRIPTION 10 SECTION 4: RESOURCE ASSESSMENT 11 SECTION 5: HARVEST SCHEDULE 18 SECTION 6: ADAPTIVE MANAGEMENT AND FOREST MONITORING 19 SECTION 7: COMPARTMENT DESCRIPTIONS 20 SECTION 8: STAND DESCRIPTIONS AND MANAGEMENT RECOMMENDATIONS 25 SECTION 9: FOREST WORK SCHEDULE 26

COMPARMENTS - OVERVIEW 36

COMPARTMENT 1 37 COMPARTMENT 2 38 COMPARTMENT 3 39 COMPARTMENT 4 40 COMPARTMENT 5 41 COMPARTMENT 6 42 COMPARTMENT 7 43 COMPARTMENT 8 44 COMPARTMENT 9 45 PLANTATIONS 46

COMPARMENTS – DETAILS 47

COMPARTMENT 1 48 COMPARTMENT 2 60 COMPARTMENT 3 82 COMPARTMENT 4 89 COMPARTMENT 5 106 COMPARTMENT 6 122 COMPARTMENT 7 128 COMPARTMENT 8 136 COMPARTMENT 9 145

APPENDICES 151

APPENDIX A 151 APPENDIX B 153 APPENDIX C 155 APPENDIX D 156 APPENDIX E 166 APPENDIX F 167 APPENDIX G 172 APPENDIX H 173 APPENDIX I 174 APPENDIX J 175

REFERENCES 176

MerckForestManagementPlan ‐

Executive Summary

This document is the comprehensive forest management plan (FMP) for Merck Forest and

Farmland Center located in Rupert, Vermont, owned by the Merck Forest Foundation. This document

outlines the management goals and activities that pertain to the forest on the property (i.e. forestland

and road system) that are located outside of the farm area. This plan does not include plans for the

farm area, nor permanently maintained fields, a few of which are scattered throughout the property.

This document has been crafted to meet Natural Resource Conservation Service guidelines for

management plans, from which Merck will receive cost‐share funding for creating the plan.

Additionally, this plan meets the requirements set by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and the

Forest Guild Model Forest Program. Although Merck currently does not participate in either of these

programs, it should strongly consider doing so in the future.

This document builds on the work of Merck’s previous forest managers. In writing this plan, the

forest ecosystem dynamics paradigm was used as the salient consideration to formulate management

decisions. This is to say the impact of management activities on the ecosystem as a whole must be

considered in decision making. Many activities will have effects (positive or negative) on different

aspects of a particular ecosystem; these impacts will influence the future use of the land and must be

considered.

Three main goals were set for the writing this FMP. The first was that the property‐wide forest

inventory collect enough data to give an accurate measure of the forest’s current condition. The second

goal was to analyze this data and design forest stand prescriptions that protect and enhance the forest’s

health, while meeting MFFC’s forest objectives (see Section 1 of the plan). The third goal was to

streamline the overall management activities in such a way that makes carrying it out as simple as

possible. Like it’s forest stands, MFFC is a dynamic organization. The simpler the management strategy,

the easier it is to practice “excellent forestry”.

The management strategy is simple: focus on small portions of the entire property each year.

Some time ago, MFFC was delineated into nine compartments which range from about 300‐550 acres.

One compartment will be managed each year, for the next ten years. (This will be true with only some

exception. Compartment eight will be entered twice. The two smallest compartments will be easily

managed, leaving time to “catch up” in other compartments in those years.)

The list of management tasks will be quite consistent from year to year. During any given year,

Merck should plan to complete the following management activities:

Mark and administer a timber sale

Maintain and update roads and bridges

Control invasive plants/monitor for invasive insects

Re‐delineate stand boundaries (more on this later)

Perform in‐house Timber Stand Improvement (TSI) treatments

The following is a list of the overarching top priorities for the Merck’s forest management during these

next ten years:

1. Follow the Plan. Over the next ten‐year management cycle some forest treatments will follow

this plan; others will not. That’s okay. Conditions will change and Merck’s forest manager must

be ready to adapt strategies to meet the Foundation’s overall goals. Regardless of whether any

particular forest treatment follows this plan, it is imperative that all forest data is collected,

treatment areas are mapped and described, and all this information be carefully organized and

maintained as part of Merck’s Forest Management Database.

2. Control Invasive Species. Merck Forest is not an island, entire of itself. This is especially evident

when it comes to controlling invasive species. The scale insect that has led to beach bark

disease affects nearly every stand on the property, and the Asian gypsy moth has devastated

some of Merck’s stands in the past. The three current invasive insects that are knocking at

Merck’s doorstep are the emerald ash borer, the hemlock wooly adelgid, and to a lesser degree,

the Asian long‐horned beetle. If and when these insects reach Bennington County, Merck will

need to collaborate with experts to determine the best path forward.

Invasive plants, on the other hand, are significantly more manageable if caught early and

managed aggressively. Merck is lucky in that it is relatively free of these invaders. For years

honeysuckle and barberry have quietly been hiding out in small patches throughout the forest.

If Merck acts now to treat these populations, it stands a chance of controlling them on into the

future.

Garlic mustard, on the other hand, appears to be the most recent invader. It is known to spread

easily and rapidly, and it is doing just that at Merck. While the honeysuckle and barberry are not

spreading rapidly and can wait to be treated, the garlic mustard is moving very fast. Treating

this herbaceous plant right now is a top management priority.

3. Re‐Delineate Stand Boundaries. The forest stands at Merck should be re‐delineated for two

very good reasons. 1. These boundaries were delineated 30 years ago and possibly longer. In

the time since, lots of cultural treatments and natural disturbances have changed the stand

conditions. New stand boundaries will lead to more accurate analysis of forest data and to

more appropriate treatments; and 2. By re‐delineating stands, and making them much larger,

we will be able to collect much better (more statistically accurate) forest data. This is extremely

important; no forest manager at Merck will ever see an entire rotation from start to finish. The

best we can do is keep excellent track of our work (see #1 “Follow the Plan”), and gathering data

that is statistically accurate and will therefore be as meaningful as is possible to future

managers.

As mentioned above, this endeavor can take place just a bit a time. Each year a single

compartment can be re‐delineated.

4. Road Maintenance. From a timber management perspective, a forest stand’s potential value is

largely dependent on its accessibility. Poor access means poor value. From an ecological

perspective, roads that are poorly maintained cause water runoff problems such as soil erosion

and siltation of nearby streams. Finally, from a ‘whole property management perspective’,

Merck’s staff uses these roads a lot (e.g. for cabin checks, hauling firewood, etc.), and so keeping

them well‐maintained will make the most of staff time and will save head‐aches down the

proverbial road.

Simply put, maintained roads are an essential part of good forest stewardship. Besides this, it is

a good investment. Roads that are kept up are far easier to repair when damage is done (e.g.

Irene).

Merck should plan to maintain a percentage of its road network each year; some of this work

can be completed in‐house, but the bulk of it should be carried out as part of regularly‐

scheduled timber sales.

5. Collaborate with Outside Partners. As an organization, Merck would do well to collaborate

with a variety of partners on its forestry projects. Currently we are partnering with Audubon

Vermont on the Foresters for the Birds (FFtB) Program, and with the State on a number of

projects. Strengthening these ties is important to Merck’s forestry program, as is reaching out

to other partners. The list of potential partners is very large, and should be explored during this

management cycle.

Note: The entire FMP can be read online at merckforest.org

1. Forest Management Objectives This plan draws from both traditional forest management concepts (i.e. Multiple‐use approach) and

more modern concepts (i.e. Ecosystem Management). Both concepts are important and useful in

articulating goals. Regardless of terminology, the forest ecosystem dynamics paradigm is used in

formulating all management decisions. This is to say the impact of management activities on the

ecosystem as a whole—soil, water, flora, fauna, climate—must be strongly considered in decision‐

making. These impacts—both positive, negative, and the large grey area in between—will influence the

future use of this forestland and must be the fundamental consideration when planning activities. In

short, we can simply say that maintaining or enhancing forest health is the salient goal of all the forest

management at Merck.

Beyond maintaining forest health, it is Merck Forest’s objective to provide a number of valuable forest

products from its land. These products include: timber and fuelwood and the respective income

generated from such harvests; educational, research and demonstration opportunities for the public;

sap production; maintenance and creation of wildlife habitat; maintenance of recreational

opportunities; and the protection of historic and cultural resources. The overarching goal at Merck

Forest is to set high forest management standards, based on well‐founded silvicultural and ecological

principles, and to serve as a place of demonstration to the general public.

1.1 Forest Health (Water, Soil, Flora, Fauna, Climate)

The maintenance of water and soil quality should take precedent during all management activities.

Water quality will be maintained through appropriately planned and executed road construction and

harvest operations. Under no circumstances should future soil productivity be compromised. All

management activities should follow the “Harvest Guidelines” outlined in Appendix A.

There is an opportunity to:

1. Protect or improve soil and water quality.

2. Implement both even‐aged and uneven‐aged silvicultural practices to meet the forest

objectives.

3. Create a mix of deciduous and coniferous forest stands of various types in stands that vary

in size, shape, age, height, and tree species composition.

4. Regenerating poorly stocked and low vigor stands that are declining in productivity to grow

new stands and sustain forest cover and timber production for the long‐term.

5. Increase collaborative efforts with forest health professionals.

6. Collaborate with researchers to design and carry out carbon storage studies; or simply allow

researchers to use Merck’s working forest for such studies.

1.2 Demonstration/Education/Research

The central goal to all of Merck Forest’s activities (farm and forest) is to demonstrate the sustainable use

of its natural resources and to serve as a place where innovative practices and research can take place.

1. Provide a venue for field demonstration and tours of sustainable forest management that

can be open to students, forestry professionals, landowners, and the general public;

2. Collaborate with forestry professionals, organizations, companies, researchers and students

to carry out innovative research aimed at advancing the forestry profession (e.g. Foresters

for the Birds partnership with Audubon Vermont).

3. Provide a venue for students and the general public to learn about basic forest ecology,

management, and conservation principles.

1.3 Timber and Fuelwood Supply

Merck’s forestland will provide a sustained yield of sawtimber and fuelwood as the foundation of its

forest management strategy. The foundation will use a small portion of the sawtimber for in‐house use,

which will mainly be from the softwood plantations. The great majority of sawtimber removed from the

property will be sold and the income generated will be added to Merck’s operational account. A

significant portion of the fuelwood removed each year will be used in‐house to heat the cabins, the VC,

caretaker’s cabin, and for use in our sugaring operation. The remainder of fuelwood‐quality trees will

be sold for stumpage.

1. Demonstrate examples of sustainable timber harvests.

2. Harvest mature sawtimber to generate revenue.

3. Improve size and quality of sawtimber by reducing stand density, improving spacing and

retention of more desirable species.

4. Improve sawlog production and wood quality, and harvest fuelwood, by removing trees in

low quality stands afflicted with insect, disease and other damage to prevent the spread of

the damaging agent or to remove a species that may be a vector for insect spread.

5. Capture sawlog quality in mature and over mature trees before it is reduced or the trees

decline in value.

6. Regenerating poorly stocked and low vigor stands that are declining in productivity to grow

new stands and sustain forest cover and timber production for the long‐term.

7. Increase fuelwood production that can be used as a local alternative to fossil fuels.

1.4 Wildlife Habitat:

The majority of Merck Forest is currently used to provide wildlife habitat, and to grow timber and

fuelwood. Merck’s wildlife habitat objectives are quite compatible with its timber and fuelwood

objectives. We will use silvicultural practices to meet our wildlife habitat objectives over the next 10‐

year management cycle. Timber harvesting will be the primary tool to achieve or work toward these

objectives.

As in the previous management cycle, Merck will continue to use Degraaf et al’s (2005) forest structure

recommendations as a guide to maximize the benefits of forest management to wildlife habitat. (see

below)

Composition

Size‐class distribution

Regeneration 5‐15

Sapling‐Pole 30‐40

Sawtimber 40‐50

Large sawtimber/old forest <10

Cover type distribution

Deciduous (non‐oak)

Short rotation 5‐15

Long rotation 20‐35

Hard mast‐oak 1‐5

Coniferous 35‐50

Non‐forest

Upland Openings 3‐5

wetlands 1‐3

DeGraaf et al. 2005 pp82

*See Appendix B “Wildlife Habitat Management Guidelines” for details.

1.5 Sap Production

Merck’s sugaring operation is an important component to the organization. In 2011 a number of

investments were made to design a more efficient system that previously existed. Despite the

inevitable natural variability of sap flow from season to season, it is not unreasonable to expect to

produce .25 gallons of syrup per tap with this new efficient system. (See map in Appendix C.)

1. Demonstrate the collection of a non‐timber forest product (sap), and the creation of a

value‐added forest product (syrup, cream, etc.).

2. Generate income through retail sales.

3. Expand the sugaring operation by creating a new sugarbush near Watruss Rd.

1.6 Recreation

Many visitors at Merck come to use the property for recreation—mainly for hiking—which has been one

of the objectives of the organization from its beginning. Many of the aspects of attracting recreators to

the property lie outside the scope of this document. However, while not all roads/trails are intended to

be used for recreation (ie temporary skid trails), the main roads used for forest management are the

same used for recreation. These roads should be cleared and seeded after timber harvests.

1. Maintain roads as part of timber sales so that they can be enjoyed by hikers and skiers.

2. Use volunteers to perform basic road and trail maintenance. This is especially important for

areas that are frequently used by visitors but will not be managed for some time.

1.7 Historic and Cultural Resource Protection

There is a great deal of evidence of Merck Forest’s predominantly agricultural past. There are a number

of old foundations, cellar holes, stone piles, and miles of stone walls. These resources should be

accurately mapped and protected to the extent possible during management activities.

1. Created a map of the cultural resources on the property.

2. Property Administration 2.1 Legal Considerations

a. Conservation Easements

All of Compartment 9 has on it a conservation easement held by the New England Forestry Foundation

(Littleton, MA) (see document in Appendix D). The easement is written such that forestry activities can

be carried out on the land, however, Merck must notify NEFF well before carrying out management

activities. This document does not plan for any management activities in this area until 2019. It

therefore makes sense to send NEFF a copy of this document, which would allow them ample time to

make a site visit prior to any treatments.

NEFF Contact:

Chris Prior, Forester/Easement Monitor

978‐952‐6856 x107

b. Rights‐Of‐Way

Merck Forest holds one known permanent Rights‐Of‐Way, which begins at Rt 315 and crosses Judy

Buechner’s Wind Gap Farm property, and ends at the Visitor’s Center.

c. Inholding

There is a single known inholding on the property, which is located in stand 2U (See Appendix E). The

parcel is a triangular‐shaped, 4.8acre inholding and is owned by a Mr. or Ms. Carmody.

d. Other Noteworthy Issues

Along Merck’s southern border there is a cabin on the property, which has presumably been built and is

used by a neighbor. The most recent tax map available shows that this neighboring parcel is owned by

“W. Matteson”. The cabin is not new; it looks as if it has been there for at least 25 years, probably many

2.2 Future Administrative Tasks

a. ROWs—Permanent and Temporary

I. Anthony ROW. In order to carry out management within Compartment 1, a ROW needs to obtained

from a neighbor. The best choice here, would be to obtain a permanent ROW over Garner Anthony’s

property. This property is a small parcel (~5acres) with a logging road that runs from Watruss Rd right

through Merck Forest property. Gaining this ROW should be considered a high priority.

II. Mattason ROW. A ROW through this property would allow MFFC to access a number of stands (7B,

7D1, 7D2) in Compartment 7 without using a woods road on its property which is steep, and often quite

wet. As mentioned above (2.2.d), there is a cabin on Merck Forests’ property located immediately

adjacent to the property boundary with Mattason. Given all of this, a permanent ROW should be readily

attainable over the existing woods road which runs through Mattason’s property and onto Merck Forest

property. Gaining this ROW is a low/moderate priority.

III. Zaplatel ROW. Attaining a ROW over Zaplatel’s land will be necessary before treating Stand 2U,

lower 8B, and a number of stands in Compartment 9. There are numerous woods roads linking Merck to

Roger’s Road through Zaplatel’s land. Temporary ROWs should be obtained the year before harvests in

stand 9C in 2019, and 8B in 2021.

3. Landscape Description 3.1 Climate and Biophysical Region

Merck Forest is located in the Taconic Mountain Biophysical Region. Merck Forest has predominantly

high elevation, moderate to steep sloped sites. There is significant range in the quality of these sites—

some have moist, nutrient‐rich soils; others have dry, shallow to bedrock, nutrient‐poor soils.

Most places within this region receive 40‐50 inches of rain, with the highest elevations receiving up to

60 inches. Average July temperatures at moderate elevations are about 70 degrees (F), while average

January temperatures are 22 degrees (F). Merck’s higher elevations likely have less than 100 days of

growing season; lower elevations may have up to 140 days.

3.2 (Brief) Historical Land Use

Merck Forest has a long and varied human history. To read a general outline of the property’s history,

see Appendix F, “Land Use at Merck Forest: 1761‐Present”. Today, the majority of Merck Forest’s

property is covered in approx. 70‐120 year old second growth, northern hardwood forest. Most of these

stands began after heavy cutting or field/pasture abandonment. The height of land clearing in the area

was around 1840; over the next 100 years (1840‐1940), the main forest products which likely came off

of Merck’s property include softwood and hardwood timber, fuelwood and wood for charcoal

production. In 1950, George Merck began managing the land to demonstrate sustainable forestry

practices and this has been the overarching land use ever since.

3.3 Adjacent Properties

a. Current Land Uses

The most current aerial photograph shows the majority of Merck Forest’s neighbors maintain their land

as forest. The most significant exception are the parcel’s owned by Judy Buechner—located mainly to

the north and east of Merck’s property; a significant proportion of her lands are maintained as hay

fields. While there are more than twenty parcels that abut Merck’s property boundary, a handful of

landowners (Buechner, Zapletal, Hatch, The Great Retreat) own the majority of this land.

b. Neighbor Interaction

Merck Forest has enormous potential to collaborate with the many large landowners in the area;

however, there currently are currently no significant collaborative projects. The most active neighbor

interaction is with Judy Buechner, who regularly manages her forest land and at times uses Merck Forest

roads as access timber harvests.

4. Resource Assessment 4.1 Soil Resource

The Common Soil Series, and Their Descriptions, of Merck Forest

The Dutchess series consists of very deep, well drained soils on glaciated uplands. They formed in loamy

glacial till. Permeability is moderate. Slopes range from 0 to 70 percent. Well drained. Permeability is

moderate. Dutchess soils are level to very steep soils on glaciated uplands. They are on broad plains and

on the tops and side slopes of hills, ridges, knolls and mounds. Slopes range from 0 to 70 percent. The

soils formed in loamy glacial till underlain by interbedded, folded phyllite and slate, schist, or shale.

The Pittstown series consists of moderately well drained soils formed in lodgement till derived mainly

from slate, phyllite, shale, and schist. These soils are very deep to bedrock and moderately deep to a

densic contact. They are nearly level through moderately steep soils on uplands. Slope ranges from 0

through 25 percent. Pittstown soils are nearly level through moderately steep soils on glaciated

uplands. Slope ranges from 0 through 25 percent. The soils developed in loamy till derived principally

from dark phyllite, slate, or schist. Moderately well drained. Surface runoff is medium.

The Berkshire series consists of very deep, well drained soils formed in till. They are on glaciated

uplands. Permeability is moderate or moderately rapid. Slope ranges from 3 to 75 percent. Berkshire

soils are gently sloping to very steep soils on glaciated uplands. Slope ranges from 3 to 75 percent. The

soils developed in till of late Wisconsin age, derived principally from acid, gray to black or olive mica

schist with some phyllite, granite and gneiss. Well drained. Permeability is moderate or moderately

rapid.

The Taconic series consists of shallow, somewhat excessively drained soils formed in till. These soils are

on bedrock controlled, glacially modified hills, ridges and mountain sides. Bedrock is at a depth of 10 to

20 inches. Slope ranges from 3 to 80 percent. Taconic soils are gently sloping to very steep on bedrock

controlled, glacially modified landforms. Slope ranges from 3 to 80 percent. The Taconic soils formed in

material derived mainly from strongly folded phyllite, schist, quartzite and slate. Somewhat excessively

drained. Surface runoff is very low to high. Saturated hydraulic conductivity is moderately high or high.

The Macomber series consists of moderately deep, well drained soils formed in loamy till derived from

phyllite and slate. They are on glacially modified bedrock controlled landforms. Hard bedrock is at a

depth of 20 to 40 inches. Slope ranges from 3 to 80 percent. Macomber soils are on bedrock controlled,

glacially modified land forms where the till is derived mainly from strongly folded phyllite, schist,

quartzite, and slate. Slope ranges from 3 to 80 percent. Well drained. Runoff is medium to rapid.

(See soil series map in Appendix G.)

4.2 Water Resources

Merck Forest drains into two major watersheds. The majority of the property drains into White Creek,

and a portion into Mill Creek; both of which are a part of the Greater Hudson River Watershed that

drains into the Long Island Sound in New York. A small portion of the property (mostly within

compartment 2) drains into the Mettawee River, which eventually flows north and empties into the St.

Lawrence Seaway in Quebec.

However, the majority of streams, ponds, and vernal pools on the property are very small on account of

the property’s high elevation. All of these water resources shall be protected during all management

activities. This will require that roads be maintained diligently so as not to pollute these waterways;

bridges shall be put in place where appropriate; and buffers shall be added to protect streams, ponds,

and vernal pools during timber harvests. The details of these buffers vary depending on the site

conditions, and can be found in the individual stand prescriptions.

4.3 Forest Resource—Inventory Methodology

The forest inventory was designed using a systematic grid, with sample points located roughly ten chains

apart. The points were found using a handheld PDA with ArcPAD. At each sample point, basal area,

volume, species composition, and a number of qualitative data were taken. The statistical goal was to

sample to a level of precision such that with an 80% confidence level, our percent error was less than

25% for basal area. This was attained for most of the stands. It should be noted that our statistical

goals were not lofty—by any means—but they were realistic given the time available to cruise over 100

stands. After the stands have been re‐deliniated, and made significantly larger, the numbers from the

next forest inventory (2022) should be statistically much better.

4.4 Forest Resource—Natural Community Types

Natural Community Variants (reference: Thompson, Sorenson 2005)

Northern Hardwood Forest. This is the most abundant forest type at Merck, and throughout Vermont.

It is typified by sugar maple, American beech, and yellow birch. Many of the natural communities on

this list are variations of the Northern Hardwood Forest community. Examples of this forest type can be

found throughout the property.

Rich Northern Hardwood Forest. This community type has soils that are enriched through colluvial

processes (downslope movement) or through mineral rich bedrock. These are high productivity forests,

and can be found in pockets within the following stands: 1a,1G,1H,1I, 1J; 2A, 2J, 2R, 2U; 3C; 4A3, 4C, 4E;

5A2, 5C, 5J, 5M; 6B; 7C; 9D.

Red Spruce‐Northern Hardwood Forest. This is a variable community that may result from locally

shallow soils, or from especially moist soils. This community is often surrounded by northern hardwood

forest, and is in many ways related to that community. At Merck this type can be found in stands 2E, 3B,

3BNP, 4G, 4MNP, 8F.

Hemlock Forest/Hemlock‐Northern Hardwood Forest. These are two relatively rare natural

communities at Merck Forest. However, there are two fine examples on the property: Stand 2H and

Stand 4J. (2H has better evidence of Hemlock Forest community type; 4J is likely Hem‐Northern

Hardwood Forest.)

Mesic Red Oak‐Hardwood Forest. These forests are similar to Northern Hardwood Forests, but have

significant amounts of red oak in the canopy. This is a somewhat common forest type on the property,

and can be found in stands 6A, 5K, 5I, 4F, 4K.

Northern Hardwood Talus Woodland. This natural community MAY exist in parts of Stand 7CNP. The

area is very steep and very shallow to bedrock in places.

Mesic Maple‐Ash‐Hickory Forest. This community shares much in common with Northern hardwood

Forests, but also contains significant numbers of Central Hardwood tree species. Examples of this type

MAY be found in Stand 6E, which has some of the few hickories on the property (shagbark), but other

examples might be found in stands 6D, 4F and 4K.

Dry Oak Woodland. These woodlands occur on south‐facing upper hill slopes. Soils are acidic,

excessively drained silt loams with abundant rocky fragments. The overstory oaks are short in stature,

and the crowns frequently appear gnarled. The trees are farther apart than in typical forests, and the

canopy is more open. These communities are mapped and discussed at length in Heather O’Wril’s “Dry

Oak Woodland Rapid Assessment” (see merckforest.org for full document) See Stands 6C, 6D, and

6ANP, as well as 5BNP.

Dry Oak Forest. Nearly identical to Dry Oak Woodlands in terms of species composition, but this

community type has somewhat less droughty soils. At Merck, examples of Dry Oak Forest likely exists

near or around the examples of Dry Oak Woodland. See Stands 6C, 6D, 6ANP, and 5BNP.

Dry Oak‐Hickory‐Hophornbeam Forest. This community is somewhat more nutrient‐rich than Dry Oak

Forests, and Dry Oak Woodlands. Stands where this type MAY exist are: 6C, 6D, 6ANP, 5BNP, 1ANP,

1ENP; 2CNP; 5N.

4.5 Forest Resource—Forest Health Threats

Forest health is a tricky issue because forest ecosystems are complex. Weather patterns fluctuate and

native “pest” populations rise and fall. When serious health issues arise, it’s in Merck’s best interest to

consult the local, state and federal experts for insight and advice. That said, arguably the biggest threat

to forest health at Merck comes from non‐native invaders. The following is a list of the species that will

likely threaten forest health over the next ten years at Merck:

a. Beech‐Bark Disease affects most of the American beech on the property. The scale insect which

causes the initial wound in beech trees in an invader, but has been around for many decades.

Merck is currently in the “Aftermath Forest” stage, meaning that it’s beech stands have already

experienced the first wave of beech mortality. Most of its residual beech are defective and

declining, but some (few) large trees still exist and appear healthy. Most of these have probably

not been infected by the scale, or the canker. Or, they might have genetic resistance. It will be

important for Merck to follow the most current guidelines to best manage it’s beech stands.

(Gen Tech NE‐331).

b. Asian gypsy moth. Gypsy moth populations reached outbreak levels during the last

management cycle. They commonly favor oak forests, but some forest notes suggest that

Merck’s sugarbush was impacted by this event. Currently, gypsy moth populations appear to be

low on the property, but should be monitored regularly.

c. Emerald ash borer, Asian long‐horned beetle, and Hemlock wooly adelgid (EAB, ALB, and HWA)

These three invaders have not yet reached Merck Forest, but are making their way.

Asian long‐horned beetle poses the greatest threat since it can potentially ravage Merck’s

hardwood species. However, it is currently quarantined in Massachusetts, and the populations

do not naturally spread very fast.

HWA is very close—in Windham County, and may reach Bennington county during this

management cycle. While Merck has very few hemlock stands, we should track HWA’s spread

and manage our stands according to the latest guidelines. (see Fifth Symposium on Hemlock

Woolly Adelgid in the Eastern United States—Asheville, NC, 2010).

EAB. This species is close to Merck Forest (in eastern NY state), and will likely reach MFFC

during this management cycle. Currently, there is no known control of this exotic species. The

State has recently come out with management guidelines which encourage land managers to: 1.

Maintain ash as a forest component, 2. Promote a diversity of native tree species (where ash

exists as greater than 20% of basal area, reduce the ash component), 3. Do not panic and

liquidate all ash trees, 4. Monitor ash stands, 5. Educate the public about this issue. (See “Ash

Management Guidance for Forest Managers”)

d. Honeysuckle and Barberry. These two invasive plants have been on the property for some time

and are not spreading at an alarming rate. They will, however, if left untreated. Merck’s

invasive plant map should be regularly updated. These species need to be treated PRIOR to any

forest treatment, and then monitored and very likely treated again afterwards.

e. Garlic mustard. This plant has entered the property relatively recently, but is spreading fast. It

spreads easily along roads and hiking trails, and can be found in small pockets along Old Town

Road. Treating this plan is a TOP priority over the next ten years. It is easy to locate (along the

road system), easy to identify, and easy to pull up. The problem is that is spreads like wildfire,

and takes a continued effort to control. The best way to do this would be to schedule one to

two weeks of manual control (“pulling”) every year over the next 7‐10 years. (This is the

required minimum timeline since its seeds are viable up to 7 years.) These work weeks are a

great way to involve volunteers, and can be managed by a staff member, or by an invasive plant

management consultant. Regardless of how it is done, it must happen right away.

4.6 Forest Resource—Timber

The 2012 timber cruise shows that a number of stands are stocked full enough to warrant a thinning, or

regeneration harvest (ref: USFS NE‐603). Some stands have trees afflicted with old age, insect, disease

or physical damage that would designate them as low timber quality stands. Some stands—or portions

of stands— are now mature or overmature; and desired tree size, age and quality have been achieved,

or growth levels have dropped off. These stands are now ready to be harvested and regenerated before

sawlog quality is reduced, or the trees decline in economic value and die.

See individual stand prescriptions for timber management details, and see Compartment Description

Section (below) for volume totals.

4.7 Rare, Threatened or Endangered Species

As of this writing, there are no known rare, threatened or endangered species on Merck Forest’s

property.

4.8 Access Roads

Woods roads exist throughout the property, and evidence of past logging can be seen everywhere.

(Details of past timber harvests are noted in each stand description section.) The main access roads that

can be used by log trucks (without trailers) include Old Town Road, East Hollow Road, and part of

Antone Rd. Old Town Road was maintained by the Town of Rupert up until the 1950’s; all other roads

were either created or repaired in the 1950’s by William Myers and Vernon Beebe for forest access and

fire control. Since this time, they have been maintained on an as‐needed basis, usually along with

logging operations.

Old Town Road: OTR is largely is fine shape, which is essential for management since this is the

property’s main artery. In the 1990’s, the lower portion of Old Town Road (intersection with East

Hollow down to the south gate) was repaired by Bruce Waite, and then again repaired in 2011, after

Tropical Storm Irene. Current plans include adding a bridge over White Creek at it northern crossing.

OTR has a number of landings off of it. The landing near OTR’s intersection with East Hollow Rd should

be ditched before its next use.

East Hollow Road: This road is in fine condition. It was seeded very well after its last use, and just some

basic maintenance during the next entry.

Gallop Road: Much of this road has not been used by vehicles in quite some time, but it is in generally

good shape. Will need basic maintenance ( grade and add water diversion structures) during the next

entry.

Mitiguy Road: The stretch of this road that runs from the lower landing, up to where it intersects with

Howe Road is in poor condition. Currently, this is a wet road without enough drainage structures. It

should also be re‐crowned and graded. Although the location of this road is not ideal, the choices are

limited in this area on account of the steep terrain.

Marquand Road: Most of this road will not be used during the next management cycle, however, it will

need repairs similar to Mitiguy Rd.

Harwood Road (aka Discovery Rd): Needs to be cleared of branches and brush, which is closing in the

road; and needs additional water structures. Place additional conveyer belt water bars between the sap

house and the field. (used belt material source: www.ashmus.com)

Harwood Road need repair throughout its length.

Stone Lot Rd: In fine shape. Upper portion was maintained during 2011 harvest.

Kowenhoven Road: The upper and lower portions of this road are in decent shape, and only need to be

cleared of blowdown. This road is not normally used by vehicle traffic, but may be used increasingly to

access the leased sugarbush. The middle portion of this road—the portion that runs down a very steep

slope in stand 4E—should be closed and revegetated. The site is too steep, and unnecessary. Perhaps a

small foot trail could connect these two.

Hatch Road: This road is somewhat steep, and needs repair since it will be used during this management

cycle. The road needs to be cleared of brush in some places, re‐graded, possibly re‐crowned, and water

structures put into place.

Fisher and Graves Roads: These both will need to be maintained during the next entry. They are

located in an area with a lot of seeps; road drainage should be put into place accordingly and the road

may need to be re‐crowned so as to outslope.

Masters Mountain Road: So long as this is a “Natural Area” this road is unnecessary. Of course, it is a

popular hiking road and it needs a lot of basic clearing maintenance.

Lookout Road: Lookout is very likely a popular hiking road and it will be used by vehicles during this

management cycle. Overall, it is in good condition.

Hammond and Meyer Rd: These both tend to be wet roads and could use more effective drainage

structures.

Wade Lot Road: Wade Lot is very likely a popular hiking road, and it will be used by vehicles during this

management cycle. Overall, it is in good condition.

Schenk Road: Schenk road sees much higher vehicle traffic now that the sugarbush is leased than it has

formerly. The road was evaluated last fall, prior to much of the vehicle activity. It was in fine condition

at the time, but should be re‐evaluated.

Clark’s Clearing Road: There is a portion of Clark’s Clearing Road that seems to be located over a seep.

The area is steep and wet and very obviously should be retired, and re‐routed to a drier location.

Mt Antone Road: This road is high and dry, and overall in a fine condition.

McCormick Road: This road was used during the last management cycle, but will not be used during this

cycle. Since it is likely a popular hiking road, it should be cleared of blowdown, and is in need of a simple

foot bridge at the stream crossing since the current bridge has fallen apart.

4.9 Boundary Line Status

Merck Forest’s boundary line has not been re‐marked in many years. While old yellow paint can be

found if one searches, it should be re‐painted during this management cycle. This can be planned for all

in one season, or can be taken on in small pieces. This would be a logical time to map the property

boundary and add this information to Merck’s GIS.

5. Harvest Schedule 5.1 Area Scheduling

Area scheduling is a forest management strategy that is “hands‐on, low‐tech, and provides safeguards

against under‐ or over‐cutting” (Leak, 2011). It breaks a forest parcel into management units and

focuses a year’s management on that area. In Merck’s case, each year the organization will focus its

forest management efforts on a single Compartment. This management plan outlines treatment

recommendations for each stand within these Compartments, but it has been writing in a way that gives

flexibility to the forester carrying out these treatments, and the plan assumes that forest stands will be

re‐assessed prior to beginning any management activities.

Some time ago, MFFC was delineated into nine compartments which range from about 300‐550 acres.

One compartment will be managed each year, for the next ten years. (This will be true with only some

exception. Compartment eight will be entered twice. The two smallest compartments will be easily

managed, leaving time to “catch up” in other compartments in those years.)

The list of management tasks will be quite consistent from year to year. During any given year, Merck

should plan to complete the following management activities:

Mark and administer a timber sale

Maintain and update roads and bridges

Control invasive plants/monitor for invasive insects

Re‐delineate stand boundaries

Perform in‐house Timber Stand Improvement (TSI) treatments

5.2 Plantations

Merck’s plantations are all about 60 years old, and have a significant volume of sawtimber. These

plantations should be thinned, and milled into dimensional lumber for in‐house use. Harvests will need

to be scheduled ahead of time so that boards are able to be stored and dried properly.

6. Adaptive Management and Forest Monitoring 6.1 Plan Updates

The main forest management goal over this next management cycle is to document all activities on the

property. The forest management plan documentation gives a baseline to measure against over the

following ten years. If MFFC does not carry out a planned activity, it must be recorded in a way that will

be easily found and understood by future managers. A simple “Change of Prescription” document has

been added to this plan, and can be found in excel form on the MFFC forestry computer (Desktop>2012

Forest Management Plan folder> Forms) (See Appendix I).

6.2 Monitoring Forest Stand Dynamics

Continuous Forest Inventory (CFI):

Monitoring forest stand dynamics is a critical part to sustainable forest use, and should be a cornerstone

of Merck’s management strategy. Many large landholders use a Continuous Forest Inventory (CFI)

system, with permanent plots that are monitored on a regular basis. Merck should strongly consider

designing such a system during this management cycle. In order for the data to be meaningful, the CFI

system should be simple, and measurements that are taken should be more or less foolproof. For

example, tree diameters can be measured very accurately with a tape and with very little training, while

tree or log heights take a well‐trained eye to measure accurately. (It would likely be sufficient to only

measure basal area, and diameters. This would be quick and easy to do, and would generate very useful

data.) After such a system is devised, the plots can be installed and measured over the following ten

years—covering one compartment per year.

Regeneration:

As many of the stands in Merck Forest are reaching maturity, learning how to most successfully

regenerate desired species becomes hugely important. As a policy, Merck should do two things to

monitor regeneration success. First, and most important, is to always map group selections and patch

cuts and save them to the organizations GIS. Second is to install permanent plots within these gaps.

These plots should be installed right away so that we know, if you will, how the race began between the

understory species. The permanent plots need not be too large, but they should produce seedling

counts (tallying ‘free to grow’ stems).

6.3 Climate Change

Climate change will play an important role in sculpting the way MFFC manages its forest resource. The

two most useful things this organization can do in this regard is to 1. Stay current on the climate change

literature, and 2. Highlight the ways we are adapting to this change through outreach and

demonstration. For detailed information and current guidelines, see “Forestry Adaptation and

Mitigation in the Changing Climate: A Forest Resource Manager’s Guide for the Northeastern US” (Gunn

et al).

7. Compartment Descriptions

7.1 Compartment 1

This compartment abuts the farm, and surrounds the Visitors’ Center and parking lot, making it

the area most people see first when visiting Merck Forest. This compartment has some of the

most valuable individual trees in the forest (some very high quality sugar maple in stand 1A),

and it also has a significant proportion of regenerating forest (1D, 1C). The 1942 aerial photo

shows much of the land at lower elevation was cleared for agriculture at the time; this is

evidenced by the apple trees that can be found scattered about.

While there are some xeric soils (portions of stand 1M, 1E, 1A, 1H), the majority are mesic. To

round out the mix, mill creek runs through this compartment. Stands 1D, 1K, and parts of 1I

have hydric soils.

Stand 1D has a high percentage of white ash which seem to be affected by ash yellows. While

many of the ash are affected and show signs of infection in their very light crown foliage,

however, not many have died. These conditions, along with rich soils, have led to a

shelterwood effect where excellent growth of advanced regeneration (mostly sugar maple) can

be found.

The majority of the compartment has northern hardwood forest, along with some mixed forest

(northern hardwoods and red spruce) in stand 1B, and two oak stands (1E, 1M). Aspen and

white birch are components of nearly all of these stands.

Total standing volumes for all natural stands include 719 Mbf of sawtimber, and 2,704 cords of

pulpwood. The one plantation (1La) is of European Larch, and has 17 Mbf and 5 cords of

standing volume.

This stand is scheduled to be managed in 2018.

7.2 Compartment 2

This is a large compartment, comprising 348 acres. It has a wide range of soil types and

topography ranging from Rich Northern Hardwood Forest on a gentle slope (2I), to a ridge top

with xeric soils and a beech and shrub early successional community (2S), and to a mature

hemlock forest growing on a very steep north‐facing slope. The majority of soils are mesic, and

pockets of RNHF are found in a few stands in this compartment; very few pockets of hydric soils

have formed since much of the area is well‐drained.

While mature forests cover the majority of this area, there is a large proportion of early

successional forest, which has resulted from three events: 1. A five acre patch cut in 2011 (2N);

2. A 55 acre shelterwood cut in ~2005 (2K, 2T, 2V); and a microburst windstorm (July 1999) that

affected about a third of the compartment.

This compartment is unique in that the entire area in within the Mettawee River Watershed,

which eventually flows north to the St. Lawrence. Nearly all the rest of Merck forest lies within

the Hudson River Watershed, and flows south to Long Island Sound.

The total standing volume in this compartment is 571Mbf and 2149 cords. This area is

scheduled to be managed in 2016.

7.3 Compartment 3

Compartment 3 was managed in 2012. Stands 3C and 3D, the most productive stands in the

compartment, were treated at that time with a free thinning and a selection harvest

respectively. After the harvest, Stand 3C was converted to a sugarbush.

No timber harvests are planned in this Compartment during this management cycle, however,

important understory treatments are needed. Stands 3A, 3B, and part of 3E are located on

northeast slope of Spruce Peak (aka The Gallop), and have adequate levels of regeneration,

primarily red spruce and yellow birch, with some sugar maple. The stands along the north

slope are a different story. Stands 3C, 3D, and 3F have varied histories and composition. All

three of these stands problems with interference species‐‐‐mostly striped maple.

This problem seems to have risen from the 1999 windstorm, which blew over parts of 3F and

3D, and the gaps were then filled in by striped maple. These understories should be treated

with a simple mechanical cutting using a brush saw, which should allow desirable species to

begin to regenerate.

Stand 3C was not affected by the windstorm, but it is stocked largely with mature sugar maple

and has striped maple in the understory. While the canopy will very likely be treated during

the next management cycle, it’s understory should be treated now. This treatment will give

desirable species a head start—perhaps 10 years to become established—prior to treating the

canopy.

The total standing volume in this compartment is 338Mbf and 1244cords of pulpwood. This

compartment was managed in 2012, and will not be re‐entered during this management cycle,

besides non‐commercial treatments.

7.4 Compartment 4

Compartment 4 is very large, 420 acres, and has access roads throughout. About 100 of these

acres are used as a sugarbush (the other 100 acres are in Comp 5) which MFFC currently leases

to a neighbor.

The majority of the area is mature northern hardwood forest but also includes Rich NHWD

Forest (4A3, 4C) mature oak forest (4F,4K), red spruce forest (4G), open field (4OP), and a

matrix of scrub/shrub forest (4N, 4B, 4I) which was a part of the “100 Acre Meadow”, has

numerous apple trees, stone walls and a few stone foundations, and is now reverting back to

forest. Due to its agricultural past, these areas have some of the densest concentrations of

invasive plants on the property—honeysuckle and barberry.

This compartment drains into the north branch of White Creek; slopes are generally moderate

and soils are mesic, except on south‐facing slopes where they are xeric.

Total standing volumes for all natural stands include 1,207 Mbf of sawtimber, and 2,995 cords

of pulpwood. There are two plantations—2Sp1 and 2Sp2. 2SP1 runs along Lodge Road and is

very small (~.2 acres) located near the cabin. 2SP2 is about 3 acres of immature spruce, and is

largely crowded out by hardwoods. They each have approximately 2Mbf of sawtimber; 2SP2

also has 54 cords of pulpwood.

The portion of this compartment that is used as a sugarbush should be managed during the

next tubing replacement; the rest of the area will be managed in 2020.

7.5 Compartment 5

Compartment 5 is the largest at 680 acres, and has a very diverse management history. About

100 acres are used as part of the leased sugarbush (the other 100 acres is located in

Compartment 4); The area west of Lookout Rd (about 60 acres) was designated a “Natural

Area” in 2002; Stand 5I received one of the largest and heaviest cuts on the property in some

time and now has about 35 acres of early successional forest.

Most of the compartment has mesic soils on moderate slopes, but it also includes a significant

portion of steep slopes with mesic to xeric soils. The compartment includes Beebe Pond, Beebe

Creek, Birch Pond. Stand 5E is the only area with hydric soils.

The 1942 aerial photo shows that portions of stands 5F, 5G, and 5K were open at that time.

Total standing volumes for all natural stands include 1,207 Mbf of sawtimber, and 2,995 cords

of pulpwood.

There are eight plantations, which is the most by far of all compartments. Many are listed as 2

acre plantations in the records, but are actually about 1 acre probably due to natural mortality

and in‐house use. Combined, the plantations have 60Mbf and 17Mbf of white spruce and red

pine sawtimber respectively, along with 64 cords of pulp.

The portion of this compartment that is used as a sugarbush should be managed during the

next tubing replacement; the rest of the area will be managed in 2015.

7.6 Compartment 6

Compartment 6 has the most standing volume of sawtimber—both per acre, and total—of the

entire MFFC property. The majority of this standing volume is red oak, sugar and red maple,

beech, white ash, with higher volumes of popple and white birch in Stand 6E. The forest is

primarily even‐aged, and has only been entered occasionally for harvest.

The majority of this Compartment has been designated a “Natural Area” for at least the past 10

years, and possibly for as long as 30 years. The details of this are unclear since the only

documentation that discusses this designation is the 2001 Management Plan (Olsen). In that

plan, it says “Changes to this Natural Area policy can only be made by a passing motion with a

2/3 majority vote of the trustees in two consecutive years.”

The use of this area is entirely based on the objectives of the Merck Forest Foundation. If the

area is to remain a designated Natural Area, the Foundation should articulate the reasoning

behind the designation, which will then guide management strategies and tactics.

Essentially, this compartment can be broken in three parts:

1. High elevation dry forest. This covers much of the same area as Master Mountain Road,

and all the area around Mt Antone. These forests are dry, have thin soils, produce poor

quality timber, and have very high recreational value.

2. Mid‐elevation slopes. This covers the majority of stand 6B, 6A, and the lower elevation

of 6D. This part has deeper soils than the ridgetops, and hold most of the high quality

standing timber in the compartment. And at the same time, much of the area is located

on very steep ground, making entry difficult at best.

3. The last part is the low elevation forest, which is basically made up of Stand 6E. This

area has younger forest, deeper soils, and is extremely accessible. It also has some of

the highest aspen stocking on the property (something which will only be perpetuated

through regeneration harvests. Almost half of this stand has been excluded from the

Natural Area (for unknown reasons).

The high elevation forest will not produce quality timber; the mid‐elevation forest will produce

excellent timber, particularly oak, but is largely located on very steep slopes. The lower

elevation forest is different altogether. It has only moderately sloping terrain; it has excellent

accessibility; and it has a large aspen component, which is lacking on the property, and will

require a timber harvest to regenerate. For all these reasons, it is advised that the Executive

Director and the Board consider maintaining the Natural Area status of the upper elevations;

and exclude all of stand 6E from the Natural Area.

The total standing volume within this compartment is 1393Mbf sawtimber and 2990 cords of

pulp. This area is scheduled to be managed in 2014.

7.7 Compartment 7

Compartment Seven is located south of Old Town Road, and consists of 307 acres of steep to

moderately steep land that drains directly into White Creek. The entire compartment is north‐

facing and has predominantly mesic soils. The area is predominantly Northern Hardwood

Forest, but also has some talus communities (7CNP), and signs of Rich NHWD Forest (7F).

Stands 7A, 7D2, and 7E were managed in the last 15 years. Accessing the remaining area will be

a challenge; potential river crossings will need to be scouted in the western half of the

compartment. The eastern half will be accessible once a bridge is constructed to link Old Town

Road to East Hollow Rd, which is scheduled for summer 2012. Stand 7B may be accessed over

neighboring properties (see 2.2.a above).

7.8 Compartment 8

This Compartment is primarily made up of pole and sawtimber‐sized northern hardwood forest.

The Compartment has mostly hardwoods (sugar maple, ash, yellow and white birch, and red

oak) but one stand is predominantly softwood (8F is mostly red spruce), and another stand is

trending in this direction (8G has a strong red spruce understory). The area has just about an

even mix of south, west and east‐facing slopes, and is bisected by the east branch of White

Creek. This river, along with its feeder streams must be protected during management

activities.

Only a small percentage of the compartment has been managed in the last 30 years and the

stocking figures reflect this with basal areas typically above 100sqft.

MFFC will need to carry out a few tasks prior to entering these stands:

1. A permanent bridge should be constructed at the beginning of East Hollow Rd, which is

necessary to gain access to the entire Compartment.

2. East Hollow Road and Hatch Road will need its water structures to be cleared and

repaired, and Hatch will need to be graded (all this work can also be carried out by the

forest operator as part of the logging contract.)

3. MFFC needs to negotiate a temporary ROW with its neighbor Zaplatel to access 8B (and

2U, 9C, and 9E)

pulp. This area is scheduled to be managed in 2013 and 2021.

7.9 Compartment 9

This compartment consists of 234 acres of high elevation northern hardwood forest. Some

Soils are predominantly mesic, and slopes are moderate to steep—the steepest slopes

occurring in stand 9E and 9C. This is an oddly shaped compartment, surrounded by neighboring

lands; some stands will require a ROW over neighboring lands before entry (see 2.2a above).

New England Forestry Foundation holds a conservation easement on the entire compartment

requiring Merck to submit harvest plans to NEFF before starting management activities. Also, a

portion of the compartment lies above 2,500 ft, and will require an ACT 250 permit before

entering these areas.

The total standing volume within this compartment is 121Mbf sawtimber and 2,679cords of

8. Stand Descriptions and Management Recommendations

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9. Forest Work Schedule

2012/13 Compartment 8

1. Timber harvests

8E—Variable Retention Thinning

8G—Variable Retention Thinning

2. Invasive Plant Control

Current Compartment

8E, 8G (No known invasives. Treat if found before entering).

Work required in other compartments:

2A, 2N, 1F, 1J, 1K, 1L (garlic mustard)

4N (barberry)

Along East Hollow Rd (garlic mustard)

Along Old Town Rd (garlic mustard)

Along Mitiguay Rd (garlic mustard)

Along Marquand Rd (garlic mustard)

Along Feteroff and Burke Trail (garlic mustard)

3. Road Maintenance

a. Lower Old Town Rd

b. East Hollow Rd

c. Hatch Rd

d. Bridge Construction to access East Hollow Rd.

e. Add drainage to East Hollow/Old Town Rd Landing

4. Paint Property Boundary

a. Comp 8

b. Plus a portion of either Comp 2 or Comp 9 if possible.

5. Re‐delineate stand boundaries

a. Comp 8

6. Controlled Burn

a. Stand 5I

b. Stand 4F

2014 Compartment 6

1.Timber harvests

6E—Single Tree Group Selection

5K—Single Tree Group Selection ***this treatment was added because

compartment 6 is small, and 5K abuts 6E.

Current Compartment

6E, 5K (No known invasives. Treat if found before entering).

2A, 2N, 1F, 1J, 1K, 1L(garlic mustard)

4N (barberry)

3. Road Maintenance

Lower Old Town Rd

Lower Lookout Rd

Comp 6

2015 Compartment 5 1. Timber harvests

5A—Single Tree Group Selection

5B1—Single Tree Group Selection

5B2—Intermediate Treatment

5F—Single Tree Group Selection + Patch Cut

5G—Single Tree, Group Selection

5J—Single Tree, Group Selection

Current Compartment

Treat all stands prior to entering for timber harvest

4N (barberry)

3. Road Maintenance

Lower Old Town Rd

Lower Clark’s Clearing

Wade Lot Rd

Comp 5

2E—Single Tree and Group Selection

2F—Single Tree and Group Selection

2I—Variable retention thinning

2K—Overstory Removal (final shelterwood cut)

2N—Single Tree and Group Selection

2T—Overstory Removal (final shelterwood cut)

2V—Overstory Removal (final shelterwood cut)

Current Compartment

Treat all stands for invasive plants BEFORE entering.

2A and 2N have known patches of invasives

1F, 1J, 1K, 1L (garlic mustard)

4N (barberry)

3. Road Maintenance

Lower Stone Lot Rd

Marquand Rd

Mitiguay Rd

Howe Rd

Need to determine access for 2T and 2K

Comp 2

6. Controlled Burn

Stand 5I

7B—Single Tree and Group Selection

7D1—Single Tree and Group Selection

Current Compartment

4N (barberry)

3. Road Maintenance

Lower Old Town Rd

Fisher Rd

Graves Rd

Comp 7

1B—Free thinning

1D—Patch Cut

1E—Free thinning

1I—Free thinning (Presumes Merck acquired a ROW over lands of Garner Anthony.)

1M—Single Tree Selection (Only after invasive plants have been controlled in

neighboring stands).

2. Sugarbush Conversion

1H—Consider developing a new sugarbush in this stand

3. TSI

1C—Understory treatment

Current Compartment

1F, 1J, 1K, 1L have established invasive plant populations, and should be treated.

2A, 2N (garlic mustard)

4N (barberry)

5. Road Maintenance

Woods Road leading from Watruss to Merck Forest

McCormick Rd

Harwood/Discovery Rd

Northern portion of Old Town Rd

Comp 1

9C—Commercial Improvement Cut and Patch Cut

Current Compartment

1J, 1K, 1F, 1L, 2A, 2N (garlic mustard)

4N (barberry)

3. Road Maintenance

East Hollow Rd

Lower Old Town Rd

Comp 9

4A1—Femelshlag (Forester for the Birds) and Patch Cut

4D—Single Tree and Group Selection

4E—Single Tree and Group Selection

4F—Shelterwood, first entry (Presumes adequate levels of desirable advance

regeneration)

4H—Improvement Cut

4i—Group and Single Tree Selection

4K‐‐ Shelterwood, first entry (Presumes adequate levels of desirable advance

regeneration)

4L—Single Tree and Group Selection

4M—Single Tree and Group Selection

Current Compartment

4N has patches of barberry, and must be treated.

1F,1J,1K,1L,2A, 2N (garlic mustard)

4N (barberry)

3. Road Maintenance

Old Town Road

Lower Gallop Rd

Lower Kowenhoven Rd

Lodge Rd

Hammond Rd

Comp 4

8A—Single Tree and Group Selection

8B1—Single Tree and Group Selection

8C—Single Tree and Group Selection

Current Compartment

1J, 1K, 1F, 1L, 2A, 2N (garlic mustard)

4N (barberry)

3. Road Maintenance

East Hollow Rd

Lower Old Town Rd

Hatch Road

Comp 8 (only if this was not completed during 2012/2013

20XX* Sugarbush Management 1. Timber harvests *Manage during regularly scheduled tubing replacement.

4D—Single Tree and Group Selection

4L—Single Tree and Group Selection

5D—Free Thinning

5N—Single Tree and Group Selection

Old Town Road

Lookout Rd.

East Hollow Rd

Old Town Road

Lookout Rd.

¯0 0.25 0.5 0.75 10.125Miles

Compartments

LegendCompartmentsPrimary woods roadsSecondary woods roads

360 acres 719.174 1.99770556

2704.7 7.51305556

stats--BA stats--vol

Stand ID BA AGS MSD FSF stage tpa For Type stocking BA above B Sawtimber Cords acres total saw total cords points Con Lvl LCL UCL %e CV LCL UCL %e CV1A 80 54 10.95 111 25 B 10 3.5 4 59.5 208.25 238 14 90 68 92 15 31 2888 3448 16 34

1anp 25

1B 87 63 10.26 146 25-mixed A-B 17 2.48 7 44.7 110.856 312.9 6 90 73 100 15 19 2092 2868 15 19

1C/Bsouth 92 56 7.05 293 25 B 22 1.01 11 12.9 13.029 141.9 5 90 80 104 13 19 0 2352 123 181

1D 70 27 7.4 pole 213 25 B 0 0.38 9 35.9 13.642 323.1 6 90 56 84 20 24 -76 647 127 155

1E 111 91 8 pole 286 55 A 2.08 15 23.9 49.712 358.5 14 90 100 122 10 21 1291 2863 38 80

1F 64 24 6.34 pole 251 25 B -6 0 6 14.9 0 89.4 5 90 48 80 25 26

1G 25 0 0

1H 82 49 11 112 25 B 12 2.58 8 19.3 49.794 154.4 9 90 69 95 16 26 1993 3177 22 37

1I 89 62 9.61 155 25 A-B 19 2.41 9 44.4 107.004 399.6 14 90 78 99 12 26 1204 3620 50 105

1J 65 10 10.2 88 25 B -5 0.36 8 8.9 3.204 71.2 4 90 36 94 45 39 -477 1207 230 200

1K 96 36 10.5 142 25 A-B 26 2.64 11 17.6 46.464 193.6 5 90 68 124 29 31 952 4321 63 68

1L 89 42 8.6 191 25 A-B 1.7 10 16.8 28.56 168 21 90 75 102 15 39 1242 2173 27 72

1M 80 50 12.8 83 55 A-B 10 3.22 3 5.1 16.422 15.3 4 90 47 113 41 36 -680 7133 121 105

1N 116 52 10.91 168 25 A 46 3.63 12 19.9 72.237 238.8 5 90 95 137 18 19 318 6939 91 96

small saw

mature

Compartment 1 Total Sawtimber

Total Cordwood

571.159 per acre 1.641261 Mbf/a 348 acres

2149.9 6.177874 cords/a

Stand ID BA AGS MSD tpa Forest Types stocking BA above B Sawtimber Cords acres total saw total cords points con lvl LCL UCL %e CV LCL UCL %e CV

2a 87 44 10.77 126 25 A-B 17 3.8 8 19.3 73.34 154.4 9 90 64 110 27 43 1065 6527 72 116

2b 68 32 11.15 93 25 B -2 2.19 6 10.9 23.871 65.4 5 90 58 78 15 16 -78 4455 103 110

2c 88 48 8.48 193 25 A-B 18 2.6 8 9.1 23.66 72.8 5 90 77 98 12 12 -283 5473 110 117

2cnp 25 2.7 0 0

2d 93 36 10.07 143 25 A-B 23 1.57 11 9.9 15.543 108.9 6 90 73 113 21 26 613 2534 61 75

2e 100 68 8.53 219 31 A-B 0 4.02 8 10.7 43.014 85.6 7 90 79 120 21 28 772 7266 80 110

2f 111 75 8.4 238 25 A-B 41 4.02 10 17.8 71.556 178 7 80 92 131 18 33 463 7570 88 1622g 25 23.4 0 0

6.3 0 0

2h 23 5.6 0 0

7.7 0 0

2i 137 110 7.95 348 25 A 67 3.9 23 11 42.9 253 6 80 113 160 17 28 2038 5772 48 802j 74 34 10.82 101 25 B 4 1.46 7 38.1 55.626 266.7 14 80 65 83 12 34 1.46 1958 34 94

2k 25 30.4 0 0

2n 88 72 8.55 192 55 A-B 18 2.07 12 14.8 30.636 177.6 5 80 72 104 18 26 779 3362 62 91

2o 160 140 5.88 789 31 60 0.79 21 2.4 1.896 50.4 1 80

2p 63 29 10.27 92 25 B -7 2.03 6 7.1 14.413 42.6 7 80

2q 95 20 7.43 270 25 A 25 0.58 10 4.5 2.61 45 4 80 75 115 22 27 3 1161 99 122

2r 68 52 11.76 82 25 B -2 2.38 6 10.4 24.752 62.4 5 80 52 83 23 33 1683 3081 29 43

2s 60 16 7.83 155 25 B -10 0.86 6 19 16.34 114 5 80 50 70 16 24 51 1665 94 137

2t 65 40 8.26 141 25 b -5 2.7 4 24 64.8 96 4 80

2u 90 41 9.62 156 25 A-B 20 1.58 9 41.9 66.202 377.1 12 80 81 99 10 26 614 2538 61 155

2v 25 9.2 0 0

For Type

Compartment 2Total Sawtimber

Total Cordwood

338.514

1244.8

Stand ID BA AGS MSD tpa Forest Types stocking BA above B Sawtimber Cords acres total saw total cords points Con Lvl LCL UCL %e CV LCL UCL %e CV

3a 90 34 8.36 198 25 A 20 2.19 8 10.8 23.652 86.4 6 80 83 97 7 12 1300 3078 40 67

3anp 80 20 8 198 25 B 10 1.45 7 9.3 13.485 65.1

3b 80 31 7.58 211 30 Q -20 1.03 11 25.8 26.574 283.8 11 80 81 97 9 21 497 1569 52 125

3bnp 7.2 0 0

3c 88 73??? 10.52 124 27 B 18 4.6 5 29.5 135.7 147.5 16 90 74 100 15 34 3388 4595 26 59

3c1 110 87 8.72 238 27 A 40 2.41 13 2.9 6.989 37.7 20 90 94 125 14 36 1733 3078 28 72

3d1 94 79 8.9 189 25 A-B 24 2.94 10 15.5 45.57 155 16 90 81 107 14 37 2049 2937 30 80

3d2 113 90 10.5 177 25 A 43 3.82 13 17.9 68.378 232.7 16 90 100 125 11 27 3106 4534 19 47

3d3 25 8.5 0 0

3e 97 43 8.5 206 25 A 27 0.63 13 14.7 9.261 191.1 6 80 92 102 5 8 42 1225 93 155

3f 72 40 9.56 130 25 B 2 1.37 7 6.5 8.905 45.5 5 80 64 80 10 15 780 1956 43 63

Total Cordwood

1207.798

2995.5

Stand ID BA AGS MSD tpa Forest Type stocking BA above B Sawtimber Cords acres total saw total cords points con lvl LCL UCL %e CV LCL UCL %e CV

4a1 95 28 7.73 249 25 A-B 25 0.67 11 19 12.73 209 8 80 81 113 12 24 126 1214 81 162

4a2 80 45 9.27 141 25 B 10 3.21 5 30.7 98.547 153.5 4 80 53 106 33 41 1860 4560 42 52

4a3 75 45 8.26 163 25 B 5 3.32 6 52.3 173.636 313.8 4 80 60 90 21 25 38 6592 98 121

4anp 113 40 9.77 202 25 A 43 1.57 10 12.8 20.096 128

4b 120 96 11.57 153 55 A 5.65 10 19.1 107.915 191 5 80 93 147 23 33 3902 7400 31 45

4c 25 25.8 0 0

4d 97 56 10.15 150 25 A-B 27 3.9 7 22.4 87.36 156.8 6 80 83 110 15 24 2290 5505 41 69

4e 104 92 9.07 210 25 A 34 4.17 10 22.8 95.076 228 5 80 73 135 30 44 2757 5574 34 49

4f 25 10.4 0 0

4g 130 93 8.5 273 31 A-B 30 5.29 10 30.5 161.345 305 8 80 115 145 12 23 3831 6747 27 55

4h 120 55 7.44 345 25 A 50 1 18 11.6 11.6 208.8 4 80 85 155 29 36 226 1783 77 95

4i 156 120 9.82 256 25 A 86 7.8 11 8.9 69.42 97.9 5 80 116 196 26 38 4953 10638 36 53

4j 132 90 10.4 201 31-mixed A-B 32 5.52 15 34.2 188.784 513 8 80 112 152 15 30 2848 8194 48 96

4k 93 73 12.39 107 55 A-B 3.5 9 12.2 42.7 109.8 3 80 68 118 26 24 2733 4270 22 20

4l 25 8.8 0 0

4m 25 18.1 0 0

4mnp 25 10.5 0 0

4n 120 50 12.32 126 25 A 50 4.73 13 29.3 138.589 380.9 4 80 97 142 19 23 3068 6395 35 43

Total Cordwood

2030.407

4486.5

Stand ID BA AGS MSD tpa F Type stocking BA above B Sawtimber Cords acres total saw total cords points con lvl LCL UCL %e CV LCL UCL %e CV Avg MHt Vol/Tree Saw DBH

5a1 90 72 12.7 96 25 A-B 20 4.95 5 36.5 180.675 182.5 8 80 78 102 13 27 3370 6528 32 64

5a2 70 10 11.28 94 25 B 0 1.07 10 5.4 5.778 54 2 80

5b1 115 70 9.9 186 25 A-B 45 3.04 13 15.1 45.904 196.3 4 80 95 135 18 22 1818 4266 40 49

5b2 80 30 10.5 115 25 B 10 1.03 10 26.3 27.089 263 6 80 63 97 21 35 35 2023 96 160

5bnp 25 27.2 0 0

5c 110 60 10.3 169 25 A-B 40 2.92 10 81.6 238.272 816 10 80 96 124 13 29 2100 3735 28 64

5d 100 67 11.3 135 25 A-B 30 4.04 10 6.8 27.472 68 3 80 79 121 21 20 1797 6286 55 52

5e 55 29.8 0 0

5f 180 120 10.5 274 25 A-B 110 6.76 18 52.8 356.928 950.4 5 80 163 197 9 14 4489 9019 33 49

5g 107 84 8.67 222 25 A-B 37 4.22 11 49.1 207.202 540.1 6 80 89 125 17 28 2526 5913 40 67

5h 135 115 8.5 286 31 A-B 35 6.76 11 12.3 83.148 135.3 4 80 126 143 6 7 3998 9532 41 50

5i **~10 55 52.6 0 0

5j 100 83 12.6 105 25 A-B 30 5.29 5 48.8 258.152 244 7 80 83 116 16 30 4245 6333 20 36 10.12 94 14.42

5k 115 82 12.19 131 25 A 45 6.15 8 64.5 396.675 516 8 80 94 135 18 35 4844 7456 21 42 11.3 124 15.8

5knp 73 17 8 170 25 B 3 1.12 5 18.5 20.72 92.5 9 80 57 89 22 36 -238 2473 121 196

5l 92 60 10.6 129 25 A-B 22 3.23 6 17.4 56.202 104.4 5 80 76 107 17 24 2449 4005 24 35 8.33 82 14.8

5m 103 70 11.8 120 25 A-B 33 4.8 10 24 115.2 240 6 80 94 112 9 15 2624 7015 45 76

5n 115 25 6.8 375 25 A 45 1.57 12 7 10.99 84 4 80 87 142 24 30 565 2569 64 79

Total Cordwood

1393.269

2990.3

Stand ID BA AGS MSD tpa F Type stocking BA above B Sawtimber Cords acres total saw total cords points con lvl LCL UCL %e CV Avg MHt LCL UCL %e CV

6a 136 108 10.7 181 55 above A 65 8.56 6 79.3 678.808 475.8 5 80 106 165 22 32 9.3 5686 11423 33 49

6b 95 65 14 84 55 A-B 25 5.03 6 30.5 153.415 183 4 80 59 131 38 47 3546 6510 29 36

6c 125 45 8.94 240 55 A 55 2.64 10 55.3 145.992 553 4 80 97 153 22 27 1035 4238 60 74

6d 87 26 7.4 250 55 A-B 17 1.4 11 79.1 110.74 870.1 3 80 74 99 14 13 -1179 1396 184 173

6e 108 75 8.34 242 25 A 38 4.02 12 75.7 304.314 908.4 15 80 103 113 5 14 3029 5008 24 71

Compartment 6

Total Sawtimber

Total Cordwood

832.053

2710.6

Stand ID BA AGS MSD tpa F. Type stocking BA above B Sawtimber Cords acres total saw total cords points con lvl LCL UCL %e CV LCL UCL %e CV

7a 78 42 8.94 152 25 B 8 2.33 8 71.6 166.828 572.8 9 80 66 90 15 33 1890 2762 19 40

7b 116 94 8.52 259 25 A 46 2.67 15 46.5 124.155 697.5 10 80 106 126 8.5 19 1939 3395 27 62

7c 102 69 11.15 131 25 A-B 32 4.88 8 35.5 173.24 284 9 80 90 115 12 27 3973 4883 19 40

7cnp 25 53.5 0 0

7d1 113 77 8.91 232 25 A 43 3.1 15 37.7 116.87 565.5 6 80 90 137 21 35 1218 3099 60 101

7d2 70 55 10 117 25 B 3.01 8 18.6 55.986 148.8 4 80 54 86 23 29 1132 3009 62 76

7e 80 56 9.2 158 25 B 10 2.17 10 18.2 39.494 182 5 80 70 90 12 18 764 3573 64 94

7f 120 97 9 227 25 A 50 5.98 10 26 155.48 260 6 80 103 137 14 23 4335 7631 27 45

Total Cordwood

742.97

3922.4

8a 100 56 8.18 238 25 A-B 30 2.8 12 10.2 28.56 122.4 5 80 83 117 17 24 1500 4097 46 68

8b 105 43 8.8 218 25 A-B 35 2.04 11 77.8 158.712 855.8 13 80 94 114 9 23 1214 2866 44 117

8b1 117 43 8.6 249 25 A 47 1.4 14 42.5 59.5 595 13 80 107 126 10 22 1481 2838 48 83

8c1 100 60 7.9 262 25 A-B 30 1.29 13 10.1 13.029 131.3 6 80 78 121 21 36 579 2007 48 91

8c 102 57 7.88 262 25 A-B 32 2.7 10 53.1 143.37 531 12 80 91 113 11 27 2701 3881 43 111

8d 82 42 8.64 168 25 B 12 2.66 9 31.5 83.79 283.5 9 80 70 94 14 31 1673 3642 37 80

8e 129 106 8.17 317 25 A 59 4.12 18 37.5 154.5 675 7 80 116 141 10 18 2738 5511 34 62

8f 132 124 6 625 32 A 32 0.93 18 11.3 10.509 203.4 5 80 111 152 16 23 -186 2045 120 175

8g 113 85 7.65 303 25 A 43 2.6 15 35 91 525 9 80 100 126 11 25 1714 3486 34 73

Total Cordwood

121.859

2679.4

9a 75 10 6.58 281 25 B 5 0.36 9 14.5 5.22 130.5 4 80 59 91 21 26 -227 953 162 200

9b 108 43 7.95 283 25 A 38 0.87 13 67.8 58.986 881.4 8 80 94 120 12 24 305 1439 65 130

9c 96 16 6.83 322 25 A-B 26 0.35 11 56.7 19.845 623.7 5 80 90 102 6 9.3 22 683 93 137

9d 80 28 9.62 137 25 B 10 0.56 12 46.9 26.264 562.8 8 80 63 97 21 42 174 949 69 138

9e 71 23 7.28 205 25 B 1 0.24 10 48.1 11.544 481 7 80 61 82 15 27 17 471 92 171

Total Cordwood

Stand ID BA AGS MSD tpa stocking Sawtimber Cords acres total saw total cords points con lvl LCL UCL %e CV LCL UCL %e CV

1La 173 173 11.7 215 17.25 5 3 80 129 217 26 24 11048 23458 36 34

4sp2 117 77 6.82 416 0.74 18 3 2.22 54 7 80 99 135 15 28 345 1131 53 98

5sp1 5 10

5sp2 213 206 10.1 350 19.38 10 4.6 3 80 14500 24246 25 23

5sp3 170 170 8.22 406 9.74 10 2 80

5sp4 100 20 10 167 1.36 10 2 80

5sp6 180 180 10.5 293 11.6 5 1 80

5sp7 220 200 8.9 460 13.3 17 2 80

5rp 153 147 13.11 160 17.69 2 1 3 80 128 178 16 15 15417 19954 12 12

60.38 62

PlantationsTotal Sawtimber

Total Cordwood

Old Tow

4D4E4H

4MNP5RP

¯0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.40.05Miles

Compartment One

LegendStand boundaryPrimary woods roadsSecondary woods roadstopo lines 20 ft

TOTALS

2011 Volume BA tpa MSD

Overall 80 111 10.95Sawtimber 3.45Mbf 44 40

AGS 2 cords 10 25

UGS 4 cords 24 43

Cavity 0 2 3

BA 80 Sawtimber Notes:

AGS:UGS 54:26 Volume 3.45 Mbf

conf level 90% conf level 90%

% error 14% % error 16%

CV 31 CV 34

mean saw dbh 14.1

Avg MHt 9.9ft

Vol/tree 87

# of points 14

BAF 20

Recourse Concerns: soil erosion, water quality, standing timber, wtlands, pests, wildlife habitat, etc

Short-term and long term silvicultural or wildlife goals.

Desired future conditions

Even-age mgmt: present age, rotation age, residual ba

Uneven-age mgmt: desired diameter, cutting cycle, residual BA

Later, treatment schedule: stand, year, activity

Silv. Guides:

Cover Type

size class

Soils:

Access: dry/wet, soil depth, Site Index

BA, AGS:UGS, MSD, stems/a

Stems/Acre

Regeneration: species, size

Stand Health:

insects, invasive plants, diseases

Stand History: treatments, land use, disturbance

soil erosion, water quality, plants/trees, pests, wildife habitat, rare/threatened spp

fish and game existing habitat and potential

viewscapes, waterfalls, scenic areas, recreation and aesthetic values

Desired Future Stand Condition

Long Range Silvicultural Objectives:Grow high quality sawtimber;

convert to uneven-aged

stand.

Natural Resource

Notes:

Cultural Resource

Notes:

Management

Recommendations

1992- single tree and small group selection (Laureau) removal of 36Mbf & 140 cords. Records indicate that nails were found in

trees and job was halted.

1965- harvest (unknown details)

A stream runs through the north east portion of the stand and drains the hillside.

This stand has very high aesthetic value, since it is viewed from the Harwood Farm. This stand, along with stand 1G, has some very

large, senesing sugar maple which were used as a small sugarbush according to old notes. There is also old wire fence running

between some of these trees.

Stand 1A

Basal Area Volume

Stand is in fine health.

small pockets of mixed regen; some dense striped maple; some dense beech along ridge.

Note: The timber quality of this stand ranges from poor to excellent. The

pockets with excellent quality have some of the best sugar maple on the

property (20+" veneer). These trees average 280bf/tree and about

1.5logs/tree.

Stocking and Site

Quality

sawtimber

25a (1A) 34a (1ANP)

Sugar Maple, northern hardwood

NE-603

(near creek) Dutchess channery loam, 25-60% slope, very stony; (throughout) Macomber-Taconic complex, 25-60% slope,

rocky; (up high) Taconic-macomber complex, 15-25% slope, very rocky

This stand should be accessed through Lands of Garner Anthony. A permanent, or temporary ROW should be negotiated. Woods

roads will need to be cleared, graded, and water structures put in place. A second option would be to access the stand by

way of the McCormick Road, in which case only a portion of the stand could be accessed.

B line. Stocking is adequate, with patches of large, full-crowned, mature sugar maple (20"dbh). Site

II and III. Better site quality in east and down low; much drier and rockier up high and west, and along ridge.

Stand density is not critically high. No planned management.

TOTALS

Overall 2.48 87 146 10.26Sawtimber 2.48 40 48

AGS 4 23 52

UGS 3 23 46

Cavity

AGS:UGS 63 Volume 2.48

CV 18 CV 19

mean saw dbh 12.3

Avg MHt 8

Vol/tree 51

# of points 6

BAF 20

Diameter Objectives: SM/WA: 20" dbh RS/WB: 14" dbh

Silv. Guides:

Cover Type

size class

Soils:

Stems/Acre

Stand Health:

harvest schedule: 2018

residual BA: 75-80 sqft/a

Management

Recommendations

Stand 1B

Basal Area Volume

Highly variable stand. north (top): fairly nice, young forest. High WB

stocking, but also WA and small SM. south-treated

(bottom pic): treated during last cycle; gaps have filled with striped

maple; significant RS blowdown.

Long Range Silvicultural Objectives:Grow high quality

sawtimber; convert to

uneven-aged stand.

Free Thinning:

North of McCormick: Free Thinning. Perform a commercial thinning, removing low quality stems, and mature

birch and popple. Groups of mature, overmature or deformed stems can be removed if there is adequate

regeneration beneth. Post treatment of interference species within the newly formed groups--striped maple

and beech. South of

McCormick: Cut striped maple which were released in groups during last entry. Cut during summer months.

currently stand: adequately healthy. Red spruce may still be at risk of blowdown.

NE-603

SAF-25 (mixed)

sawtimber

(throughout)Dutchess Channery loam, 25-60%slopes, very stony; Macomber-Taconic Complex, 25-60% slope,

rocky;

This stand should be accessed through Lands of Garner Anthony. A permanent, or temporary ROW should be

negotiated. Woods roads will need to be cleared, graded, and water structures put in place. A second

option would be to access the stand by way of the McCormick Road, in which case only a portion of the stand

could be accessed.

Stocking and Site

Quality

Highly Variable. Two sections: 1.)south of McCormick Rd: treated during last 10 years; pockets of significant red

spruce blowdown; this area is still understocked. 2.) north of mccormick road: fairly high stocking; high white

birch and white ash stocking. Site II.

Gaps above mccormick road have mostly filled in with striped maple.

In 1997 portion south and east of Mccormick trail was harvested (29mbf, 64c) using single tree and group

selection (Calfee,Waite). At some point, this area was part of a wildlife habitat demonstration project. The

wildlife habitat managemnt trail follows mccormick trail from OTR to a skidder road that forks off to the north,

leading into stand 1l.

Natural Resource

Notes:

Portion of this stand was, in the past, managed as a wildlife habitat demonstration site, which was designed in

cooperation with the ruffed grouse society and wild turkey federation, and the Dept of Fish and Wildlife.

Cultural Resource

Notes:

The Mccormick trial is near the visitors center and is a high use trail, which is in reasonably good shape. This

stand has very high aesthetic value since it can be seen from the farm.

TOTALS

AGS 8 40 88

UGS 3 36 191

Cavity

CV 19 CV 181

mean saw dbh 14.2

Avg MHt 9.1

Vol/tree 76

# of points 5

BAF 20

Silv. Guides:

Cover Type

size class

Soils:

Stems/Acre

Stand Health:

Management

Recommendations

No commercial activities planned this management cycle. In-

house understory treatment: This stand is not ready for a harvest. In 1997, the stand was treated with

a selection method which was intended to regenerate a portion of the stand. Many of these gaps have

filled in with striped maple. This is a problem for the future composition and productivity of the stand.

While no timber harvests should take place in the stand, the understory should be treated (e.g. the

striped maple must be treated in gaps, and throughout the stand) to the extent possible. Striped maple

stems can be treated mechanically with a brush cutter or chemically with herbicide.

Stand 1C

Basal Area Volume

This stand was thinned ~8 years ago. Removed many small groups.

Understocked canopy. Understory mostly undesireables. Consider

treating understory in gaps. Residual stocking is fair to good quality.

Long Range Silvicultural Objectives:

Grow high quality

sawtimber; convert

to uneven-aged

stand.

current stand: adequately healthy. Future stand: high UGS.

NE-603, Leak, William B. 2005. Effects of Small Patch Cutting on Sugar Maple Regeneration in New

Hampshire Northern Hardwoods. Northern Journal of Applied Forestry. 22(1): 68-70.

sawtimber

Macomber-Taconic complex, 25-60 percent slopes, rocky

This stand should be accessed through Lands of Garner Anthony. A permanent, or temporary ROW

should be negotiated. Woods roads will need to be cleared, graded, and water structures put in place.

A second option would be to access the stand by way of the McCormick Road. This option was used

during the last entry. If later option, use Barn Cabins Landing.

Stocking and Site

Quality

highly variable stocking; some areas have adequate stocking; pockets have very low stocking. Site II.

heavy striped maple regen filling in the gaps from the 1997 treatment.

1997 single tree and group selection (calfee, waite). Possible harvest ~ 1975?

Natural Resource

Notes:

variable stocking has created a mix of stand conditions, and a mix of wildlife habitats.

Cultural Resource

Notes:

The Mccormick trial is near the visitors center and is a high use trail, which is in reasonably good shape.

This stand has very high aesthetic value since it can be seen from the farm.

TOTALS

Overall 0.28 70* 213 7.4Sawtimber 0.28 7 8

AGS 4 20 44

UGS 5 40 159

Cavity 0 3 1

BA *70 Sawtimber Notes:

CV 24 CV 154

mean saw dbh 12

*Basal area OUTSIDE patch cuts. Avg MHt

Vol/tree

# of points 6

BAF 20

Silv. Guides:

Cover Type

size class

Soils:

Stems/Acre

Stand Health:

Management

Recommendations

Stand 1D

Basal Area Volume

The overstory ash in the southern portion of this stand are mostly

small diameter poles and of low commercial value. These

conditions are allowing lots of light to reach the understory, and it

regenerating as sugar maple.

Patch Cut. Over the past 10 years this stand has been managed as a wildlife habitat demonstration

site. There are still some acres which can be managed in this same way, mostly in eastern section of

stand. However, the southern portion of the stand--which has declining ash--is regenerating nicely,

and should not be clear cut (cutting all above-ground vegetation). Instead, it should recieve a series

of overstory removals, with care taken to protect the understory.

Harvest Schedule: 2018--harvest ~3-acre patch during winter months. Take care to protect sugar

maple regeneration.

This stand is afflicted with ash yellows.

NE-603

SAF-25

pole stand

48C & 49D-----Pittstown loam, 8-25%, very stony

This stand should be accessed through Harwood Road (aka Discovery Trail).

Stocking and Site

Quality

Highly variable. Northern 1/2 of stand has been patch cut and is now regenerating. Southern 1/2 of

stand is adequately stocked according to charts, however, the white ash in the canopy are affected

by ash yellows. A great deal of light is reaching the forest floor spuring regeneration. Site II. Good

quality soils, but much of the site is fairly wet.

Old patch cut is regenerating a mix of tree species and lots of rhubus. The 2010 patch cut is not yet

showing signs of regenerating tree species. The southern portion of the stand has very dense

patches of sugar maple adv regen (3-10 feet tall), mostly due to declining ash.

winter 2001-2002: Two 2-acre clearcuts in northeastern corner of stand, adjacent to the discovery

trail and farm pasture (olsen, waite). Winter 2010: 2 acre cc south of pasture.

Natural Resource

Notes:

excellent early successional habitat. Most of this stand has highly erodible soils, along with many

feeder streams which form Mill Creek. Treatments should take place during winter months to

protect these soils, and protective strips should be added--which will make up a significant portion

of the stand.

Cultural Resource

Notes:

Discovery trail, and wildlife trail run through this stand. An ecological dig was carried out in the

north-western portion of the stand.

TOTALS

AGS 12 64 204

UGS 3 20 58

Cavity

CV 20 CV 80

mean saw dbh 14.13

Avg MHt 9.6

Vol/tree 86

# of points 14

BAF 20

Silv. Guides:

Cover Type

size class

Soils:

Stems/Acre

Stand Health:

Harvest Year: 2018

Residual stand will have crop trees that are evenly spaced and free of competition on at least two

sides, often times on three sides.

A protective strip, or buffer will be set around the visitor's center, parking lot, and Old Town road, so

that trees will not be felled near these areas.

Free Thinning. This stand is fully stocked and will benefit from a thinning.

Conduct a crop tree crown thinning to release the best quality and most vigorous dominant and co-dominant stems, with preference

to northern red oak. Remove approximately 30-35 square feet, which will leave approx 75 sqare feet of residual basal area. Continue

to manage this stand for high mast yield by leaving large, mature oak (which will also contribute to the aesthetic value of the stand).

Notes: This is a uniqe stand because it is the first that our visitors see of Merck Forest, since the parking lot, the visitor's center, and

the first section to old town road is within its boundaries. The forest immediately surrounding these areas should be managed in a

way that protects their aesthetic appeal. Slash should be moved away from Old Town Road, and from the Parking Lot.

Residual Basal Area: 80sqft

Management

Recommendations

Stand 1E

Basal Area Volume

Oak stand. A few small patch cuts have been carried out over the

past 10 years to demonstrate wildlife habitat management.

Present Stand Age/Cutting cycle:

Rotation Age/Diameter Objective:

Grow high quality sawtimber;

grow high quality mast species;

grow large trees.

Oak are in good overall health. The largest factor impacting their growth is from crown competition.

Ag Hdbk 355 (Central Hardwoods); Central Hardwood Notes 6.06; NA-TP-19-93

55-northern red oak

sawtimber

44C-Dutchess Channery Loam; 42E-Macomber-Taconic Complex

Access is through Harwood Road and Old Town Road.

Stocking and Site

Quality

A line. Fully stocked. Site II. This is a good quality site for northern red oak. Soils are relatively

dry. Some sections have shallow soils with exposed bedrock.

Mixed. Most of the understory in this stand is beech; patches of oak (not adv regen). There is one

pach of oak which is regenerating from small cut stumps.

1996--one acre clearcut in south central portion. 1997--trees surounding this cut were felled into

openning to discourage deer brouse. Winter 2001-2002--one acre clearcut was established in

central portion, north of Discovery Trail (Olsen,Waite). Red oak and red spruce were left uncut for

mast and aesthetics. ~2003--some trees were girdled to encourage the growth of crop trees. This

treatment did not cover more than 2 acres. ****In the last management cycle, this stand was part

of a wildlife habitat demonstration plan. In the ensuing years the plan has been lost.

Natural Resource

Notes:

The oak in this stand, particularly large mature oak, are an exceptional source for mast on the

property. Northeast portion of stand has been managed in the past "for mast production"; at this

location there are large crowned, mature and overmature red oaks.

Cultural Resource

Notes:

Stone walls throughout this stand. Discovery trail runs though this stand. Another, unnamed trail

which runs through 1ENP has been neglected in recent years. It should be cleaned up since it takes

hikers to an interested knob covered with large mature oak. A protective strip, of sorts, should be

used around the parking lot, Old Town Road, and around the "Hope Tree", so that visitors can

continue to use these without interference from the logging operation.

TOTALS

Overall 6 64 251 6.34Sawtimber 0 0 0

AGS 3 24 144

UGS 4 40 108

Cavity

AGS:UGS 24 Volume na

% error 24% % error

CV 26 CV

mean saw dbh

Avg MHt

Vol/tree

# of points 5

BAF 20

ManagementGuide:

Cover Type

size class

Soils:

Stems/Acre

Stand Health:

Management

Recommendations

Invasive plant management

2012-2019--spring---hand pull or torch garlic mustard. Flag patches as they are found. Fall

2012-2019: Garlic mustard: use a backpack sprayer to apply 3% glyphosate solution in September.

2012 & 2013--Fall--Sept/Oct--Honeysuckle: In the fall, when native plants are losing their leaves,

spray a 2% glyphosate or triclopyr solution on the entire leaf surface of the plpant. In order to avoid

drift to native plants, spray on calm days.

2014: re-evalutate infestation.

******

Stand 1F

Basal Area Volume

Old pasture; dense patches of honeysuckle and other shrubs; large

patch of garlic mustard. Western portion of the stand is well-

stocked with pole-sized sugar maple and ash.

Two invasive plants have occupied sites within this stand: honeysuckle, garlic mustard, and possibly

barberry. This stand has the largest patch of garlic mustard on the property (~1/10acre), and a very

dense honeysuckle thicket (~1acre).

Vermont Chapter of The Nature Conservancy. "Invasive Plant Management Chemical Fact Sheet"

sapling/pole

42C: Macomber-taconic complex; 47E: Dutchess Channery Loam.

should be negotiated.

Stocking and Site

Quality

overstory stocking is very patchy, and has a very high proportion of UGS. Some patches--which can

be seen on aerial photo--are dense shrub thickets consisting mostlyof honeysuckle. Southwest half

of stand is full of sugar maple saplings and poles. Site II. Northeast portion has poor, rocky soils;

southwest portion is better quality.

no desireable regeneration was noted.

This stand was still used for pasture according to the 1942 aerial photo.

Natural Resource

Notes:

Cultural Resource

Notes:

Remnants of an old sugarhouse are located in the south-central portion of the stand.

TOTALS

AGS 3 13 28

UGS 5 33 55

Cavity

CV 25 CV 37

mean saw dbh 14.82

Avg MHt 9.25

Vol/tree 88

# of points 9

BAF 20

Silv. Guides:

Cover Type

Size Class

Soils:

Stems/Acre

Stand Health:

Management

Recommendations

Convert this stand to a sugarbush; no thinning necessary; run mainline down to Watruss Road.

Stand 1H

Basal Area Volume

Very steep site. Access is across neighboring lands to the

southwest. Would make a fine sugarbush.

sap production.

No forest health issues were noted during the inventory.

small sawtimber stand.

42E-Macomber-Taconic complex.

This stand should be accessed through Lands of Fram, or Buechner (Sharman). A temporary ROW

should be negotiated. A second option would be to access the stand through Lands of Garner

Anthony. Woods roads will need to be cleared, graded, and water structures put in place.

Stocking and Site

Quality

B line. Stocking is adequate, although canopy is patchy. Site III. Extremely Steep and rocky.

Light distribution of regeneration throughout the stand. Striped maple, sugar maple, and ash were

noted.

1996 Single Tree Group Selection harvest (Birdsall, Waite), removed 35Mbf and 76 cords. There is a

note that this stand was formerly used as a sugarbush.

Natural Resource

Notes:

neighboring stand is infested with honeysuckle and garlic mustard. None found in this stand, but

should be monitored.

Cultural Resource

Notes:

rarely visited part of the forest.

TOTALS

AGS 5 29 78

UGS 3 21 41

Cavity 1 6 4

CV 26 CV 105

mean saw dbh 13.56

Avg MHt 8.6

Vol/tree 76

# of points 14

BAF 20

Silv. Guides:

Cover Type

size class

Soils:

Stems/Acre

Stand Health:

Long-term goal is to establish an uneven-aged stand with a high percentage of sawtimber-sized

trees.

15 year cutting cycle schedule: 2018

Diameter Objective for Sugar Maple: 20"+

Management

Recommendations

Stand 1i

Basal Area Volume

nice stand. Invasives have not entered this stand from 1F. Decent

stocking.

Long Range Silvicultural Objectives: produce high quality

sawtimber; convert

to uneven-age.

Any treatement in this stand must be preceded by gaining a temporary or, more ideally, a

permanent Right-Of-Way over the lands of Garner Anthony. This ROW has been expercised in the

past (1993).

Free Thinning: Conduct a free thinning, leaving approximately 80sqft of basal area. Remove small

gaps of poorly formed stems. Cut or crush all undesireable regeneration in gaps, and where feasible

throughout the stand.

stand is in good overall health.

TNC publication: Managing Rich Northern Hardwood Forests (Taconics)

25-with signs of Rich Northern Hardwood Forest

small sawtimber

49D--Pittstown Loam and 47E Dutchess Channery Loam down low; 42E Macomber-Taconic complex

along ridge.

Stocking and Site

Quality

BA=89. Between A-B line. Decent stocking. Pole and small sawtimber stand. Good quality stems.

Site I,III. Excellent site, with signs of enriched soils in parts of this stand. Poorer soils along ridge.

very little regeneration; stand is largely in stem exclusion phase.

1978- TSI carried out on 10-acres. 1991- TSI crop tree release conducted through most of the area.

Natural Resource

Notes:

a stream cuts through the northeast portion of the stand. Several seeps run throughout the eastern

part of the stand.

Cultural Resource

Notes:

An access road runs through this stand, goes through neighboring lands of Garner Anthony, and

connects with Watruss road. This road is used by local hikers and hunters to access Merck, although

it hasn't been maintained in ~15 years.

TOTALS

AGS 0 5 19

UGS 8 55 65

Cavity

CV 38 CV 200

mean saw dbh 14

Avg MHt

Vol/tree

# of points 4

BAF 20

Management Guides:

Cover Type

size class

Soils:

Stems/Acre

Stand Health:

Management

Recommendations

This stand should be managed in conjunction with Stands 1K and 1F. These three stand have very

high proportions of UGS, and should be regenerated by a series of patch cuts. Before this can take

place, the garlic mustard and honeysuckle must be treated in the understory. 2012-2019--spring---

hand pull or torch garlic mustard. Flag patches as they are found. Fall 2012-2019: Use a

backpack sprayer to apply 3% glyphosate solution in September.

drift to native plants, spray on calm days. 2014: re-evalutate

infestation. 2014: prune and

release apple trees. There are a fair number of apple trees in desperate need of pruning and

release; conduct pruning during winter months.

******

Stand 1J

Basal Area Volume

nice young stand up high. Very high UGS, and brush down low.

maintain apple tree resource;

control invasive plants; produce

quality sawtimber

Some honeysuckle noted during the cruise. However, it's very likely to contain more invasive plants

since it abutts a neighboring farm, has a skidder road running through it, and it is not fully stocked.

pole/small sawtimber

47E--Dutchess Channery Loam.

This stand should be accessed through Lands of Fram, or Buechner (Sharman). A temporary ROW

should be negotiated. A second option would be to access the stand through Lands of Garner

Anthony. Woods roads will need to be cleared, graded, and water structures put in place.

Stocking and Site

Quality

Overall, stand is adequately stocked, but it's proportion of AGS is extremely low. BA=65sqft/acre.

AGS=10sqft/acre. Site Class II.

light, scattered maple/ash regeneration.

Western portion of this stand was open in 1942 aerial photo. 1996 single tree selection (Birdsall,

Waite).

Natural Resource

Notes:

this stand has some old apple trees, which can be pruned and relseased. Very good grouse habitat.

Cultural Resource

Notes:

Old sugaring equipement was found in the northern portion of the stand.

TOTALS

AGS 1 8 35

UGS 10 60 81

Cavity

CV 31 CV 67

mean saw dbh 14.06

Avg MHt

Vol/tree

# of points 5

BAF 20

Silv. Guides:

Cover Type

size class

Soils:

Stems/Acre

Stand Health:

Management

Recommendations

This stand should be managed in conjunction with Stands 1J and 1F. Although it has a high

percentage of UGS, it is too heavily infested with invasive plants to justify a harvest. The invasive

must be controlled first and foremost. 2012-2019--

spring---hand pull or torch garlic mustard. Flag patches as they are found. Fall 2012-2019:

Use a backpack sprayer to apply 3% glyphosate solution in September.

drift to native plants, spray on calm days. 2014: re-evalutate

infestation. ******

Stand 1K

Basal Area Volume

This stand abutts a neighboring residential property. It has high

UGS; large patch of garlic mustard. Very interesting stand, with

large white pine, and spruce coverd eskers. High recreation value.

Invasive plants have invaded this site from neighboring lands. Sizable patch of garlic mustard

(largest on property; ~400sqft); honeysuckle as well.

SAF-25

sawtimber

49D--Pittstown Loam;

Stocking and Site

Quality

BA=96. Very high proportion of UGS. Site II. Some wetland soils down near creek.

lacking adequate regeneration.

This stand was all clear in the 1942 aerial photo, and has re-forested. Most of stands were open-

grown, and of poor quality.

Natural Resource

Notes:

Stand has some of the few white pine on the property. It is located above a forested wetland, and

itself contains two feeder streams which enter into Mill Creek. Protective strips should be created

around these streams. (See Protective Strip Policy in Section

Cultural Resource

Notes:

An old access road runs through through the property,which is used by neighbors and hunters to

access the property.

TOTALS

AGS 4 19 46

UGS 6 44 121

Cavity 0 3 1

CV 40 CV 72

mean saw dbh 13.6

Avg MHt

Vol/tree

# of points 21

BAF 20

Silv/Mgmt Guides:

Cover Type

size class

Soils:

Stems/Acre

Stand Health:

Residual BA between groups: 80sqft

produce quality sawtimber; maintain mast production;

control invasive plants; perpetuate aspen component;

Harvest Schedule: 2018 Cutting Cycle: 15yrs.

Diameter Objectives: SM,WA=20"+

Management

Recommendations

Invasive Plant Control: Before this stand is entered, the invasive plants must be controlled. 2012-

2019--spring---hand pull or torch garlic mustard. Flag patches as they are found. Fall 2012-

2019: Garlic mustard: use a backpack sprayer to apply 3% glyphosate solution in September.

spray a 2% glyphosate or triclopyr solution on the entire leaf surface of the plant. In order to avoid

2019: (Only after invasive plants have been adequately controlled) Remove medium sized groups

(3/4-1acre) to regenerate aspen; thin elsewhere (very lightly) to release oak, maple and ash; focus

on removal of mature birch and aspen, and of poor qualty stems. Harvest must occur during winter

months to avoid spreading invasive plant seed and material.

Stand 1L

Basal Area Volume

Very mapley. Marking job planned to remove too much, and may

allow invasives to spread.

some honeysuckle noted in wet portions of this stand; northeast section. White Birch and Popple

are falling out of the stand. Significant patches of garlic mustard run along Fetterof Trail, and very

likely along Burke Trail as well.

Vermont Chapter of The Nature Conservancy. "Invasive Plant Management Chemical Fact Sheet"; NE-

sawtimber

47D--Dutchess Channery Loam. 42E Macomber-Taconic complex.

Through Lands of Buechner (Wind Gap Farm or Croff Farm).

Stocking and Site

Quality

Adequately stocked stand: BA=89, AGS=42. Canopy is patchy in the wet portion (northeast) but

relatively uniform elsewhere. Birch and Aspen falling out of stand. Site Class II. Gentle Slope.

thin understory; some striped maple, cherry, ash. Pockets of light beech. (all 3-7ft)

1993 single tree selection harvest in southern half of stand. (Lareau, Waite).

Natural Resource

Notes:

seeps run through north east portion of this stand. Southern portion of stand has been managed in

the past "for mast production"; at this location there are large crowned, mature and overmature red

oaks. Heavy soil erosion along rt 315, and north boundary of stand.

Cultural Resource

Notes:

This is an extremely high use area since it is located adjacent to the parking lot; Burke Trail runs

through the stand. There is an trail that spurs off of Burke, and continues up a small knob, in

desperate need of basic maintenance.

no picture

TOTALS

AGS 2 10 23

UGS 3 20 18

Cavity 1 10 5

CV 35 CV 104

mean saw dbh 14.21

Avg MHt

Vol/tree

# of points 4

BAF 20

Silv. Guides:

Cover Type

size class

Soils:

Stems/Acre

Stand Health:

Residual BA: 75-80sqft

Diameter Objectives: SM,WA=20"+

Harvest Schedule: 2018 Cutting Cycle: 15yrs.

Management

Recommendations

Stand 1M

Basal Area Volume

A portion of this stand is located on a knob, which has large oak

that are managed for mast production. The rest of the stand is

located on the west side of this knob and has nice quality sugar

maple and oak.

Long Range Silvicultural Objectives:Produce sawtimber and mast.

2019: (Only after invasive plants in neighboring 1L have been adequately controlled) Use Single Tree

and Group selection to begin regenerating the stand. Focus removal on mature, overmature, or trees

with low vigor--however, be sure to leave top mast producers. Groups should be small (.1-1/2 acre),

and because the stand is so small, there shall only be a few groups removed. Harvest must occur during

winter months to avoid spreading invasive plant seed and material.

large, poorly formed red oak. Overall health is good.

NE-603

55-Oak, with maple, beech, birch component

large sawtimber

42E--macomber-Taconic complex.

Through Lands of Buechner (Wind Gap Farm or Croff Farm).

Stocking and Site

Quality

BA=80; adequately stocked, although oak are beginning to decline.

Site III. Shallow soils.

some small (flattop) oak.

1993 single tree selectin harvest (Lareau, Waite).

Natural Resource

Notes:

This stand has many large red oak, an excellent source of mast.

Cultural Resource

Notes:

The wildlife habitat interpretive trail leads from the VC parking lot and stand 1L through this area into

Stand 1ENP. This stand has not been maintained and some basis upkeep is necessary.

2HNP 2GNP

2O2SP1

¯0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.40.05Miles

Compartment Two

LegendStand boundaryPrimary woods roadsSecondary woods roadstopo lines 20 ftCompartments

picture

TOTALS

AGS 2 11 21

UGS 5 38 75

Cavity 1 4 4

Basal Area

BA 87 Volume 3.8

AGS:UGS 44 mean saw dbh 15.07 Notes:

conf level 90% Avg MHt 13.6

% error 26% Vol/tree 150

CV 43 conf level 90%

% error 71%

CV 116

Produce high quality sawtimber; develop/maintain an uneven-age structure.

lower portion

# of points 9

BAF 20

upper portion

Silv. Guides:

Cover Type

Size class

Soils:

BA, AGS:UGS, MSD, stems/a, uniform? Patchy? Stratified?

Stand Health:

insects, invasive plants, diseases, level of impact/

SAF 25 Rich Northern Hardwood Forest

Stand 2a

Sawtimber Volume

Management

Recommendations

Stand density is not critically high, and no timber harvests are planned for this managment cycle.

2012-2019: Use a backpack sprayer to apply 3% glyphosate solution in September.

******

Long Range Silvicultural Objectives:Produce high quality sawtimber;

develop/maintain an uneven-age structure.

ne-603; Managing Rich Northern Hardwood Forests (TNC Vermont); Vermont Chapter of The Nature

Conservancy. "Invasive Plant Management Chemical Fact Sheet"

Cultural Resource

Notes:

This stand slopes north down to a small creek that runs over ledge, and has very high aesthetic

value. In the future, hiking trails might be constructed to better use this stand for recreation.

some scattered small groups of RS, WP regen down low; up high, thick YB regen along and near the

skid road.

Minor Impact of garlic mustard: small pockets run along the lower skid road leading to Buechner's

Property.

1993--Individual tree selection (12Mbf; 24c) (Lareau, Waite). 1999--

Individual tree selection (27Mbf, 35c) (Lareau, Waite).

Natural Resource

Notes:

A creek runs at the base of the hillside, and creates a natural barrier between route 315, and the

majority of this stand. The slope down to this creek is quite steep, so all logging activities must give

the creek an adequate buffer.

sawtimber

47D,47E Dutchess Channery Loam

Access is through Lands of Buechner, to route 315.

Stocking and Site

Quality:

BA=87sqft. Adequately stocked; denser stocking lower on the slope. (Between A and B line) Site

Class I. Stand has pockets of Rich Northern Hardwood Forest.

picture

TOTALS

AGS 1 4 6

UGS 4 32 63

Cavity 1 4 3

Basal Area

BA 68 Volume 2.19

conf level 90% Avg MHt

% error 15% Vol/tree

% error 103%

CV 109

# of points 5

BAF 20

Silv. Guides:

Cover Type

Size class

Soils:

Stand Health:

25--predominantly sugar maple; signs of Rich NHWD forest

Stand 2b

Sawtimber Volume

Management

Recommendations

No planned activity during this management cycle. Stand density is not critically high.

***re-examine this stand before treating surrounding stands. If appropriate, plan a harvest to

remove high-risk stems.

ne-603; Managing Rich Northern Hardwood Forests (TNC Vermont)

sawtimber

42E and 43E. Taconic and Macomber Complex. Steep and Rocky.

Access is through Lands of Buechner, to route 315.

Stocking and Site

Quality:

BA= 68. B-line. Low stocking due to circa 1999 thinning, along with significant blowdown of red

spruce. Site Class II. Some very dry soils up high.

Cultural Resource

Notes:

Mostly lacking in adequate regeneration. Dense YB has regenerated on the skid roads; elsewhere

the understory is mostly striped maple.

20 year old large stumps throughout.

Natural Resource

Notes:

picture

TOTALS

Overall 88 193 8.48Sawtimber 2.6 32 27

AGS 3 16 34

UGS 4 36 132

Cavity 1 4 1

Basal Area

BA 88 Volume 2.6

% error 110%

CV 117

# of points 5

diameter distribution species pie chart

BAF 20

Silv. Guides: ne 603

Cover Type

Size class

Soils:

Stand Health:

SAF 25

Stand 2c

Sawtimber Volume

Management

Recommendations

No activity planned during this entry. Stocking Is not critically high. (Treat during next

management cycle, in conjunction with stand 2D.)

small sawtimber

47E. Dutchess channery loam, very steep, very rocky.

Access is through Lands of Buechner east of stand. There are existing skid roads that lead to a

landing off of rt 315.

Stocking and Site

Quality:

Between A and B line. Highly variable stocking. Some high quality SM, WA, RO in canopy. Site Class

II, IV.

Cultural Resource

Notes:

Very interesting eratics near top of stand.

Very lilttle desirable regeneration. Patchy distribution of striped maple and beech.

stand is in fine health.

2011--main skid road used by Lareau,Waite for harvest on Wind Gap Farm (2012). 2002. a single

tree selection harvest.

Natural Resource

Notes:

noted multiple grouse during resource inventory. Also noted bear signs. Portions of the stand are

very steep and inaccessible. **There is a skid road that runs very close to the small creek that runs

through this stand. This skid road is far too close, and must be re-routed during next entry.

picture

TOTALS

AGS 2 13 34

UGS 6 40 83

Cavity 3 17 9

Basal Area

BA 93 Volume 1.57

% error 61%

# of points 6

BAF 20

Cover Type

Size class

Soils:

Stand Health:

SAF 25

Stand 2d

Sawtimber Volume

fairly steep; winter harvest. Mostly near-mature (~16") SM.

Consider shelterwood during next entry.

Management

Recommendations

No activity planned during this entry. Stocking Is not critically high. (Treat during next

management cycle, in conjunction with stand 2C.)

*****note: During next entry this stand will need to be regenerated. Currently, there is very little

desireable regeneration in the understory, but a fairly even distribution of stiped maple. Just as in

stand 3C, Merck should consider an in-house non-commercial treatment to the understory. An in

house low thinning, even in a small portion of the stand, would give soem valuable insite about the

site quality, and the stand's future ability to regenerate.

42E, 43E. Macomber and Taconic Complex. Very steep and rocky.

Access is through Lands of Buechner east of stand. There are existing skid roads that lead to a

landing off of rt 315.

Stocking and Site

Quality:

Adequate. Between A-B. Site Class III.

Cultural Resource

Notes:

This is an interested, although largely unvisited part of the property.

Very lilttle desirable regeneration. Patchy distribution of striped maple and beech.

stand is in fine health. Some evidence of maple sugar borer damage.

2002 firewood harvest.

Natural Resource

Notes:

noted multiple grouse during resource inventory. Also noted bear signs. Portions of the stand are

very steep and inaccessible.

picture

TOTALS

AGS 5 31 116

UGS 4 31 70

Cavity

Basal Area

BA 100 Volume 4.02

% error 80%

CV 110

# of points 7

BAF 20

Silv. Guides:

Cover Type

Size class

Soils:

Stand Health:

SAF 25/ SAF 31

Stand 2e

Sawtimber Volume

red spruce stand. Excessivly shallow soils. Steep; except on top of

Management

Recommendations

Single Tree and Group Selection. Consider some single tree selection, but focus removal on group

selection to avoid windthrow. Remove groups of mature, overmature, or deformed stems where

there is advance regeneration beneth. Remove small groups (.1-1acre) of mature spruce and

hardwoods. See Merck Forest Harvest Policy for aditional harvest guidelines.

Schedule for 20 year cutting cycle: 2016

The desired diameter growth for this stand is SM,YB,WA=16" RS=14"

Majority of this stand is inaccessible. Only treat accessible portion adjacent to stands 2N,2F.

Residual BA between groups= ~80sqft/acre

ne-603 mixwood; NA-TP-02-00

116F. Lyman-Tunbridge-Rock outcrop complex. Very steep. Very stony.

Access is over Lands of Buechner, to the east of this stand. Landing is on Buechner's land, near 315.

Stocking and Site

Quality:

Adequate. Between A-B. site class III. Steep site (except top of hill); shallow soils, with exposed

bedrock.

Cultural Resource

Notes:

This is an interested, although largely unvisited part of the property.

Large, dense patches of RS regeneration up high. Fairly dense patches of RS regeneration elsewhere.

Evidence of blowdown (small events).

Natural Resource

Notes:

Majority of this stand is very steep, and has very shallow soils. Avoid using equipment in these

areas.

picture

TOTALS

AGS 5 26 81

UGS 5 37 117

Cavity

Basal Area

BA 111 Volume 4.02

% error 88%

CV 162

# of points 7

BAF 20

Silv. Guides:

Cover Type

Size class

Soils:

Stand Health:

small sawtimber

47E. Dutchess Channery loam. Steep. Stony; 43E Taconic-Macomber Complex. Very steep. Very

rocky.

Access is across Lands of Buechner.

Management

Recommendations

Single Tree and Group Selection. Conduct small group selection harvest to release established

acceptable seedlings/saplings/poles, with individual tree selection between. Groups can range

from .1-1 acres, and can be focused around mature oak. As much beech and striped maple should

be treated as is possible, and these must be treated within the groups. 100 ft buffer along

creek in south (see Nat Res below). See Merck Forest Harvest Policy for general harvest guidelines.

SAF 25 mostly beech, maple, oak

ne 603; NA-TP-02-00

Stand 2f

Sawtimber Volume

stone wall with large oak running through this stand. Treat with

Produce high quality sawtimber;

Residual BA= 80 ~sqft/acre between groups. Groups should account for no more than 15-20% of

the total area.

Schedule for 20 year cutting cycle: 2016 (winter, or driest summer months)

Avoid steep, south-west facing slopes.

The desired diameter growth for this stand SM,AB,YB=20" RS,PB=14"

Residual stand will have clusters of low-risk, high vigor trees with mid-sized openings scattered

throughout, and will eventually lead to a multi-aged stand.

Stocking and Site

Quality:

Cultural Resource

Notes:

This stand has high recreational value. Group Selection should be focused away from Stone Lot Rd if

possible.

good distribution of red spruce (2-7ft) through much of the stand, as well as some beech.

BBD affects the majority of beech in this stand.

1993--Limited harvest.

Natural Resource

Notes:

The southern portion of the stand borders a creek. A protective strip of approximately 100ft should

be left along this portion in which only single tree selection harvesting (or light thinning) can occur

so that breaks made in the canopy are minimal and a continuous cover is maintained. Forest

equipment shall operate no closer than 50ft from the water's edge.

Adequate. Between A-B. Generally a mix of NHW species. Stocking and quality is better in the

western half of the stand. A stonewall with large open grown red oak dissects the property. Poor

quality beech and birch exist mostly in the eastern half of the stand and at higher elevation. Site

Class II, III.

picture

TOTALS

AGS 1 7 15

UGS 3 20 15

Cavity

Basal Area

BA 53 Volume 2.87

AGS:UGS 34:20 mean saw dbh 18.5 Notes:

% error 51%

# of points 3

BAF 20

Cover Type

Size class

Soils:

Stand Health:

SAF 25

Stand 2G

Sawtimber Volume

lots of blowdown up high, in 2GNP.

Management

Recommendations

No activity planned. Allow natural development and consider designating it as a Natural Area.

Long Range Silvicultural Objectives:Allow natural develoopment;

sawtimber

42E. Macomber-Taconic complex. Very steep. Rocky.

Access is over Buechner's land to the east of this stand. A bridge will need to be used to cross the

creek at the base of the stand.

Stocking and Site

Quality:

Site Class II,IV.

Cultural Resource

Notes:

Bear-scratched beech; fox hole; multiple grouse flushed during cruise.

pockets of yellow and white birch in gaps. Some dense pockets of striped maple.

Some evidence of further blowdown after the 1999 storm.

portions of this stand were affected by the 1999 windstorm. 1993--a small portion at lower

elevation was harvested. Single tree, Group Selection.

Natural Resource

Notes:

The northern portion of the stand borders a creek. A protective strip of approximately 100ft should

picture

TOTALS

AGS 3 20 46

UGS 1 7 5

Cavity

Basal Area

BA 100 Volume 6.2

% error 14%

# of points 3

BAF 20

Silv. Guides:

Cover Type

Size class

Soils:

Stand Health:

SAF 23

Stand 2H

Sawtimber Volume

Some nice hemlock; steep and very rocky. Deer yard. 2HNP--

blowdown galore. Wildlife tracks everywhere.

Management

Recommendations

No activity planned. Allow natural development and consider designating it as a Natural Area.

Long Range Silvicultural Objectives:Maintain mature hemlock component; produce sawtimber if

possible.

NE 603; Orwig, D. A., and D. Kittredge. 2005. Silvicultural Options for Managing Hemlock Forests

Threatened by Hemlock Woolly Adelgid.

sawtimber

43E. Taconic-Macomber complex. Very steep. Very rocky.

Access is over Buechner's land to the east of this stand. A bridge will need to be used to cross the

creek at the base of the stand.

Stocking and Site

Quality:

Site Class II, IV.

Cultural Resource

Notes:

This stand is unique among Merck Forest stands, and has high recreation value. It also likely serves

as a deer winter yard.

a mix of regeneration in the areas affected by the blowdown--mostly YB, striped maple, but along

with some hemlock.

Stand is in fine health. No sign of HWA.

Portions of this area were blown over during the July 8, 1999 windstorm.

Natural Resource

Notes:

Very steep slopes.

picture

TOTALS

AGS 19 73 232

UGS 3 17 76

Cavity 1 10 4

Basal Area

BA 137 Volume 3.9

% error 48%

# of points 6

BAF 20

Silv. Guides: ne-603

Cover Type

Size class

Soils:

Stand Health:

SAF 25

Stand 2i

Sawtimber Volume

majority of sawtimber is mature popple, birch and red maple.

Management

Recommendations

Variable-Retention Thinning. Thin thoughout the stand with variable retention by removing trees of

low-vigor and poor quality, reducing crown cover to to about 80%. Focus removals on the least

desireable competators (high risk, low vigor). Remove small (.1-.25a) groups only where canopy

contains UGS and were desireable regeneration is established. 100ft buffer around creek in south

(see Nat Res section below). See Harvest Policy for aditional harvest guidelines.

Residual crown cover= 80% , Residual BA= ~80sqft/acre

Schedule for 20 year cutting cycle: Winter 2016

The desired diameter growth for this stand is SM,WA=20" RS,PB=14"

poletimber/small sawtimber

47E. Dutchess channery loam. Steep. Very stony.

Stocking and Site

Quality:

Fully Stocked. Stocking Level at A line. Site Class I.

Cultural Resource

Notes:

This stand has high recreational value. Group Selection should focuses in the center of the stand if

possible (away from Stone Lot Rd, and Mitiguay Rd.

Little regneration. Some ash and maple (saplings); scattered striped maple.

Some mature popple are beginning to scenese.

no known history.

Natural Resource

Notes:

The southern portion of the stand borders a creek. A protective strip of approximately 100ft should

picture

TOTALS

AGS 2 13 32

UGS 4 28 49

Cavity 1 11 7

Basal Area

BA 75 Volume 1.68

% error 32%

must regenerate!

how? Groups? Femelshlag?

either way, understory treamtne is most important.

road is located well, but needs repair before use. Cleared. Regrade. Drainage.

# of points 15

BAF 20

Silv. Guides:

Cover Type

Size class

Soils:

Stand Health:

SAF 25

Stand 2J

Sawtimber Volume

Management

Recommendations

No activities planning this management cycle. Allow to develop naturally.

Long Range Silvicultural Objectives:Produce high quality sawtimber; maintain

an uneven-age structure;

ne 603; Managing Rich Northern Hardwood forests (TNC Vermont)

47E. Dutchess channery loam. Steep. Stony.

Access is through Lands of Buechner.

Stocking and Site

Quality:

B line. However, the resource inventory noted that a large portion of this stand is not minimally

stocked, as it was significantly impacted by the 1999 windstorm. Site Class II.

Cultural Resource

Notes:

Blowdown has created open views.

Understory mainly consists of beech, striped maple, and rhubus down at lower elevation. Any

silvicultural activity must include treatment of the existing understory.

The majority of trees that withstood the storm damage seem to be in fine health.

Lots of blowdown from 1999 windstorm.

Natural Resource

Notes:

picture

TOTALS

AGS 1 8 11

UGS 1 12 13

Cavity

Basal Area

BA 36 Volume 1.13

% error 63%

# of points 5

BAF 20

Cover Type

Size class

Soils:

Stand Health:

SAF 25

Stand 2K

Sawtimber Volume

Management

Recommendations

even-age structure.

The western boundary of this stand borders a creek. No forest equipement should operate within

100 feet of this creek (except at designated crossings).

Harvest Schedule: Winter 2016

Find operator who can use a mix of directional felling, log-length skidding or forwarding, and the use

to winches to carry out this operation.

Final Shelterwood Removal Cut.

Prior to this cut, 1. perform a regeneration survey to determine which areas of the stand should

receive total overstory removal, and which areas should only receive partial removal. Overall, 10-

20sqft of the basal area should be left as reserves. 2. Also, careful layout of major skid trails is

essential to minimize damage to advanced regeneration.

See Merck's Harvest Guidelines for further details on harvest objectives.

seedling

106E Berkshire fine sandy loam. 25 to 50% slope. Very stony.

It seems that the last harvest used Howe Rd to access this stand. If Howe rd is used in the next

entry, it will require significant repair work. Consider making new skid road from 2K, through 2T,

which will connect to existing road in the lowest elevation in stand 2S. This existing road connects

to roads on neighboring lands (Zaplatel).

Stocking and Site

Quality:

Low, due to shelterwood treatment. BA is approximately 50sqft. Site Class II, III.

Cultural Resource

Notes:

The higher elevation section of this stand borders Gallop road, and it gives hikers excellent view of

the Mettowee Valley.

Adequate mix of desireable regeneration (mostly yellow birch; but equal mix of beech and striped

maple.) 3-7 feet.

This young stand is in fine health.

2002 shelterwood cut (first entry)

Natural Resource

Notes:

The western boundary of this stand borders a creek. No forest equipement should operate within

100 feet of this creek (except at designated crossings).

picture

TOTALS

Overall 207 88 192 8.55Sawtimber 2.07 24 23

AGS 10 48 129

UGS 2 12 37

Cavity 0 4 2

Basal Area

BA 88 Volume 2

% error 62%

# of points 5

BAF 20

Silv. Guides:

Cover Type

Size class

Soils:

Stand Health:

SAF 25/55 NHWD, with strong oak component

Stand 2n

Sawtimber Volume

Management

Recommendations

Single Tree and Group Selection. Treat Eastern half of stand. Conduct small group selection harvest

to release established acceptable seedlings/saplings/poles, with individual tree selection between.

Groups can range from .1-1 acres, and should be focused around mature oak. As much beech and

striped maple should be treated as is possible, and these must be treated within the groups.

See Merck Forest Harvest Policy for general harvest guidelines.

Harvest Schedule: 2016

The desired diameter growth for this stand RO, SM,AB,YB=20" RS,PB=16"

Residual BA= 75 ~sqft/acre between groups. Groups should account for no more than 15% of the

total area.

Residual stand will have greater proportion of low-risk, high vigor trees with small to mid-sized

openings scattered throughout, and will eventually lead to a multi-aged stand.

Schedule for 15 year cutting cycle: (winter, or driest summer months)

Invasive plant management 2012-

2019--spring---hand pull or torch garlic mustard. Flag patches as they are found. Fall 2012-2019:

Garlic mustard: use a backpack sprayer to apply 3% glyphosate solution in September.

2012 & 2013--Fall--Sept/Oct--Honeysuckle: In the fall, when native plants are losing their leaves, spray

a 2% glyphosate or triclopyr solution on the entire leaf surface of the plpant. In order to avoid drift to

native plants, spray on calm days.

NE-603 ; NA-TP-02-00

Cultural Resource

Notes:

This stand has high recreation value. An interprative sign should be added to Stone Lot Rd, to highlight

the significance of early successional habitat.

Large groups of red spruce in understory; beech and some groups of sugar maple (seedling,saplings).

2011--NRCS patch cut/ variable retention thinning (O'Wril, Russo) 2011--invasive plant treatment

(mechanical pulling/cutting of honeysuckle). Garlic mustard was torched.

Natural Resource

Notes:

Western portion of stand was treated in 2011 (Patch cut and thinning). Medium sized pockets of

honeysuckle were cut (2011) in treated portion of stand, and should be re-treated. Two small patches

of garlic mustard was treated (2011) and should be re-treated.

2011 harvest was halted due to Tropical Storm Irene. Road was repaired following this event, and

seeded.

small sawtimber

48D. Pittstown loam. 15-25% slopes.

Stocking and Site

Quality:

Adequate. Above B line (excluding patch cut).

picture

TOTALS

AGS 19 120 605

UGS 2 20 147

Cavity

Basal Area

BA 160 Volume 0.79

AGS:UGS 140:20 mean saw dbh Notes:

% error Vol/tree

CV conf level 90%

% error

# of points 1

BAF 20

Cover Type

Size class

Soils:

Stand Health:

SAF 31 -- Red Spruce and NHWD

Stand 2o

Sawtimber Volume

Management

Recommendations

No activity planned. Allow natural development of red spruce community.

Long Range Silvicultural Objectives:Produce high quality sawtimber; develop/maintain an

uneven-age structure. Favor red spruce component.

poletimber

47E. Dutchess channery loam. 25-60% slopes. Very stony.

Access is across Lands of Buechner; or to the Farm Landing (on Stone Lot Rd).

Stocking and Site

Quality:

Overstory is fully stocked. It is unclear if this is a plantation or natural stand, however, it is in stem

exlcusion. site class II.

Cultural Resource

Notes:

This stand has high recreational value as it runs along Stone Lot Road.

very little regeneration throughout most of stand; some red spruce and birch is regenerating in gaps

made during last entry.

Neighboring stand has some garlic mustard; none noted in in 2O, but this should be monitored.

2002 firewood harvest removed several small gaps.

Natural Resource

Notes:

This stand is located very near two feeder streams; any future harvest should buffer these feeder

streams.

picture

TOTALS

AGS 1 3 5

UGS 5 34 64

Cavity

Basal Area

BA 63 Volume 2.03

% error 33% Vol/tree 87.9

% error 72%

CV 132

# of points 7

BAF 20

Cover Type

Size class

Soils:

Stand Health:

Cultural Resource

Notes:

This area abuts the farm, and is likely used by many visitors.

some desirable regeneration in blowdown area (5-10ft white ash, aspen, maple, yellow birch), along

with pockets of striped maple.

some evidence of sugar maple borer.

southwest portion of this stand was affected by 1999 windstorm.

Natural Resource

Notes:

The northern portion of the stand borders a creek. A protective strip of approximately 100ft should

sawtimber

49D. Pittstown loam, 15-25%. Very stony.

Upper portion can be accessed via Gallop/Marquand. Lower portion can be accessed via Marquand

Rd, and Lands of Buechner.

Stocking and Site

Quality:

Adequate. B line. Site class II.

SAF 25

Stand 2P

Sawtimber Volume

Management

Recommendations

No planned commercial harvest this cycle. Consider small (in-house) firewood harvest to remove

senesing UGS (maple and ash) where adv regeneration exists in understory; also conduct in-house

understory treatment to remove dense patches of striped maple.

picture

TOTALS

AGS 2 10 17

UGS 8 75 243

Cavity

Basal Area

BA 95 Volume 0.58

% error 99%

CV 122

# of points 4

BAF 20

Silv. Guides:

Cover Type

Size class

Soils:

Stand Health:

Cultural Resource

Notes:

This stand is up high and has the potential to have high recreation value, if viewing points were

cleared.

dense patches of beech (3-7ft)

There are a significant number of sawlog-sized sugar maples with crowns that show signs of wind/ice

damage, and are high risk. BBD abounds.

Natural Resource

Notes:

some steep slopes and shallow soils.

116F. Lynman-Tunbridge-Rock outcrop complex. 25-70%. Very stony.

Stocking and Site

Quality:

Overall canopy stocking is dense (A line), but AGS stocking is inadequate (20 sqft). Mostly smaller

diamter beech, yellow birch and white birch. Site Class III.

SAF 25

Stand 2q

Sawtimber Volume

poor quality stand. Very low sawtimber value. Decent skid roads.

Management

Recommendations

No activity planned during this management cycle. This stand should be treated along with stands

2J and 2R.

Note: this stand is too small to warrant managing as an individual stand. It will likely be joined with

a surrounding stand when stand boundaries are re-deliniated.

picture

TOTALS

AGS 3 20 46

UGS 2 12 10

Cavity 1 4 1

Basal Area

BA 68 Volume 2.38

% error 29%

# of points 5

species pie chart

BAF 20

Silv. Guides: NE 603

Cover Type

Size class

Soils:

Stand Health:

Stocking and Site

Quality:

Canopy stocking is adequate (B line). Canopy is relatively homogenous, but has some fairly

significant openings. Site II.

Cultural Resource

Notes:

Understory is predominatly striped maple. However, there are pockets of sugar maple and yellow

birch saplings.

BBD present.

Natural Resource

Notes:

Parts of this stand are very wet, and unmaintained road is right near the creek in places. Much of

this road is unusable and will require major improvement during prior to the next entry. There is a

creek in the south end of the stand that runs over the road.

SAF 25-- predominantly SM, along with WA and beech; Patches of Rich NHWD Forest.

sawtimber

106E Berkshire fine sandy loam, 25-50%. Very stony.

Stand 2r

Sawtimber Volume

Management

Recommendations

No activity planned during this management cycle. Stand density is not critically high.

an uneven-age structure.

picture

TOTALS

AGS 1 4 6

UGS 5 44 137

Cavity

Basal Area

BA 60 Volume 0.86

% error 94%

CV 137

# of points 5

BAF 20

Cover Type

Size class

Soils:

Stand Health:

Cultural Resource

Notes:

This stand is located along a narrow ridge with excellent views of Mettawee Valley; currently there is

very poor recreational access to the area.

Beech exists in dense patches throughout the stand. There is also significant

BBD affect much of this stand.

Part of this stand was blowndown by the 1999 storm. A harvest occurred in the 1990s.

Natural Resource

Notes:

Two beech with recent bear-marks (and tracks) found along the ridgeline. (one of only two stands

on property)

poletimber

118D. Tunbridge-Lyman complex. 15-25%slopes. Very rocky.

Access is through lands of Zaplatel.

Stocking and Site

Quality:

Canopy is adequately stocked, although much of the growing stock is UGS. B line. Site Class III.

SAF 25

Stand 2s

Sawtimber Volume

Scrub shrub woods. Bear signs all over (eg beech marks, feed

nests.) No timber. Sapling phase. Blowdown. Poor site.

Management

Recommendations

No planned activity during this management cycle. Allow stand to develop.

Long Range Silvicultural Objectives: Provide high quality wildlife habitat.

Provide sawtimber/fuelwood.

picture

TOTALS

AGS 1 5 8

UGS 3 25 101

Cavity

Basal Area

BA 65 Volume 2.7

% error 29%

# of points

BAF 20

Cover Type

Size class

Soils:

Stand Health:

Cultural Resource

Notes:

The eastern half of this stand is located near the top of a long ridge.

Adequate mix of desireable regeneration (mostly yellow birch; but beech and striped maple are also

established throughout the stand.) 3-7 feet.

2002(?) initial seed cut of two stage shelterwood. 1999 blowdown affected much of this stand, but

particularly in the northwest. 1990s harvest in southeast corner. 1950s(?) harvest.

Natural Resource

Notes:

Shallow soils, and ledge throughout stand.

seedling

47E Dutchess channery loam, 25-60%. Very stony.

It seems that the last harvest used Howe Rd to access this stand. If Howe rd is used in the next entry, it will

require significant repair work. Consider making new skid road from 2T, which will connect to existing road

in the lowest elevation in stand 2S. This existing road connects to roads on neighboring lands (Zaplatel).

Stocking and Site

Quality:

The canopy is minimally stocked (proceeding shelterwood cut), yet is near the B line. Site Class III.

Management

Recommendations

Find operator who can use a mix of directional felling, log-length skidding or forwarding, and the use to

winches to carry out this operation.

SAF 25

Stand 2T

Sawtimber Volume

Produce high quality sawtimber; maintain

even-age structure.

Prior to this cut, 1. perform a regeneration survey to determine which areas of the stand should receive

total overstory removal, and which areas should only receive partial removal. Overall, 10-20sqft of the

basal area should be left as reserves. 2. Also, careful layout of major skid trails is essential to minimize

damage to advanced regeneration.

picture

TOTALS

AGS 3 18 53

UGS 6 45 81

Cavity 0 3 3

Basal Area

BA 90 Volume 1.58

% error 60%

CV 155

# of points 11

BAF 20

Cover Type

Size class

Soils:

Stand Health:

Cultural Resource

Notes:

This stand can be seen from the Mettawee Valley, and future harvest may impact the views from below.

Mostly a light distribution of beech, maple and ash (seedling/saplings)

Overall stand is in fine health. BBD and sugar maple borer damage was noted in the timber cruise.

possibly affected from 1999 windstorm. Evidence of a 1995-1997 harvest.

Natural Resource

Notes:

small sawtimber

109E Tunbridge-Berkshire complex, 25-50% slopes. Rocky.

Access is through Lands of Zaplatel.

Stocking and Site

Quality:

Stand is adequately stocked. Between A and B lines. Site class I.

SAF 25

Stand 2u

Sawtimber Volume

Management

Recommendations

No activities scheduled. Stocking is not critically high.

develop/maintain an uneven-age structure.This stand has an inholding located within its boundary. See map in

Appendix E.

picture

TOTALS

UGS 6 50 131

Cavity

Basal Area

BA 70 Volume

AGS:UGS 20:50 mean saw dbh Notes:

conf level Avg MHt

% error Vol/tree

CV conf level

% error

# of points 2

BAF 20

Cover Type

Size class

Soils:

Stand Health:

Cultural Resource

Notes:

The eastern half of this stand is located near the top of a long ridge.

Adequate mix of desireable regeneration (mostly yellow birch; but equal mix of beech and striped

maple) 3-7 feet.

2002(?) initial seed cut of two stage shelterwood. Evidence of 1995-1997 harvest is spotty and less

frequent in western section. 1950s(?) harvest.

Natural Resource

Notes:

Shallow soils, and ledge throughout stand.

seedling

118D Tunbridge-Lyman complex. 15-25% slopes. Very rocky.

Access has been from Gallop Rd in the past. If Gallop rd is used in the next entry, it will require

repair work. Consider making new skid road from 2K, through 2T, which will connect to existing road

in the lowest elevation in stand 2S. This existing road connects to roads on neighboring lands

(Zaplatel).

Stocking and Site

Quality:

Canopy is minimally stocked proceeding shelterwood cut. Site Class II.

Management

Recommendations

Find operator who can use a mix of directional felling, log-length skidding or forwarding, and the use

to winches to carry out this operation.

SAF 25

Stand 2v

Sawtimber Volume

Produce high quality sawtimber; maintain

even-age structure.

Prior to this cut, 1. perform a regeneration survey to determine which areas of the stand should

receive total overstory removal, and which areas should only receive partial removal. Overall, 10-

20sqft of the basal area should be left as reserves. 2. Also, careful layout of major skid trails is

essential to minimize damage to advanced regeneration.

picture

TOTALS

Overall

Sawtimber no data

AGS forest opening

Cavity

Notes:

# of pointsdiameter distribution species pie chart

BAF 20

Silv. Guides:

Cover Type

Size class

Soils:

Stand Health:

Stand 2op

semi open. Some large stems--mostly. Ash is invading.

Honeysuckle in understory. Many UGS. Cellar hole.

Stocking and Site

Quality:

semi-open. Until recently, this area was maintained as a permanent opening.

Management

Recommendations

1. treat invasives. 2. re-clear openning north of Mitiguay Rd. 2b. Clear brush from cellar opening 3.

North of Road---maintain as a permanent wildlife opening; South of Road--do not treat.

2012-2019: Garlic mustard: use a backpack sprayer to apply 3% glyphosate solution in September.

******

saf 25

semi-open

Dutchess Channery Loam.

Maintain open condition; Maintain large,

mast-producing trees.

Cultural Resource

Notes:

There is a hut for campers located south of the road. Recreation value in the area is high.

honeysuckle and some spruce.

Honeysuckle is quite dense north of the road, and should be controlled.

Natural Resource

Notes:

Maintaining this a as a permanent forest opening will provide habitat to a variety of wildlife and

songbirds.

Old Town Road

¯0 0.08 0.16 0.24 0.320.04Miles

Compartment Three

picture

TOTALS2011 Volume BA tpa MSD

Overall 90 198 8.36Saw2mber 2.19 27 20AGS 1 7 17UGS 8 57 161Cavity

Basal AreaBA 90 Volume 2.19AGS:UGS 34:57 mean saw dbh 15.3 Notes:

conf level 80% Avg MHt 10.1% error 7% Vol/tree 110

CV 12 conf level 80%% error 40%

# of points 6

BAF 20

Recourse Concerns: soil erosion, water quality, standing 2mber, wtlands, pests, wildlife habitat, etc

Short-‐term and long term silvicultural or wildlife goals.

Desired future condi2ons

Even-‐age mgmt: present age, rota2on age, residual ba

Uneven-‐age mgmt: desired diameter, cuTng cycle, residual BA

Later, treatment schedule: stand, year, ac2vity

Silv. Guides: ne-‐603

Cover Typesize class:Acres

Soils:

BA, AGS:UGS, MSD, stems/a, uniform? Patchy? Stra2fied?

Regenera2on: species, size

Stand Health:

fish and game exis2ng habitat and poten2al

viewscapes, waterfalls, scenic areas, recrea2on and aesthe2c values

SAF 25

Desired Future Stand CondiMonLong Range Silvicultural Objec2ves:

Stand 3A

SawMmber Volume

very low value stand. Poor quality site, and poorly formed trees. High eleva2on (majority above 2500c).Visible from the Meeowee Valley.

Management RecommendaMons

Allow natural development to con2nue. No planned treatment.

Allow to con2nue to develop into a mixed uneven-‐aged forest.

small saw2mber20.1

109E. Tunbridge-‐Berkshire complex, 25-‐50% slopes. Rocky.

Site Class III, IV.

Stocking and Site Quality

patchy canopy stocking; short, branchy yellow birch, sugar maple, and beech. Many scaeered large crowned, seed-‐producing yellow birch lower on the slope. Mostly beech up high.

Cultural Resource Notes:

Barton Trail runs along the western side of this stand.

uniform, light distribu2on of beech regenera2on. Some scaeered hobblebush.

BBD affects all the beech.

Evidence of harves2ng from the 1950s? And 1970s?

Natural Resource Notes:

Hobblebush noted, an uncommon occurance on Merck's property.

picture

Overall 80 211 7.58Saw2mber 1.03 16 17AGS 3 15 39UGS 6 45 141Cavity 0 4 14

CV 125

# of points 11species pie chart

BAF 20

Cover Typesize classAcres

Soils:

Stand Health:

SAF-‐ 30 Overstory= WB, YB, RS

Desired Future Stand CondiMonLong Range Silvicultural Objec2ves: Produce saw2mber and fuelwood; promote

uneven-‐aged structure.

Stand 3B

SawMmber Volume

The por2on boardering 2K was included in the ~2005 shelterwood cut. Por2ons of this stand are above 2500 h, and would require an ACT 250 permit to harvest.

Allow natural development to con2nue. No planned treatment.

Pole2mber25.8

106E. Berkshire fine sandy loam. 25-‐50% slopes. Very stony.

Overstory is yellow birch, white birch, with patches of red spruce. Most of stand is stra2fied, with red spruce occupying the midstory. Site Class II, IV.

(Upper eleva2on por2on) Mi2guay to Gallop to Old Town Road. Use Barn Cabins Landing. (Lower eleva2on por2on) Mi2guay down to Marquand Rd, and across Lands of Buechner. This op2on is best, however, it will require extensive road repair along Mi2guay. Conversely, stand can be accessed through 2K, however, this op2on too, will require extensive road repair along Mi2guay, and a new river crossing will need to designed and installed.

High recrea2on value up high where there are fine views of Pawlet and beyond.

Patchy distribu2on of red spruce 3-‐15h), striped maple, yellow birch, and sugar maple (5 feet)

Significant number of large, senescing yellow birch. Overall stand is in fine health.

2003-‐-‐about 2 acres were treated in conjuncture with shelterwood treatment is stand 2K. Evidence of harves2ng from the 1950s? And 1970s?

Some very good early successional habitat (shelterwood area), and excellent songbird habitat throughout due to the stra2fied mixture.

picture

Basal AreaBA 85 Volume 4.6AGS:UGS 69:15 mean saw dbh 16 Notes:

conf level 80% Avg MHt 11% error 15% Vol/tree 125

# of points 16

BAF 20

Silv. Guides:

Soils:

Stand Health:

Harvest Schedule: This stand should be re-‐entered during the next tubing installa2on, which will likely be in 2023.

Produce high sap yields; produce fuelwood and saw2mber

Diameter Objec2ves: none. The goal here is to maintain a healthy stand and to produce sap.

SAF 25 some Rich Northern Hardwood Forest

Desired Future Stand CondiMonLong Range Silvicultural Objec2ves:

Stand 3C

SawMmber Volume

3C & 3C1 have been combined. Lower por2on (previously 3C1) is a younger group; higher eleva2on of stand is predominantly older sugar maple.

2013-‐-‐Treat a por2on of the understory to determine its effec2veness at regenera2ng desirable species. Choose an area (at least one acre, or larger) at higher eleva2on, beneth mature sugar maples. Cut all undesirable seedlings/saplings, and monitor the plot.

pole/saw2mber32.5

47E. Dutchess Channer loam, 25-‐60%. Very stony. 118E. Tunbridge-‐Lynman compplex, 25-‐60% slopes. Very rocky.

Site Class I & III.

Above B line. 88sqj/acre. Site Class I (down low), with signs of nutrient enrichment; Site Class III (up high).

Viewpoint Road runs through a por2on of this stand.

Some sugar maple poles were released during the last treatment (down low); up high, where is it significantly drier, there are dense patches of striped maple (4-‐20j)

There is a significant number of maple with sugar maple borer injuries.

Winter 2012, free thinning to release sugar maple poles and saw2mber in order to convert the stand to a sugarbush. The treatment covered only the lower eleva2on por2on of the stand, and removed about

20sqj of basal area (see harvest summary for details).

Water bars which were installed during the 2012 harvest should be checked and maintained.

picture

TOTALS ***2011 Volume BA tpa MSD

Overall *** 94 189 8.9Saw3mber 2.94 36 30AGS 8 43 11UGS 2 13 47Cavity 0 2 1

# of points 21

BAF 20

Uneven-‐age mgmt: desired diameter, cuUng cycle, residual BA

Silv. Guides: NE-‐603

Soils:

Stand Health:

SAF 25

Desired Future Stand CondiKonLong Range Silvicultural Objec3ves:

CuUng Cycle: 15 years.

Diameter Objec3ves: SM,WA=20" RS,WB=14"

Harvest Schedule: re-‐enter during next management cycle

Management RecommendaKons

2012-‐-‐cut striped maple in teh area that blew down in 1999. (eastern por3on of stand) 2012-‐-‐Place permanent plot inside 2 acre group selec3on. This is an ideal site to monitor since it is adjacent to the farm. 2012-‐2022-‐-‐-‐monitor success of regenera3on.

***NOTE: This data was collected prior to the treatement (2011), and should be updated.

Develop uneven-‐age structure; perpetuate early successional habitat.

Stand 3D

SawKmber Volume

A por3on of this stand was treated during the winter of 2011 as part of the Barn Cabins Timber Sale. That por3on is mapped in Merck's GIS. A 2 acre group was removed to release spruce regenera3on, encourage other desireable regenera3on, and to create early successional habitat.

Small saw3mber41.9

47E. Dutchess channery loam, 25-‐60% slopes. Very stony.

Accessed by Old Town Road, and Gallop. Use Barn Cabins Landing.

Above B line. Stocking is somewhat patchy due to the site history (windstorm blew down a number of acres in eastern sec3on). Mostly white birch and ash in canopy,with spruce; maple in midstory, with more spruce. Site Class I,II.

Viewpoint Road runs through a por3on of this stand.

even distribu3on of maple poles, with some patches of yellow birch seedlings. Even distribu3on of striped maple.

Stand Is in fine health.

2012 free thinning (removed mostly mature ash, and birch), along with 2 acre patch cut, intended to regenerate aspen and to maintain early successional habitat. 1999 storm caused blowdown in eastern sec3on of stand.

Water bars which were installed during the 2012 harvest should be checked and maintained.

picture

CV 155

# of points 6

BAF 20

Soils:

Stand Health:

Northeast Forest Regenera2on Handbook

Stand 3E

SawMmber Volume

This stand is similar to Stand 3B, but has a more diverse mix of overstory species. Low saw2mber value.

SAF 25

Desired Future Stand CondiMonLong Range Silvicultural Objec2ves: Produce fuelwood; convert to uneven-‐aged

structure; promote development of soewood component.

No ac2vity planned. This stand is too small to warrant a harvest, without trea2ng surrounding stands. (Next Management Cycle: Small group selec2on harvest. Remove small to medium sized groups of MOD stems only where there is sufficient advanced regenera2on beneth (par2cularly favor the release of red spruce). Treat in conjunc2on with 3B. Exclude the highest eleva2on por2on of this stand (in southwest part of stand); and exclude northern por2on, which is located at the top of a windy knob. The area between groups can be treated with a light single tree selec2on.)

Diameter Objec2ve: YB,SM,AB=16 RS,WB=12

Harvest Schedule: Next management cycle. CuTng Cycle: 20yrs

106E. Berkshire fine sandy loam, 25-‐50% slopes. Very stony.

Access via Gallop Rd. Use Barn Cabin Landing.

Overstory AGS stocking is adequate for a poor quality site (43sqe). Overstory is mostly yellow birch and white birch and sugar maple, with groups of red spruce. Site Class III. Lower quality site, due to high

eleva2on.

High recrea2on value up high where there are fine views of Pawlet and beyond.

Patchy distribu2on of red spruce 3-‐15e), striped maple, beech, with some yellow birch, and few sugar maple (5 feet)

Some large, senescing yellow birch. Overall stand is in fine health.

no known management history.

Some very good early successional habitat (shelterwood area), and excellent songbird habitat throughout due to the stra2fied mixture.

Overall 72 130 9.5Saw-mber 1.37 20 18AGS 4 20 42UGS 3 28 67Cavity 0 4 2

# of points 5diameter distribu-on species pie chart

BAF 20

Recourse Concerns: soil erosion, water quality, standing -mber, wtlands, pests, wildlife habitat, etc

Desired future condi-ons

Even-‐age mgmt: present age, rota-on age, residual ba

Uneven-‐age mgmt: desired diameter, cuSng cycle, residual BA

Later, treatment schedule: stand, year, ac-vity

Soils:

BA, AGS:UGS, MSD, stems/a, uniform? Patchy? Stra-fied?

Regenera-on: species, size

Stand Health:

fish and game exis-ng habitat and poten-al

viewscapes, waterfalls, scenic areas, recrea-on and aesthe-c values

SAF 25

Desired Future Stand CondiMonLong Range Silvicultural Objec-ves:

Produce high quality saw-mber; convert to uneven-‐aged structure.

Northeast Forest Regenera-on Handbook

Stand 3F

SawMmber Volume

No harvest scheduled. 2013 understory treatement. Use a brush cuder saw to knock back the dense striped maple layer that exists throughout this stand in order to begin regenera-ng with desireable species. Focus treatment underneth canopy gaps from the previous windstorm event. Treat en-re stand if possible.

small saw-mber6.5

118E. Tunbridge-‐Lyman complex, 25-‐60% slopes, very rocky.

Access via Gallop Rd. Use Barn Cabins Landing.

Adequately stocked (B line). Patchy canopy stocking due to significant blowdown (possibly 1999 storm?) Site Class II.

Gallop road runs along the southern edge of this stand.

Dense striped maple throughout the stand.

Stand is in fine health; residual stocking (following windstorm event) appears healthy and windfirm.

1999 Significant windstorm event led to blowdown. 1960's harvest.

While the dense striped maple layer provides good quality understory structure, it should be removed, and replaced with similarly good quality understory structure of desirable tree species.

Old Town Road

2K4M4OP

3C 3E1C

¯0 0.08 0.16 0.24 0.320.04Miles

Compartment Four

picture

TOTALS

AGS 2 18 61

UGS 8 65 171

Cavity 1 2 1

Basal Area

BA 95 Volume 0.67

% error 81%

CV 162

# of points 8

BAF 20

Silv. Guides: VT-666

NE-603

Cover Type

size class:

Soils:

Stand Health:

SAF 25

Stand 41A

Sawtimber Volume

Steep and rocky. Very low proportion AGS. Canopy is UGS

poletimber and some large scenesing sugar maple. Midstory is

heavily infested beech; high UGS. Midstory has some scattered

patches of YB. Possibly manage for beech. Favor resistant beech.

Management

Recommendations

Residual stand will have well distributed canopy gaps. Remaining canopy will be reduced, and will

have a higher proportion of AGS.

Access: Hammond Road to Lodge Rd. Use 100-Acre Meadow Landing.

Post-treatment: conduct post-harvest TSI to remove striped maple and beech.

Financial note: this will be predominatly a fuelwood harvest.

20 year cutting cycle; maximum dbh 16" for maple; 12" for birch.

convert to uneven-aged; Integrate songbird habitat

management with sawtimber production.

1. Femelshlag (Expanding Gap Shelterwood). Groups should range between .25-1 acres, and should be focused on UGS, or high-risk

stems, and ideally will be located where there is adv regeneration already present. Be sure to locate gaps near mature, seed-bearing,

desirable stems. Careful skid road layout is essential. Gaps should be precisely mapped and clearly labelled in the GIS to aid planning

for the next entry. Light thinning between the gaps is okay. Thinning should be to release large desirable seed-bearing trees from

competition. Residual BA > 80 2. Patch Cut. As part of this treatment,

remove approximately a 3-acre patch cut. Focus the patch on a part of the stand with very high proportion of UGS, and located on

moderate slopes.

42E. Macomber-Taconic complex, 25-60% slopes. Rocky.

Site Class III, IV.

Stocking and Site

Quality

Between A and B line. Very high proportion of UGS, mostly from BBD-aflicted beech.

Cultural Resource

Notes:

This stand is located at high elevation; the majority of 4A1 is below 2500 feet. Most of the Non-

productive portion of the site is above 2500 feet, and requires an ACT 250 permit before harvesting.

Beech whips exist throughout. Patches of yellow birch and maple (3-15ft).

Beech is heavily infected with BBD.

1979 harvest (Beattie, Smalley)

Natural Resource

Notes:

This is a high elevation site with relatively thin soils and should be treated during very dry or during

frozen conditions. Portions of the stand have steep slopes, which are inoperable.

TOTALS

AGS 1 10 28

UGS 3 30 85

Cavity 1 5 5

Basal Area

BA 80 Volume 3.21

% error 40%

# of points 4

BAF 20

Cover Type

size class:

Soils:

Stand Health:

SAF 25

Stand 4A2

Sawtimber Volume

last entered in 2005.

Management

Recommendations

No activity planned

Develop/maintain an uneven-age structure; produce

high quality sawtimber.

sawtimber

42C, 42E. Macomber-Taconic complex, 8-60% slope. Rocky.

Access is to 100 Acre Meadow Landing, via Lodge, and Myers Rd.

Stocking and Site

Quality

Above B line. Site Class II.

Cultural Resource

Notes:

This stand borders Hammond Rd, and Myers Rd. The majority of groups should be located away

from these roads.

Dense patches of beech whips were released during the last entry. Yellow birch seedlings are mixed

in, but it is not yet clear if the YB will be able to outcompete the beech.

stand is in fine helath.

2005 group and single tree selection. 1979 harvest (Beattie, Smalley).

Natural Resource

Notes:

BBD is found throughout the stand, and likely caused the heavy beech suckering we see there today.

picture

TOTALS

AGS 2 15 52

UGS 4 30 89

Cavity

Basal Area

BA 75 Volume 3.32

% error 98%

CV 121

# of points 4

BAF 20

Silv. Guides:

Cover Type

size class:

Soils:

Stand Health:

SAF 25 Rich NHWD Forest

Stand 4A3

Sawtimber Volume

Management

Recommendations

No activities planned during this management cycle.

maple sap; produce sawtimber.

NE-603; Managing Rich Northern Hardwood Forests (TNC Vermont)

sawtimber

49D. Pittstown loam, 15-25% slope. Very stony.

Access is to Old Town Road.

Stocking and Site

Quality

Adequately stocked stand (above B line); moderately patchy stocking due to last treatment. Site

Class I.

Cultural Resource

Notes:

High quality stand; low recreation value due to sugaring operation/tubing.

very little regeneration. Some patches of cherry seedlings, and some striped maple. some sugar

maple and beech saplings.

BBD affects beech. Overall this is a very healthy stand with vigorous growing trees.

This stand has been entered four times in the last 50 years: 1961, 1967, 1979, and sometime

between 2003-2008

Natural Resource

Notes:

A portion of this stand borders the east branch of White Creek. A protective strip of approximately 150ft should

be left along this portion in which only single tree selection harvesting can occur so that breaks made in the

canopy are minimal and a continuous cover is maintained. Forest equipment shall operate no closer than 100ft

from the water's edge.

picture

TOTALS

AGS 6 28 53

UGS 4 24 36

Cavity

Basal Area

BA 120 Volume 5.65

% error 30%

# of points 5

BAF 20

Silv. Guides:

Cover Type

size class:

Soils:

Stand Health:

SAF 55

Stand 4B

Sawtimber Volume

Management

Recommendations

Group and Single Tree Selection. Locate groups of high-risk, low value trees, and to avoid sensitive

sites. Harvest no more than 20% of stand in small to medium sized groups, most of which should

range between .25-.75acres . Leave ~90sqft/a between groups, including >35sqft/a sawtimber if

possible. Recruit snags and DWD by girdling, or cutting and leaving worst quality large diameter

trees. Retain large diameter, large crowned desireable species for seed source.

Residual stand will have well distributed canopy gaps with release desireable adv regen. Remaining

canopy will be reduced, and will have a higher proportion of AGS.

20 year cutting cycle; maximum dbh 16" for maple; 12" for birch.

Invasive plant control. Invasives should be treated BEFORE entering this stand, and they should be

monitored and possibly treated afterwards.

NE-603

sawtimber

47E. Dutchess channery loam, 25-60% slope. Very stony.

Access is to Old Town Rd, via Gallop.

Stocking and Site

Quality

Moderately uniform stocking (between A and B line). Good quality timber, especially considering site

history (old pasture). Site Class II.

Cultural Resource

Notes:

Gallop Rd runs through this stand, which likely sees heavy use. Group removals should be located

away from this road.

patches of white ash, black cherry, sugar maple (seedling class).

Stand has some small patches of honeysuckle.

Old pature--previously a part of the 100 Acre Meadow.

Natural Resource

Notes:

apple trees are scattered thoughout the stand.

TOTALS

Overall 72 76 12.4Sawtimber 6.8

Cavity

Basal Area

BA 72 Volume 6.8

Notes:

# of points 10

BAF 20

Silv. Guides:

Cover Type

size class:

Soils:

Stand Health:

SAF 25 Rich NHWD Forest

Stand 4C

Sawtimber Volume

This stand was entered sometime in the last 10 years, is

adequately stocked, and will require no treatment during this

cycle.

Management

Recommendations

***This stand was cruised during 2010, and the data

was calculated in NED.

ne 603; Managing Rich NHWD Forests (TNC Vermont)

sawtimber

49C. Pittstown loam, 8-15% slopes, very stony.

Use 100-acre meadow Landing. Access is to Old Town Rd, via Lodge Rd.

Stocking and Site

Quality

Minimally stocked (C line). 94% sugar maple. Site Class I.

Cultural Resource

Notes:

Very high recreation value. Lodge, Hammond and Meyer Rd. all run through this stand.

Very little regeneration. Some sugar maple, white ash saplings. Some black cherry adv regen.

Some small patches of invasive plants noted during inventory. Honeycuckle was most common,

followed by a few small patches of barberry. some browse damage noted.

This stand was treated in the last management cycle.

Natural Resource

Notes:

This stand has a small man-made pond located in the north-eastern portion; and a creek runs from

this pond south-west through the stand. Since this stand is located in a cove, it can be rather wet.

The pond and streams should be buffered during any future activities (100+ft buffer).

picture

TOTALS

AGS 3 13 29

UGS 4 33 87

Cavity 0 7 2

Basal Area

BA 97 Volume 3.9

% error 41%

# of points 6

BAF 20

Silv. Guides:

Cover Type

size class:

Soils:

Stand Health:

SAF 25

Stand 4D

Sawtimber Volume

Good access to upper and lower portion of stand, however, upper

road (gives access to east side) has tubing and mainline running

across. Lower elevation (west side) is nice, old maple woods.

Management

Recommendations

trees. Retain large diameter, large crowned desireable species for seed source.

20 year cutting cycle; target diameter: 20" for maple, ash, oak; 12" for birch.

ne 603: managing rich northern hardwood forests (TNC Vermont)

sawtimber

42E. Macomber-Taconic complex, 25-60% slopes, rocky.

Access is to Old Town Road.

Stocking and Site

Quality

Stocking is moderately uniform, and adequately stocked (Between A-B line). Variable site

conditions. Site Class II, III.

Cultural Resource

Notes:

High recreation value--this stand runs along a low elevation ridge. Kowenhoven Rd runs through

stand.

patchy distribution of sugar maple, with significant distribution of beech(seedlings and poles); and

some scattered yellow birch.

A few honeysuckle found. perenial canker found in patches. Some evidence of root rot.

This stand has been entered three times in last 50 years. Thinnings occurred in 2000, 1983, and in

the 1950's.

Natural Resource

Notes:

This stand has a small man-made pond located in the northern portion; and a creek runs from this

pond through the northern portion of the stand. The pond and stream should be buffered during

any future activities (100+ft buffer).

picture

TOTALS

AGS 9 40 105

UGS 1 12 45

Cavity

Basal Area

BA 104 Volume 4.17

conf level 80% Avg MHt 12

% error 33%

# of points 5

BAF 20

Silv. Guides:

Cover Type

size class:

Soils:

Stand Health:

SAF 25 mixed NHWD.

Stand 4e

Sawtimber Volume

Management

Recommendations

high quality sawtimber; sap production.

NE 603;

range between .25-.75acres . As much beech and striped maple should be treated as is possible, and

these must be treated within the groups. See Merck Forest Harvest Policy for general harvest

guidelines.

Residual BA= ~75sqft/acre between groups. Groups should account for no more than 15-20% of

the total area.

47E. Dutchess channery loam, 25-60, very stony. 42E. Macomber-Taconic complex 25-60%.

Access is to Old Town Road, via lower Kowenhoven Rd. Use The Glen Landing. Upper portion can be

accessed from upper Kowenhoven Rd.

Stocking and Site

Quality

Very good timber quality. Mixed site quality (some very good--northern portion--some poor--

southwest, along ridge). (Between A and B line) Site Class II, III.

Cultural Resource

Notes:

Kowenhoven road is likely a heavily used road. The upper and lower portions of the road are stable

and well-designed. However, there is a very steep section that links these two, which should be

retired.

Some pockets of good quality, mixed NHWD seedling and saplings.

Dense fern patches may interfere with regeneration.

1980 (Smally, Beattie) harvest.

Natural Resource

Notes:

Some erosion has occurred at the very steep portions of Kowenhoven.

picture

TOTALS

AGS 3 40 143

UGS 2 13 10

Cavity 0 7 2

Basal Area

BA 133 Volume 4.86

% error 96%

# of points 3

BAF 20

Silv. Guides:

Cover Type

size class:

Soils:

Stand Health:

SAF 25

Stand 4f

Sawtimber Volume

Management

Recommendations

Controlled Burn. Perform a controlled burn (perhaps same year as burn in 5I). This burn should

tamp back the dense beech whips that cover much of the stand.

Treatment Year: ~2013

Shelterwood--First Entry. This treatment is already marked (leave trees in BLUE). The treatment

leaves approx 50 sqft/a basal area, most of which are wind-firm, large-crowned northern red oak.

Treatment Year: anytime after burn. Or 2020.

USFS Silvics Manual; Loftis, DL "A Shelterwood Method for Regenerating Red Oak in the Southern

Appalachians."

sawtimber

42E. Macomber-Taconic complex, 25-60% slopes, rocky.

Access is to the Glen Landing Area.

Stocking and Site

Quality

Relatively uniform stocking. Up high: canopy is a mix of mature red oak, and small sawtimber-sized

beech and red maple. Lower: Canopy is made of large mature red oak; along with mature NHWD.

(Above B line) Site Class II, III.

Cultural Resource

Notes:

This stand has somewhat high recreation value, since it is located near to The Glen picnic area. A

small buffer (beauty stip), should be located around the Glen.

dense beech whips on some of the drier knobs. Small patch of red spruce regen. No oak adv

regeneration.

BBD affects the beech in this stand, which are largely further up the slope. Since the last thinning,

water sprouts have formed on a number of the mature oak.

1980--harvest (smalley, beattie). 2000--thinning (Calfee, Michalski).

Natural Resource

Notes:

A small creek runs through the east portion of this stand, which should be buffered during harvest

activities (50+ft buffer).

picture

TOTALS

AGS 5 28 91

UGS 4 25 99

Cavity 1 12 6

Basal Area

BA 130 Volume 5.29

% error 27%

# of points 8

BAF 20

Cover Type

size class:

Soils:

Stand Health:

SAF 25/ SAF 31

Stand 4g

Sawtimber Volume

southern portion is hardwood forest, used as sugarbush. Northern

3/4 is mostly spruce.

Management

Recommendations

no activities planned this management cycle.

small sawtimber

43E. Taconic-Macomber complex, 25-60% slopes. Very rocky.

Site Class III.

Stocking and Site

Quality

Mixed stocking. Northern portion is mostly red spruce. Far southern portion has hardwoods. South

and east portions appear to have been thinned in past 20 yrs.

Cultural Resource

Notes:

viewpoint trail runs through this stand.

patches of dense spruce seedlings.

overall stand is in fine health. Some dense patches of hay-scented fern.

1993-- 1.5acre clearcut (Lareau, Waite).

Natural Resource

Notes:

picture

TOTALS

Overall 120 345 7.44Sawtimber 1 20 25

AGS 6 35 165

UGS 12 65 156

Cavity

Basal Area

BA 120 Volume 1

% error 77%

# of points 4

species pie chart

BAF 20

Cover Type

size class:

Soils:

Stand Health:

SAF 25

Stand 4h

Sawtimber Volume

Old pasture. Lots of UGS birch. Pockets of good AGS underneath.

Management

Recommendations

Improvement Cut. Perform a firewood harvest, removing UGS where AGS can be released.

Residual BA >80sqft/acre.

Harvest Schedule: 2020. ***This treatment will likely be carried out in-house, and can occur any

time during this management cycle.

poletimber

47E. Dutchess channery loam, 25-60% slopes. Very stony.

Use 100 acre Meadow Landing.

Stocking and Site

Quality

This stand is old pasture; stocking is moderately uniform---large UGS in canopy, small diameter AGS

and UGS beneth. (Between A and B line). Site Class II.

Cultural Resource

Notes:

At least one of the Birch Mainlines goes through this stand, and may have to be taken down before

the firewood thinning. Also, there is an old SCA cabin (large outhouse??) located in the north east

portion, near the meadow.

sugar maple/ ash saplings in some patches.

This stand used to be a part of the "100 acre Meadow".

Natural Resource

Notes:

picture

TOTALS

AGS 5 28 90

UGS 6 36 83

Cavity

Basal Area

BA 156 Volume 7.8

% error 36%

# of points 5

BAF 20

Silv. Guides:

Cover Type

size class:

Soils:

Stand Health:

SAF 25

Stand 4i

Sawtimber Volume

Management

Recommendations

range between .25-.75acres .Leave ~100sqft/acre between groups, including >35sqft/a sawtimber.

Recruit snags and DWD by girdling, or cutting and leaving worst quality large diameter trees. Retain

large diameter, large crowned desireable species for seed source.

20 year cutting cycle; maximum dbh 20" for SM,YB,WA; 14" for birch, spruce.

Invasive Plants. Treat invasives (honeysuckle) prior to harvest. Monitor afterwards.

Post-treatment: consider conducting post-harvest TSI to remove striped maple and beech.

ne 603

small sawtimber

47E. Dutchess channery loam, 25-60% slopes, very stony.

Use Old Town Rd/East Hollow Landing. Access is to Old Town Rd via Gallop, or East Hollow Rd.

Stocking and Site

Quality

Fairly uniform, dense stocking. (A line) Site Class II.

Cultural Resource

Notes:

some good quality sugar maple (saplings).

Some honeysuckle was noted. Scattered barberry was found in a nearby stand, and may exist in 4i

as well.

Portions of this stand used to open, a part of the 100 Acre Meadow. 1999 Individual Tree Selection

(Birdsall, Waite). Although there are no taps in this stand, it seems from the last management plan

that it was their intent to convert the area to a sugarbush.

Natural Resource

Notes:

Small stream located in north of stand; stream should be buffered (150 feet) during harvest

operations. Light thinning may take place inside the buffer, but equipement should go no closer

than 100 feet to the water's edge.

picture

TOTALS

AGS 6 35 106

UGS 8 40 47

Cavity 1 2 2

Basal Area

BA 132 Volume 5.52

% error 48%

# of points 8

BAF 20

Cover Type

size class:

Soils:

Stand Health:

SAF 25-mixed/ SAF 31 NHWD/Hemlock/Spruce

Stand 4j

Sawtimber Volume

Management

Recommendations

sawtimber

47E. Dutchess channery loam 25-60% slopes. Very stony.

Access is to East Hollow Rd, and to the Old Town Rd/East Hollow Rd Landing.

Stocking and Site

Quality

Adequately stocked mixed hardwood/softwood forest. Above B line. Site Class II.

Cultural Resource

Notes:

light distribution of regeneration--spruce/hemlock/pine regen in openings.

The stand has dense patches of hay-scented fern, which may interfere with regeneration.

No known history.

Natural Resource

Notes:

This stand may serve as a deer wintering yard. Portions of the stand, especially near the river, have

very steep slopes and should be avoided during the next entry. This will result in a large area (1/3 of

stand) that will not be treated or entered.

TOTALS

AGS 5 20 35

UGS 4 20 20

Cavity

Basal Area

BA 93 Volume 3.5

% error 22%

# of points 3

BAF 20

Silv. Guides:

Cover Type

size class:

Soils:

Stand Health:

SAF 55

Stand 4k

Sawtimber Volume

Details on this harvest can be found on the Forestry Computer at

Merck. Desktop>>TimberSales>>OakSale

Management

Recommendations

Maintain oak component; produce high quality

sawtimber.

USFS Silvics Manual; Loftis, DL "A Shelterwood Method for Regenerating Red Oak in the Southern

Appalachians."

Controlled Burn. Perform a controlled burn (perhaps same year as burn in 5I). This burn should

tamp back the dense beech whips that cover much of the stand.

Treatment Year: ~2013

Shelterwood--First Entry. This treatment is already marked (leave trees in BLUE). The treatment

leaves approx 50 sqft/a basal area, most of which are wind-firm, large-crowned northern red oak.

Treatment Year: anytime after burn. Or 2020.

large sawtimber

47D. Dutchess channery loam, 15-25% slopes, very stony.

Access is to the Glen Landing Area.

Stocking and Site

Quality

Relatively uniform stocking. Up high: canopy is a mix of mature red oak, and small sawtimber-sized

beech and red maple. Lower: Canopy is made of large mature red oak; along with mature NHWD.

(Above B line) Site Class II, III.

Cultural Resource

Notes:

This stand has high recreation value, since it is located adjacent to The Glen picnic area. A small

buffer (beauty stip), should be located around the Glen.

dense beech whips.

BBD affects the beech in this stand, which are largely further up the slope. Since the last thinning,

water sprouts have formed on a number of the mature oak.

1980--norwest portion cut (smalley, beattie). 2000--south portion cut (Calfee, Michalski).

Natural Resource

Notes:

This stand has a small man-made pond located in the eastern portion; and a creek runs from this

pond south-west through the stand. The pond and stream should be buffered during any future

activities (100+ft buffer).

picture

TOTALS

AGS 2 13 29

UGS 7 67 94

Cavity 0 7 2

Basal Area

BA 120 Volume 1.86

AGS:UGS 20:100 mean saw dbh 18 Notes:

% error 31%

# of points 3

BAF 20

Silv. Guides:

Cover Type

size class:

Soils:

Stand Health:

SAF 25

Stand 4L

Sawtimber Volume

very high % of UGS. Rocky site, but relatively flat. Patchy,

understocked, with some grasses in the herb layer.

Management

Recommendations

trees. Retain large diameter, large crowned desireable species for seed source adjacent to groups,

especially if groups have only limited adv regeneration (which will be typical, since this stand has

little adv regen throughout).

Post-treatment: monitor adv regen within groups. Consider TSI to release desireable regeneration

from competing vegetation.

NE 603; NA-TP-02-00 Guidelines for Applying Group Selection Harvesting. (Lamson & Leak).

sawtimber

42D. Macomber-Taconic complex, 15-25%slopes, rocky.

Access is to the Lodge Meadow Landing, via Lodge Rd.

Stocking and Site

Quality

Very high percentage of UGS. Many large, senescing sugar maple. Site Class III.

Cultural Resource

Notes:

Locate groups away from Lodge Rd if possible.

none. Some grasses and ferns noted.

Many of the large sugar maple in the canopy are overmature, and in natural decline.

A portion of this stand (southern) has been tapped for many years (old green tubing found).

Natural Resource

Notes:

picture

TOTALS

AGS 4 23 90

UGS 4 53 39

Cavity 0 7 2

Basal Area

BA 120 Volume 2.93

% error 69%

# of points 3

BAF 20

Silv. Guides:

Cover Type

size class:

Soils:

Stand Health:

SAF 25

Stand 4m

Sawtimber Volume

Very dry, poor site up high. ACT 250 required for treating the

north and east portion of stand.

Management

Recommendations

trees. Retain large diameter, large crowned desireable species for seed source adjacent to groups,

especially if groups have only limited adv regeneration (which will be typical, since this stand has

little adv regen throughout).

Post-treatment: monitor adv regen within groups. Consider TSI to release desireable regeneration

from competing vegetation.

sawtimber

42D. Macomber-Taconic complex, 15-25% slopes, rocky.

Access is to the Lodge Meadow Landing, via Lodge Rd.

Stocking and Site

Quality

Mostly sugar maple and beech. Understocked with high density of snags. Canopy does have some

quality yellow birch which are mostly free to grow. Stand is somewhat stratefied, with patches of

red spruce in the midstory. Site Class III and IV. Very dry, thin soils up high. Decent quality further

down slope.

Cultural Resource

Notes:

none. Some grasses and ferns noted.

There are dense pockets of hay-scented fern.

1970s spruce salvage harvest from blowdown. 1993 single tree selction (Laureau, Waite).

Natural Resource

Notes:

The north and east portion of this stand are above 2500 feet elevation, and would require an ACT

250 permit before harvesting.

picture

TOTALS

AGS 1 5 8

UGS 12 70 88

Cavity

Basal Area

BA 120 Volume 4.7

% error 35%

# of points 4

BAF 20

Silv. Guides:

Cover Type

size class:

Soils:

Stand Health:

SAF 25--mixed stand

Stand 4n

Sawtimber Volume

Old agricultural land. Formerly part of "100 acre meadow"

Management

Recommendations

Develop/maintain an uneven-age structure; maintain

apple tree component; minimize spread of invasive

plants.

ne 603; BMPs for the Prevention and Treament of Terrestrial Invasive Plants in Vermont

Woodlands.

2012-2019---hand pull or torch barberry. Flag patches as they are found. Fall

2012-2019: barberry: use a backpack sprayer to apply 3% glyphosate solution in September.

******

Soft Mast Management

2020, or any year during current management cycle: Release apple trees during winter months.

sawtimber

47D. Dutchess channery loam, 15-25% slopes.

Access is to Old Town Road, via Gallop Rd.

Stocking and Site

Quality

Patchy stocking; fairly dense stocking in northern half of stand; significant gaps in southern half.

Above B line (mixed forest stocking guide). Site Class II.

Cultural Resource

Notes:

Old pasture, with lots of agricultural relics--stonewalls, stone piles, etc.

Mix of regeneration, largely white ash, and black cherry (seedlings/saplings)

Dense pockets of honeysuckle; smaller patches of barberry. Do not treat canopy until invasive

plants have been controlled.

Part of the old "100 acre meadow". Apple trees released ~ 1990. 1999 single tree selection harvest

(Birdsall, Waite).

Natural Resource

Notes:

This stand has a small man-made pond located in the northern portion; and a creek runs from this

pond through the stand. The pond and stream should be buffered during any future activities (150ft

buffer).

5OP5SP1

¯0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.40.05Miles

Compartment Five

picture

TOTALS

AGS 2 12 23

UGS 2 15 22

Cavity 1 2 2

Basal Area

BA 90 Volume 4.95

% error 31%

# of points 8

BAF 20

Silv. Guides:

Cover Type

size class

Soils:

Stand Health:

Cultural Resource

Notes:

mix of beech, birch, and rhubus, especially where gaps were created during last entry.

Patches of honeysuckle in 5A2.

Evidence of harvest from 20 years ago, when there was a fairly heavy cut.

5A2 is an old clearing.

Natural Resource

Notes:

5A2 is a wet site with many seeps.

sawtimber

Total Area: 41.9 acres (A1) 36.5 + (A2) 5.4

Use The Glen Landing Area. Access is to Old Town Rd, via lower Clark's Clearing Rd.

Stocking and Site

Quality:

Beech, Red Maple (along with sugar maple). 5A1=High standing volume. Between A, B line.

5A2=little standing volume. B line. Site Class II.

SAF 25

Stand 5A (1&2)

Sawtimber Volume

Management

Recommendations

from .1-.25 acres, where there is desireable regeneration. Groups should be between .25-.75 where

desireable regeneration stocking is low. undesireables must be treated within gaps, and should be

treated thgouhout if possible. Focus removal on UGS and culls. *** See Merck Forest

Harvest Policy for general harvest guidelines.

Schedule for 15-20 year cutting cycle: Winter 2015

The desired diameter growth for this stand SM,WA,YB=20" PB=14"

Residual BA between groups: 85sqft/acre. Groups should make up no more than 15% of stand area.

TOTALS

2011 Volume BA tpa

Overall 115 186

Sawtimber 3.04 40 39

AGS 6 30 71

UGS 7 40 75

Cavity 0 5 1

Basal Area

BA 115 Volume 3.04

AGS:UGS 70:45 mean saw dbh 13.7

% error 40%

# of points 4

BAF 20

Silv. Guides:

Cover Type

size class

Soils:

Stand Health:

Stand 5b1

Cultural Resource

Notes:

Part of these stands are used in the Dunc's Sugarbush.

Gaps created during last entry have adequate numbers of free to grow desireables--mostly yellow birch

seedlings--along with dense beech whips.

5B2--some honeysuckle noted on inventory, but not much.

5B1-- 1999h harvest in southern portion. 5B2--Last treatment focused on southern portion of stand, and

lead to relatively open conditions in a few patches, where sawtimber has begun to epicormic sprout.

Natural Resource

Notes:

West, and southwest portion of the stand is very steep, and inoperable.

sawtimber

47E. Dutchess channery loam, 25-60%.

Access is to Old Town Rd. Use East Hollow Rd/Old Town Rd Landing.

Stocking and Site

Quality:

5B1--Approaching A line. Canopy mostly beech, red maple, sugar maple; with some birch and popple.

5B2--B line. Very high proportion of UGS (one of lowest value stands on property. Site Class II, IV.

SAF 25

Management

Recommendations

Develop/maintain an uneven-age structure; sap production.

ne-603;NA-TP-02-00 Guidelines for Applying Group Selection Harvesting. (Lamson & Leak).

Sawtimber Volume

Single Tree and Group Selection. Conduct small group selection harvest to release established acceptable

seedlings/saplings/poles, with individual tree selection between. Groups can range from .1-.25 acres,

where there is desireable regeneration. Groups should be between .25-.75 where desireable regeneration

stocking is low. undesireables must be treated within gaps, and should be treated thgouhout if possible.

Focus removal on UGS and culls. *** See Merck Forest Harvest Policy for general harvest

guidelines.

Schedule for 15-20 year cutting cycle: *** Perform thinning during next sugarbush tubing change.

Residual stand will have clusters of low-risk, high vigor trees with mid-sized openings scattered throughout,

and will eventually lead to a multi-aged stand.

picture

TOTALS

AGS 2 13 25

UGS 8 43 72

Cavity 0 7 2

Basal Area

BA 80 Volume 1

% error 96%

CV 160

# of points 6

BAF 20

Long-range silvicultural objectives:

Integrate timber production and songbird habitat.

Silv. Guides: NE-603

VT-666

Cover Type

size class

Soils:

Stand Health:

Cultural Resource

Notes:

this stand can be seen from Old Town Road. Care should be taken to maintain the aesthetic value of

that portion of road.

even distribution of beech, striped maple; along with some yellow birch; some rhubus in south of

stand.

some honeysuckle noted on inventory, but not much.

Last treatment focused on southern portion of stand, and lead to relatively open conditions in a few

patches, where sawtimber has begun to epicormic sprout.

Natural Resource

Notes:

White Creek runs through this stand; forest equipment use within the riparian zone should be

limited to designated river crossings. Equipemtn should not be operated within about 100 feet of

the water.

understory re-initiation

47E. Dutchess channery loam, 25-60%.

Site Class II, with some very productive soils near White Creek.

Stocking and Site

Quality:

Very high percentage of UGS (30sqft). Lower stocking in southern corner, where there are some

sawlog sized oak, which have water sprouts.

SAF 25

Stand 5b2

Sawtimber Volume

very high proportion of UGS (one of lowest value stands on

property. Rocky, though operable.

Management

Recommendations

Schedule for 15-20 year cutting cycle: 2015

Residual stand will have clusters of low-risk, high vigor trees with various-sized openings scattered

The desired diameter growth for this stand is SM,WA,RO=18" PB=12"

A large portion of this stand is steep and inoperable.

Mixed Intermediate Treatments. Use combination of free thinning with liberation cuttings, cleaning,

and weedings to treat groups of trees within the stand. Focus removal on defective, high-risk, and

low-value trees especially to release an understory of more desirable speices. Favor most vigorous,

best-formed dominant and co-dominatly individuals.

picture

TOTALS

AGS 4 22 45

UGS 6 50 90

Cavity

Basal Area

BA 110 Volume 2.92

% error 28%

# of points 10

BAF 20

Silv. Guides:

Cover Type

size class

Soils:

Stand Health:

Cultural Resource

Notes:

This stand borders Schenk Road, which is likely a heavy use area. It also contains the Lourie Trail,

and a large portion of Antone Road. During treatments, groups should be selected away from these

trails if feasible.

not much regeneration. Some striped maple, some beech; very few desireables.

Nice site; stand in fine health.

Treated in 2001; and before that the 1960's.

Natural Resource

Notes:

very little mid- and understory structure.

sawtimber

109E. Tunbridge-Berkshire complex, 25-50% slope, rocky. 42D, Macomber-Taconic complex.

Access is to the Glen Landing Area, via Shenck Rd and Clark's Clearing and Old Town Rd.

Stocking and Site

Quality:

Between A and B line (closer to A). Canopy stocking is mostly sugar maple, with dense pockets of

beech (sawtimber, saplings, seedlings). Signs of Rich Northern Hardwood, especially in coves. Site

Class I, III.

SAF 25

Stand 5c

Sawtimber Volume

Diverse stand. Mostly beech, but with patches of good quality

sugar maple. Steep site.

Management

Recommendations

No management activites planned this cycle.

NE 603: Managing Rich Northern Hardwood Forests (TNC Vermont)

picture

TOTALS

AGS 4 20 42

UGS 6 33 54

Cavity

Basal Area

BA 100 Volume 4

% error 55%

# of points 3

BAF 20

Silv. Guides:

Cover Type

size class

Soils:

Stand Health:

Cultural Resource

Notes:

Silviculture Trail runs through this stand.

Mix of sugar maple and striped maple saplings thoughout the stand.

1999-2000 Harvest (north portion). Probably old pasture land.

Natural Resource

Notes:

small sawtimber

49C, Pittstown loam, 8-15% slopes, very stony.

Access is to The Glen Landing, via Clark's Clearing Rd.

Stocking and Site

Quality:

Fairly uniform stocking; Between A, B line. Site Class I.

SAF 25

Stand 5d

Sawtimber Volume

nice stand. Pole and small sawlog, mostly sugar maple. All maples

are tapped. Silv trail.

Management

Recommendations

Free Thinning. Release high quality, high vigor stems. Focus removal of diseased, damaged, and low

vigor stems.

Treatment Schedule: Perform thinning during next sugarbush tubing change.

This will be a firewood thinning.

NE 603;

Residual BA: 80sqft/a

Focus removal of damaged, diseased, or low vigor stems of all species.

picture

TOTALS

Overall 120 265 9Sawtimber 4

Cavity

Basal Area

BA Volume 4

AGS:UGS mean saw dbh Notes:

% error Vol/tree

CV conf level 90%

% error

# of points 3

BAF 20

Silv. Guides:

Cover Type

size class

Soils:

Stand Health:

Cultural Resource

Notes:

Very high recreation value. This stand runs along Old Town Rd.

some groups of white ash, and sugar maple seedlings and saplings.

1942 aerial photo shows that a portion of the stand was still open at that time.

Natural Resource

Notes:

A feeder stream runs through this stand. A protective strip of approximately 100ft should be left

along this portion in which only single tree selection harvesting can occur so that breaks made in the

canopy are minimal and a continuous cover is maintained. Forest equipment shall operate no closer

than 50ft from the water's edge.

sawtimber

49C. Pittstown loam. 8-15 slopes, very stony.

Site Class I.

Stocking and Site

Quality:

Excellent site with relatively dense stocking. (Between A, B line)

SAF 55

Stand 5e

Sawtimber Volume

last entry removed groups, resulting in rhubus and striped maple.

Wet site.

Management

Recommendations

no management planned during this cycle.

NE-603; Managing Rich Northern Hardwood Forests (TNC Vermont);NA-TP-02-00 Guidelines for

Applying Group Selection Harvesting. (Lamson & Leak).

picture

TOTALS

AGS 8 44 111

UGS 10 60 91

Cavity

Basal Area

BA 180 Volume 6.7

% error 33%

# of points 5

species pie chart

BAF 20

Silv. Guides:

Cover Type

size class

Soils:

Stand Health:

Cultural Resource

Notes:

There is a man-made pond; lots of stonewalls, stone piles, and wire fence. Very high recreational

value.

pockets of ash and maple saplings and poles.

Overall, stand is in fine health. Honeysuckle was found in pockets, mostly near 5OP.

Portions of this stand were open in 1942.

Natural Resource

Notes:

There are some apple trees in the stand, that should be pruned during winter months.

sawtimber

42C. Macomber-Taconic complex, 8-15% slopes.

Access is to Old Town Rd, via Wade Lot Rd.

Stocking and Site

Quality:

Above A line. Fully stocked. Canopy is mostly white birch, and sugar maple. Site Class II.

SAF 25

Stand 5f

Sawtimber Volume

Very high stocking.

Management

Recommendations

1. Single Tree and Group Selection. Conduct group selection harvest to release established

from .1-1 acres. Focus on reducing proportion of UGS

2. Patch Cut. Perform a patch cut in eastern portion of stand in order to harvest mature aspen, and

to regenerate. See

Merck Forest Harvest Policy for general harvest guidelines.

Scheduling Note: The Patch Cut should be conducted during the frozen winter months, to ensure a

better root suckering response from the aspen.The desired diameter goal for this stand SM**,WA=20" PB=14";

Residual BA between groups: 100+sqft/acre. Remove no more that 1/3 the basal area. Groups

should make up no more than 15% of stand area.

NE-603; NA-TP-02-00 Guidelines for Applying Group Selection Harvesting. (Lamson & Leak).

picture

TOTALS

AGS 7 37 139

UGS 4 23 41

Cavity

Basal Area

BA 107 Volume 4.22

% error 40%

# of points 6

BAF 20

Silv. Guides:

Cover Type

size class

Soils:

Stand Health:

Cultural Resource

Notes:

cellar hole next to Old Town Road, and adjacent to White Creek sustained damage from Irene.

dense red spruce regeneration (especially along creek, west side of stand). Northern half of stand

has even distribution of rhubus, birch and hardhack in the understory.

Some honeysuckle was found.

The northern portion (east of the road) was thinned during the last management cycle.

Natural Resource

Notes:

The old skid road that runs along the western boundary of this stand is deeply eroded and should be

avoided.

poles/small sawtimber

42C. Macomber-taconic complex, 8-15% slopes, rocky.

Access is to Old Town Rd, via Wade Lot Rd.

Stocking and Site

Quality:

Stocking is between A and B line. Good species mix, even including hemlock. Site Class II.

SAF 25

Stand 5g

Sawtimber Volume

nice skid trail running up along creek. Good spp mix, even

hemlock.

Management

Recommendations

The desired diameter goal for this stand SM,WA, YB=20" PB=14";

Treatment Area: Treat the portion that was not enterned during the last management cycle.

Residual BA between groups: 100sqft/acre. Remove no more that 1/3 the basal area. Groups

should make up no more than 15% of stand area.

picture

TOTALS

AGS 8 50 196

UGS 3 20 36

Cavity

Basal Area

BA 135 Volume 6.76

CV 7 conf level 80%

% error 40%

# of points 4

BAF 20

Cover Type

size class

Soils:

Stand Health:

Cultural Resource

Notes:

abundant spruce and beech regen thoughout.

BBD affects the majority of beech in the stand.

1985 harvest (Winship) of red spruce for in-house use.

Natural Resource

Notes:

Skid road that runs paralel to creek has eroded and should not be used.

poles/small saw.

Site Class II.

Stocking and Site

Quality:

Between A and B line. Canopy is predominatly spruce, birch and beech; however, the stand contains

a large mix of species.

SAF 31/25-mixed

Stand 5h

Sawtimber Volume

High and dry. Very nice site by the creek; much poorer up high.

Management

Recommendations

No activity planned this management cycle.

quality sawtimber; maintain red spruce component.

picture

TOTALS

Overall 15 9 11Sawtimber

Cavity

Basal Area

BA 15 Volume

AGS:UGS mean saw dbh Notes:

% error Vol/tree

CV conf level 90%

% error

# of points 2

BAF 20

Silv. Guides:

Cover Type

size class

Soils:

Stand Health:

Cultural Resource

Notes:

5i is not often visited by hikers; The non-productive area has very high recreation value since

Lookout Rd and Lookout point are located within this portion of 5i.

Free-to-grow regeneration is made up of beech, birch, and aspen. Some oak exist, though their

numbers are very limited.

Overall, this seedling stand is in fine health.

1999--10 acre controlled burn. Notes from post-burn survey say this successfully tamped back the

number and vigor of beech whips.

Natural Resource

Notes:

good early successional habitat.

seedling

47E. Dutchess channery loam, 25-60 % slopes, very stony. 43E, Taconic-macomber complex 25-60%

slopes, very rocky.

Access is to Old Town Rd.

Stocking and Site

Quality:

About 5-20% canopy cover. Residuals mostly red oak, many of which have water sprouts; also, there

are smaller diameter sugar maple and red spruce residuals. Site Class II, III.

SAF 55

Stand 5i

Sawtimber Volume

5INP does not look NP (above). Looks quite productive, just steep.

Consider re-listing. ****These pictures are from 5INP. Stand

5i received a shelterwood/seedtree regeneration cut in 2007.

Management

Recommendations

even-aged management; maintain oak component;

produce high quality sawtimber.

Controlled Burn. Coordinate with NRCS to conduct a burn on the entire stand--both treated area

and untreated area.

Oak Planting. After first burn, consider an oak planting.

Management Schedule: 2013, 2016

Site Preperation (before burn). Protect residual oak trees by removing slash from their base. Clear

slash from an area ~ 7-10 ft around residuals. This clearing can occur any time before the harvest.

***Note: The majority of work toward planning this burn has been completed with NRCS. However,

Merck must remain in close contact with NRCS ahead of the burn to make sure all paperwork and

other preparations are complete.******

USFS Silvics Manual--Quercus rubra L.;

picture

TOTALS

AGS 3 17 37

UGS 2 14 11

Cavity 0 3 1

Basal Area

BA 100 Volume 5.3

% error 19%

# of points 7

BAF 20

Silv. Guides:

Cover Type

size class

Soils:

Stand Health:

Cultural Resource

Notes:

A foot path from Beebee Pond Shelter crosses a foot bridge southwest of the spruce plantation,

then leads uphill across Buechner Rd to Masters' Moutnain Rd, and the summit of Mt Antone.

pockets of sugar maple/beech/ash saplings/poles.

no health problems.

~20year old stumps were found. No recorded history.

Natural Resource

Notes:

This area has a number of feeder streams and seeps. Both of which should be given adequate buffer

(~100ft) where the canopy is only minimally thinned. Equipemnt should not operate within 50 ft of

these.

sawtimber

Access is to Old Town Rd. Since the stream crossing from this stand, over to Wade Lot Rd is a

challenging spot, operator can use the road which runs through the eastern portion of stand 5I.

Stocking and Site

Quality:

Stocking is between A, B line. Site Class II.

SAF 25

Stand 5j

Sawtimber Volume

Management

Recommendations

Schedule for 15-20 year cutting cycle: Winter 2015

picture

TOTALS

AGS 2 12 25

UGS 6 32 56

Cavity

Basal Area

BA 115 Volume 6.15

% error 21%

# of points 8

BAF 20

Silv. Guides:

Cover Type

size class

Soils:

Stand Health:

Stocking and Site

Quality:

Cultural Resource

Notes:

This stand has very high recreation value, since Lookout Rd runs though it.

Some patches of fine adv regeneration (SM, WA) (saplings/poles). Pockets of beech whips.

1995 harvest (Lareau, Waite)

Natural Resource

Notes:

This stand has a large proportion of good quality mast trees. Many large diameter, full crowned red

oak, especially at higher elevations. A significant number of these should be left during the next

treatment.

Stocking is between the A and B line. This stand is fairly patchy; with some patches of large culls,

and other of a mix of AGS and fine sawtimber. Site Class II &III.

Stand 5k

Sawtimber Volume

** "All portions of 5K west of Lookout Rd were designated as part

of the Natural Area in April 2002."

The desired diameter growth for this stand SM,WA,RO=20" PB=14"

***Unless the Natural Area boundaries are changed by the Board of Trustees, the following

prescription is for the area EAST of Lookout Rd.

sawtimber

64.5 + 18.5 (NP)

47D. Dutchess channery loam, 15-25% slopes, very stony. 42E, Macomber-Taconic complex, 25-60%

slopes, rocky.

Access is to Old Town Rd, via Lookout Rd.

Management

Recommendations

SAF 25

picture

TOTALS

AGS 2 12 43

UGS 3 28 47

Cavity 1 4 1

Basal Area

BA 92 Volume 3.23

% error 24%

# of points 5

BAF 20

Silv. Guides: none

Cover Type

size class

Soils:

Stand Health:

Cultural Resource

Notes:

This stand abutts a small streatch of Lookout Rd.

Some patches of beech and striped maple seedlings/saplings.

No problems noted.

This stand was harvested in 1995 (Lareau, Waite).

Natural Resource

Notes:

Birdsall Brook runs through this stand, and should be propertly buffered during any future forest

activity.

sawtimber

47E, Dutchess channery loam. 25-60% slopes. Very stony

Access is to Old Town Rd, via Lookout.

Stocking and Site

Quality:

This stand is adequately stocked with a mix of NHWD spp. (Above B line) Site Class II.

SAF 25

Stand 5l

Sawtimber Volume

***All of this stand was "designated as part of the Natural Area in

April 2002."

Management

Recommendations

No management activity planned.

Develop/maintain an uneven-age structure; allow

natural communtiy development.

picture

TOTALS

AGS 4 20 42

UGS 5 27 46

Cavity 1 7 2

Basal Area

BA 103 Volume 4.82

% error 45%

# of points 6

BAF 20

Silv. Guides:

Cover Type

size class

Soils:

Stand Health:

sawtimber

118D, Tunbridge-Lyman complex, 15-25% slopes, very rocky.

Access is to the Glen Landing Area, via Clark's Clearing and Old Town Rd.

Stocking and Site

Quality:

Very good quality timber down low; much poorer quality timber up higher where the site is quite

dry. Site Class II, III.

Cultural Resource

Notes:

Good recreational value--Silviculture trail runs through stand. Antone Rd runs along the northwest

portion of stand. The last management plan called for making significant repairs to the very steep,

eroding portion of Clark's Clearing Rd. This portion should be closed and rerouted during the next

forest operation.

pockets of dense beech--mostly on convex slopes. Some good quality sugar maple saplings.

Stand is in fine health; sugar maple borer damage was noted. The upper elevation of this stand may

have been impacted by the 2010 late spring frost.

Tubing was installed around 2007.

Natural Resource

Notes:

A feeder stream runs through this stand. A protective strip of approximately 100ft should be left

along this portion in which only single tree selection harvesting can occur so that breaks made in the

canopy are minimal and a continuous cover is maintained. Forest equipment shall operate no closer

than 50ft from the water's edge.

SAF 25, with some Rich NHWD Forest

Stand 5m

Sawtimber Volume

mature stand with large sawtimber, mostly sugar maple. Excellent

timber--especially down low.. All sugar maple are tapped.

Management

Recommendations

Schedule for 15-20 year cutting cycle: Perform thinning during next sugarbush tubing change.

Conduct treatment during frozen or very dry conditions.

Seeps should be flagged and not entered during forest operations.

The desired diameter goal for this stand SM**,WA,YB=20" PB=14";

**Desired Diameter Goal Note: Since this stand is used as a sugarbush, sugar maple that have

reached the diameter objective (20"), but that still show vigorous growth, should be left, and grown

to a larger diameter.

NE-603; Managing Rich Northern Hardwoods (TNC Vermont)

picture

TOTALS

AGS 1 5 9

UGS 10 85 346

Cavity 1 5 2

Basal Area

BA 115 Volume 1.6

% error 64%

# of points 4

BAF 20

Silv. Guides:

Cover Type

size class

Soils:

Stand Health:

SAF 25

Stand 5N

Sawtimber Volume

High and dry. Portion of the stand is tapped (Aines). Overstory

mostly large senescing BM. Mid-story is mostly hophornbean,

along with some maple. Old pasture? Grasses below.

Management

Recommendations

Schedule for 15-20 year cutting cycle: Perform thinning during next sugarbush tubing change. Treat

in concert with stand 5M.

The desired diameter goal for this stand SM**,WA,YB=18"

**Desired Diameter Goal Note: Since this stand is used as a sugarbush, sugar maple that have

reached the diameter objective (20"), but that still show vigorous growth, should be left, and grown

to a larger diameter.

NE-603

poles/sawtimber

42C Macomber-Taconic complex, 8-15% slopes, rocky.

Access is to Antone, or Old Town Rd.

Stocking and Site

Quality:

The canopy is largely mature sugar maple, along with other NHWD spp, and Red Oak; midstory is

largely hophornbeam. (Between A, B line). Site Class III.

Cultural Resource

Notes:

Much of this stand runs along Antone road.

very little desirable regeneration.

old stand, in need of regeneration.

no recorded history.

Natural Resource

Notes:

Adequate number of snags and future snags. Some large, mast producing red oak.

¯0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.40.05Miles

Compartment Six

picture

TOTALS

AGS 2 12 30

UGS 4 28 85

Cavity

Basal Area

BA 136 Volume 8.56

% error 33%

# of points 5

species pie chart

BAF 20

Long Term Objectives:

Silv. Guides:

Cover Type

size class:

Soils:

Stand Health:

SAF 55

Stand 6a

Sawtimber Volume

Management

Recommendations

Designated Natural Area. No treatment scheduled.

Allow natural development of forest ecosystem.

sawtimber

47E, Dutchess Channery Loam, 25-60% slopes, very stony.

Accessed via junction of Lookout Road and Buechner Road.

Stocking and Site

Quality:

Fully stocked (A line). This stand has the highest sawtimber volume per acre on the property

(8+Mbf/acre). Patchy site quality--some is very good Site Class II, other areas have poor, shallow

soils Site Class III or IV.

Cultural Resource

Notes:

VINS has survey plots in this stand for neo-tropical bird montioring.

mostly beech whips.

Some evidence of red oak borer, but overall stand is in fine health.

1995 harvest (Lareau, Waite) on east side of stream. 1967 "log only" harvest (Kraeling-logger)

Natural Resource

Notes:

Excellent hard and soft mast species (oak and beech/red maple). Lacking early successional habitat.

picture

TOTALS

AGS 1 5 8

UGS 5 25 31

Cavity 0 5 1

Basal Area

BA 95 Volume 5

% error 29%

# of points 4

BAF 20

Silv. Guides:

Cover Type

size class:

Soils:

Stand Health:

SAF 55 Red Oak

Stand 6b

Sawtimber Volume

Management

Recommendations

large sawtimber

47E, Dutchess Channery Loam, 25-60% slopes, very stony.

Accessed via skid road running through stand 6E, on to Old Town Road.

Stocking and Site

Quality:

Between B and A line. This stand has very high sawtimber stocking, and very large volumes/acre

(5Mbf/acre). Nice quality site (east portion. Western portion has extremely thin soils). Site Class II,

Cultural Resource

Notes:

VINS has survey plots in this stand for neo-tropical bird montioring.

beech whips.

Some evidence of red oak borer, but overall stand is in fine health.

1967 "log only" harvest.

Natural Resource

Notes:

Excellent hard and soft mast species (oak and beech/red maple). Lacking early successional habitat.

picture

TOTALS

AGS 1 5 8

UGS 8 75 193

Cavity 1 5 2

Basal Area

BA 125 Volume 2.64

% error 60%

# of points 4

BAF 20

Silv. Guides:

Cover Type

size class:

Soils:

Stand Health:

SAF 55 Includes large "Dry Oak Woodland" Natrual Community

Stand 6c

Sawtimber Volume

Management

Recommendations

sawtimber

43E, Taconic-Macober complex, 25-60% Slopes. Very rocky.

No access to the majority of this stand. Master's mountain accesses the highest point.

Stocking and Site

Quality:

Fully stocked (A line). Mostly oak canopy, along with maple and beech. Some excellent quality

standing timber; also large patch of "Dry Oak Woodland" located along south-eastern ridge (quite

large, ~1+acre). Site class III. Some exceedingly shallow soils. Also, ridge in north section has

patches of "Dry Oak Woodland".

Cultural Resource

Notes:

High recreation potential on account of Master's Mountain Road, the large oaks, and warm southern

exposure. VINS has survey plots in this stand for neo-tropical bird montioring.

light, even distribution of beech.

possibly a harvest in 1963??

Natural Resource

Notes:

Very shallow to bedrock along ridges. Fairly shallow soils elsewhere. Lacking early successional

habitat.

picture

TOTALS

AGS 3 20 64

UGS 7 49 133

Cavity

Basal Area

BA 117 Volume 4.23

% error 50%

# of points 7

species pie chart

BAF 20

Silv. Guides:

Cover Type

size class:

Soils:

Stand Health:

SAF 55--Oak, beech/red maple

Stand 6d

Sawtimber Volume

Dry site; beech, red maple, and oak. Only two chestnut oak found

on the property located in this stand.

Management

Recommendations

sawtimber

47E, Dutchess Channery loam, 25-60% slopes, very stony. 42E, Macomber-Taconic complex, 25-60%

slopes, rocky.

Master's mountain Road.

Stocking and Site

Quality:

fully stocked. A line. Canopy is mostly oak (eastern half of stand), and beech/red maple (west). Site

Class II-IV. Exceedingly dry soils on this sunny southern steep slope (also scenic!). Slopes are up to

50%; soils are shallow and rocky.

Cultural Resource

Notes:

unusual stand. Interesting creek, with small falls. The only chestnut oaks (2 found during inventory)

can be found here. VINS has survey plots in this stand for neo-tropical bird montioring.

Light distribution of sugar maple regeneration (5-15ft); dense patches of hophornbeam (5-15ft)

Stand is in fine overall health;

1979 TSI may have been carried out. 1942 aerial photo shows that portions of this stand were still

pature at that time.

Natural Resource

Notes:

Deeply eroded skid roads suggest poor road design and possibly highly erodible soils.Lacking early

successional habitat.

picture

TOTALS

AGS 6 32 116

UGS 6 33 90

Cavity

Basal Area

BA 108 Volume 4

% error 24%

# of points 15

species pie chart

BAF 20

Long-Term Silv Objectives:

Cover Type

size class:

Soils:

Stand Health:

SAF 25 NHWD with large aspen component

Stand 6e

Sawtimber Volume

Mature aspen throughout the stand (18"+). Relatively uniform

stand with aspen/white birch, and some red oak in the canopy;

beech, maple in the midstory. Beech in the understory. About half

of this stand lies within the designated Natural area.

Management

Recommendations

produce high quality sawtimber and fuelwood; perpetuate aspen

and oak component.

Commercial Thinning with Group Selection. Focus removal on mature or deformed white birch and

aspen. Leave large red oak as source of seed for reproduction and mast for wildlife. Focus group

removals around aspen to stimulate root suckering. Because this stand has direct southern

exposure, groups can be as small as .5 acres. Harvest during winter months to avoid damaging aspen

root systems. Post-Treatment

(Following Year): Treat undesirable species within groups--beech, striped maple, hophornbeam.

***Special Note: At the time of this writing, the northern half of Stand 6E is still designated as a

Natural Area. If this designation is upheld, only treat the area within 150 yards of Old Town Road

(approximately 30 acres).

Residual Basal Area: 80-85sqft/acre

Harvest Year: 2014 Cutting Cycle: 15 years

Diameter Objectives: Bigtooth Aspen=18" White Birch=14" Red Oak=20"

sawtimber

48D, Pittstown loam, 15-25% slopes. 47D, Dutchess Channery Loam, 15-25% slopes, very stony.

Access is via Old Town Road. Use South Gate Landing (parking area).

Stocking and Site

Quality:

Between A, Bline. Approaching A line. Canopy is uniform, and made up of mature popple, along with

white birch, red oak. Midstory = beech and maple. A pocket of mature SM in northwest corner of

stand. ***note: this stand has the largest concentration of mature aspen on the property. Site

Class I.

Cultural Resource

Notes:

The lower portion of Master's Mountain Road runs through this stand. A starting point to the trail

must be re-located, as Dale Aines' sap house is blocking the existing starting point (he had

permission to do this). A new start to the trail should be constructed as part of the harvest, possibly

starting at the parking lot.

uniformly scattered beech (various sizes). Pockets of hophornbeam.

Stand is in fine health. The adjacent road, Old Town Road, has small patches of garlic mustard

nearby, which must be treated.

1975--possible TSI treatment.

Natural Resource

Notes:

This stand has a significant number of large mast producing red oak; Some of the large mature

white birch and aspen should be left as wildlife trees.

5J1 5OP

5OP5SP1

¯0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.40.05Miles

Compartment Seven

picture

TOTALS

AGS 3 13 34

UGS 5 33 91

Cavity 0 2 1

Basal Area

BA 78 Volume 2.33

% error 18%

# of points 9

BAF 20

Silv. Guides:

Cover Type

size class

Soils:

Stand Health:

Cultural Resource

Notes:

wet and rocky. Low recreation value. However, the lower portion of this stand is visible from East Hollow Rd.

dense patches of beech seedlings, as well as a mix of other NHWD spp. (most notably ash, sugar maple, and yellow

birch).

Significant gullies have formed from soil erosion. Gullies can clearly be seem on aerial photo, and should be

protected with buffers during future opertions. Some water run-off damage was noted along the skid roads in the

southern portion of the stand. Drainage will need to be improved prior to, or during the next entry.

2003--single tree and group selection harvest. 1991 harvest (Lareau, Cannon) 1984 harvest in western portion

along Graves Rd (Winship, Cannon, Lewis). 1965-67 paper birch harvest.

Natural Resource

Notes:

Deep gullies have formed and significant soil erosion has occurred. The damage does not appear to be recent, and

it looks as though the last timber sale in this stand avoided these areas. There is an old horse pond/fire pond

located in this stand.

49D, Pittstown loam, 15-25 % slopes, very stony.

Access is to Old Town/ East Hollow Landing via Fisher Road.

Overstory Stocking

and Site Quality:

Canopy is adequately stocked (B line). Site Class I.

Stand 7a

Sawtimber Volume

Management

Recommendations

No activies planned for the current management cycle.

pole/ small sawtimber

SAF 25--some Rich NHWD forest

Thinned around 2003, along with 7E and 7B. Gullies have formed

on these highly erodable soils, although not directly as a result of

the previous treatment.

Produce high qulity sawtimber; convert to

uneven-age structure.

picture

TOTALS

AGS 11 56 172

UGS 4 20 48

Cavity 0 2 2

Basal Area

BA 116 Volume 2.67

% error 8% Vol/tree

% error 27%

# of points 10

species pie chart

BAF 20

Silv. Guides:

Cover Type

size class.

Soils:

Stand Health:

Cultural Resource

Notes:

This is a not-often visited corner of the property.

Pockets of birch, maple, ash regeneration (seedling and pole). Scattered beech seedlings throughout

(less than many stands on the property).

diverse mix of species;

1942--partially open. 1960 white birch harvest. 1981 maple/oak harvest (Smalley, Lewis).

Natural Resource

Notes:

Portions of Graves Rd show signs of soil erosion, which is a problem because of the numerous seeps

which run across it; road repair is needed.

pole/small saw.

47E, Dutchess channery loam, 25-60% slopes, very stony.

In the past access has been to Old Town/ East Hollow Landing via Graves Road. However, this road

(Graves) is generally wet from a number of seeps. An alternative is to gain a ROW across Lands of

Mattason.

Overstory Stocking

and Site Quality:

High stocking (approaching A line); pole and small sawtimber with scattered large diameter white

ash. Fairly uniform stand. Site Class I.

Stand 7b

Sawtimber Volume

Excellent site. Signs of rich northern hardwood forest. FFtB

Stand Condition 1.

Management

Recommendations

Produce high qulity sawtimber;

manage for uneven-age

structure.

from .1-1 acres, with the majority ranging from .25-.75acres. As much beech and striped maple

should be treated as is possible, and these must be treated within the groups.

See Merck Forest Harvest Policy for general harvest guidelines.

the total area.

SAF 25 evidence of Rich NHWD Forest

picture

TOTALS

AGS 4 18 38

UGS 4 27 47

Cavity 0 7 4

Basal Area

BA 102 Volume 4.88

% error 18%

# of points 9

BAF 20

Silv. Guides:

Cover Type

size class

Soils:

Stand Health:

Cultural Resource

Notes:

Portions of this area are unique to the property. The north slope of haystack mt. is very steep,

rocky, some talus, and could be the location of an excellent hiking trail.

Thick yellow birch regeneration, but mostly along old skid roads. musclewood and elderberry noted.

Striped maple exists throughout stand.

Stand is in fine health; upper section (along property boundary) has some of the best quality beech

on the property, with little evidence of BBD.

1994 single tree/group selection (Lareau, Waite). 1960 harvest.

Natural Resource

Notes:

This stand has very highly erodible soils, as evidenced by the gullys that have formed. Management

should be limited around this lower area (near creek); soils at the higher elevations are more stable,

however, a significant proportion of the stand has very steep and rocky terrain which is inaccessible.

sawtimber

47E, Dutchess channery loam 25-60% slopes.

Past access has been via Old Town Road. A temporary skidder bridge will need to be used to access

the sidder road south of White Creek, which leads to stand 7C. After TS Irene, this may not be the

best location for accessing the stand; consider relocating skidder roads.

Overstory Stocking

and Site Quality:

Most diverse mix of hardwoods on the property. Canopy has black, yellow, and white birches;

beech; sugar and red maple; white ash; red oak; red spruce. (between A-B line.) Site Class II.

SAF 25 Evidence of Rich NHWD forest

Stand 7c

Sawtimber Volume

Management

Recommendations

No planned treatment during this management cycle. Reassess this stand during the next

management cycle, and treat along with stand 7F.

Most diverse mix of hardwoods on the property. One of few

stands on the property with black birch sawtimber. Old, yellow

boundary paint noted. This stand is smaller than it is currently

mapped (re-mapping is required), and only approximately 20 acres

is accessible. (7CNP needs to be expanded.)

maintain uneven-age structure.

picture

TOTALS

AGS 8 37 102

UGS 7 33 86

Cavity 0 3 5

Basal Area

BA 113 Volume 3.1

% error 60%

CV 101

# of points 6

BAF 20

Silv. Guides:

Cover Type

size class

Soils:

Stand Health:

Cultural Resource

Notes:

This stand has high aesthetic and recreational value, since it is viewed (across white creek) by any

visitor who enters through the south gate.

light distribution of striped maple, ash, beech and maple seedlings.

part of this stand was marked (red) for a thinning, but the treatment was never carried out.

Natural Resource

Notes:

A portion of this stand borders the east branch of White Creek. A protective strip of approximately 150ft

should be left along this portion in which only single tree selection harvesting can occur so that breaks made in

the canopy are minimal and a continuous cover is maintained. Forest equipment shall operate no closer than

100ft from the water's edge.

Access is to Old Town/East Hollow Landing via Fisher Road. Conversely, there is a skidder road that

runs northwest down to White Creek, and may have been crossed with a temporary bridge in the

past; this may be a more viable option and should be explored.

Overstory Stocking

and Site Quality:

Fully stocked (A line). Dense stocking of sugar maple. Site Class I and II.

Stand 7d1

Sawtimber Volume

nice stand. Good spp mix. Good stocking, relatively flat, good road

system. Add bridge to cross WC. Possibly seek temp ROW from

neighbor. Neighbor's cabin on Merck Property.

Management

Recommendations

convert to uneven-age structure.

from .1-1 acres, with the majority ranging from .25-.75acres. As much beech and striped maple

should be treated as is possible, and these must be treated within the groups. See Merck

Forest Harvest Policy for general harvest guidelines.

Schedule for 20 year cutting cycle: 2017 (winter, or driest summer months)

the total area.

picture

TOTALS

Overall 3 70 117 10Sawtimber 3.01 30 60

AGS 5 25 65

UGS 3 15 26

Cavity

Basal Area

BA 70 Volume 3.01

% error 62%

# of points 4

BAF 20

Silv. Guides:

Cover Type

size class

Soils:

Stand Health:

Access is to Old Town/East Hollow Landing, and requires installation of a bridge across the North

Branch of White Creek.

Overstory Stocking

and Site Quality:

Adequate (B line). In places, stocking is quite low (50sqft).

Cultural Resource

Notes:

The understory has dense rhubus in treated patches; undesirable species were not treated during

last entry, resulting in a pockets of released striped maple.

stand is in fine health. Few signs of residual damage from last harvest.

cut recently. 2003--Fiarly heavy crown thinning; treatment left high number of good qualilty 15 and

16" sugar maple sawtimber trees. Enough of the overstory was removed to stimulate interference

spp--mostly rhubus. 1984 selective cut of maple and ash (Winship, Lewis/Cannon); 1966-68 paper

birch harvest.

Natural Resource

Notes:

Generally a wet stand. A few seeps exist thoughout.

49D, Pittstown loam, 15-25% slopes, very stony.

Stand 7d2

Sawtimber Volume

A portion of this stand was treated during the last cutting cycle.

The access road is quite wet from a number of seeps, and should

be used only when frozen, or during the driest months.

Management

Recommendations

picture

TOTALS

AGS 6 28 62

UGS 4 24 71

Cavity

Basal Area

BA 80 Volume 2.17

% error 64%

# of points 5

species pie chart

BAF 20

Silv. Guides:

Cover Type

size class

Soils:

Stand Health:

Overstory Stocking

and Site Quality:

Patchy. Adequately stocked (B-line). Contains a cluster of good timber quality white pine.

Cultural Resource

Notes:

sparse. Some red spruce; some yellow birch. Thick patches of rhubus.

Overstory was treated circa 2003. Canopy was thinned; good mix of size and species left as

residuals. 1991 harvest (Lareau, Cannon)

Natural Resource

Notes:

should be left along this portion in which only single tree selection harvesting can occur so that breaks made in

the canopy are minimal and a continuous cover is maintained. Forest equipment shall operate no closer than

100ft from the water's edge.

Management

Recommendations

maintain uneven-age structure.

Stand 7e

Sawtimber Volume

Stand is "one big seep". The enire stand is wet and rocky; the

lower slopes are steep, while upper slopes are moderate. Upper

portion thinned ~2003. cluster of large, straight white pine.

49D, Pittstown loam, 15-25% slopes, very stony.

Access is to Old Town/East Hollow Landing, and requires installation of a bridge across the North

Branch of White Creek. The westerly access road is quite wet from a number of seeps, and should

only be used when frozen, or during the driest months.

picture

TOTALS

AGS 7 37 95

UGS 3 20 85

Cavity 0 3 1

Basal Area

BA 120 Volume 5.98

AGS:UGS 97 mean saw dbh 15 Notes:

% error 27%

# of points 6

BAF 20

Silv. Guides:

Cover Type

size class

Soils:

Stand Health:

Overstory Stocking and

Site Quality:

Fully stocked (A line). Excellent site, with high stocking. Site Class I.

This stand has high aesthetic and recreational value, since it is viewed (across white creek) by any

visitor who enters through the south gate.

Scattered white ash, sugar maple, beech, and striped maple.

no immediate threats.

1994 single tree selection (Lareau, Waite). ~1960 harvest.

Management

Recommendations

No planned treatment during this management cycle. While stocking is considerably high, much of

this stand lies within a riparian zone, where stocking should remain high by removing a very limited

amount of volume at each entry. Also, this stand should only be entered in conjunction with Stand 7C,

which does not have enough stocking to necessitate a harvest.

small sawtimber

SAF 25 -- Rich NHWD forest

Stand 7f

Sawtimber Volume

47C, Dutchess channery loam, 8-15% slopes, very stony.

Past access has been via Old Town Road. A temporary skidder bridge will need to be used to access the

sidder road south of White Creek, which leads to stand 7C. After TS Irene, this may not be the best

location for accessing the stand; consider relocating skidder roads.

2K4M 2V

¯0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.40.05Miles

Compartment Eight

picture

TOTALS

AGS 5 24 78

UGS 7 40 130

Cavity 0 4 2

Basal Area

BA 100 Volume 2.8

AGS:UGS 56 LCL 1500 Notes:

LCL 83 UCL 4097

mean mean saw dbh 14.5

UCL 116 Avg MHt

Vol/tree

CV 24 CV 67

# of points 5

BAF 20

Cover Type

Size Class

Soils:

Access dry/wet, soil depth, Site Index

Stand Health:

Management

Recommendations

Sawtimber Volume

Stand 8A

nice little stand. Variable stocking. "better than data shows".

Decent skid road up east side.

Residual BA= 80 ~sqft/acre between groups. Groups should account for no more than 15-20% of the total

area (1.5-2 acres).

seedlings/saplings/poles, with individual tree selection between. Groups can range from .1-1 acres--with the

majority ranging from .25-.75a. As much beech and striped maple should be treated as is possible, and these

must be treated within the groups. See Merck Forest Harvest Policy for general

harvest guidelines.

Produce quality sawtimber;

convert to uneven-aged.

Natural Resource

Notes:

Cultural Resource

Notes:

10.2 acres

47E, Dutchess Channery Loam, 25-60% slope, very stony.

Access is from Old Town Road to East Hollow Rd to Hatch Rd. Use East Hollow Road Landing. Bridge will need

to be installed during the summer/fall of 2012 to access this area. Improve Hatch Road drainage and grade

with dozer.

Between B,A lines (100sqft), but stocking is variable. Site Class II.

uniform distrbution of beech and striped maple (4-15ft). Some pockets of yellow birch.

Beech is heavily affected by BBD.

1962 harvest (Smalley, Beattie); summer 1975 harvest (Smalley, student crew); winter 1977 harvest (Smalley,

Beattie).

should be left along this portion in which only light thinning or selection harvesting can occur so that breaks

made in the canopy are minimal and a continuous cover is maintained. Forest equipment shall operate no

closer than 50ft from the water's edge.

Hatch road runs through this stand.

Overstory Stocking

and Site Quality

picture

TOTALS

AGS 2 15 44

UGS 8 55 144

Cavity 1 6 6

Basal Area

BA 105 Volume 2.04

LCL 94 UCL 2866

UCL 114 Avg MHt

Vol/tree

CV 23 CV 117

# of points 13

species pie chart

BAF 20

Cover Type

Size Class

Soils:

Stand Health:

Cultural Resource

Notes:

some large eratics exist in this stand--which are visually interesting and rare on Merck's property.

fairly uniform distrbution of beech and striped maple (4-15ft). Some pockets of yellow birch.

Beech is heavily affected by BBD.

1962 harvest (Smalley, Beattie); summer 1975 harvest (Smalley, student crew); winter 1977 harvest

(Smalley, Beattie).

Natural Resource

Notes:

Stand 8B

Sawtimber Volume

Very nice stand. Site Class II. Good species mix. Good spacing. Flat

in some areas. Beech understory will require treatment. MFFC

should obtain a temporary ROW to access this stand from Zaplatel.

Northwest corner above 2500ft, and would require ACT 250 permit.

Management

Recommendations

seedlings/saplings/poles, with individual tree selection between. Groups can range from .1-1 acres--with

the majority of groups ranging from .25-.75acres--and should be located were there is a consentration of

mature, overmature, deformed (MOD) stems and where there is desireable regeneration. As much beech

and striped maple should be treated as is possible, and these must be treated within the groups. These

interference species should be monitored in the following years. See Merck Forest Harvest Policy for

general harvest guidelines.

Produce quality sawtimber.

Residual stand will have a greater percentage of low-risk, high vigor trees with small to mid-sized openings

scattered throughout, and will eventually lead to a multi-aged stand.

Access is through lands of Zaplatel. A temorary ROW must be obtained. If a ROW is not possible, then the

stand can be accessed by East Hollow Rd to Hatch Rd. Use East Hollow Road Landing. Bridge will need to be

installed to access this area.

Overstory Stocking

and Site Quality

High. Approaching A line. AGS is adequate (43sqft). Site Class II,III. Fine site at lower elevation, and along

benches. Poor quality at high elevation, which has very high proprtion of beech infested with BBD.

Residual BA= 80 -85sqft/acre between groups. Groups should account for no more than 15-20% of the

total area (1.5-2 acres).

small sawtimber

77.8 acres

118D, Turnbridge-Berkshire complex, 8-15 % slopes, rocky. 42D, Macomber-Taconic complex, 15-25%

slopes, rocky.

picture

TOTALS

AGS 4 17 72

UGS 10 71 180

Cavity 0 3 1

Basal Area

BA 117 Volume 2.16

LCL 107 UCL 2838

UCL 126 Avg MHt

Vol/tree

CV 22 CV 83

# of points 13

BAF 20

Cover Type

Size Class

Soils:

Stand Health:

Access is from Old Town Road, and East Hollow Rd. Use East Hollow Road Landing. Bridge will need

to be installed during the summer/fall of 2012 to gain access to East Hollow rd. A portable skidder

bridge can be used for second crossing. Use Hatch Road Landing. Improve hatch Road drainage and

grade with dozer.

Overstory Stocking

and Site Quality

Adequately stocked (between A, B line) Reasonably uniform stand. Upper elevation is a poorer site

quality; better site and better standing timber at lower elevation. Site class II. Western aspect.

Residual stand will have a greater percentage of low-risk, high vigor trees with small to mid-sized

openings scattered throughout, and will eventually lead to a multi-aged stand.

Residual BA= 80 -85sqft/acre between groups. Groups should account for no more than 15-20%

of the total area (1.5-2 acres).

sawtimber

42.5 acres

47E, Dutchess channery loam, 25-60%slope, very stony. 109E, Turnbridge-Berkshire complex, 25-50

%slopes, rocky.

Stand 8B1

Sawtimber Volume

Management

Recommendations

Long Range Silvicultural Objectives:produce high quality

timber

acceptable seedlings/saplings/poles, with individual tree selection between. The majority of

groups should range from .25-.75 acres, and should be located were there is a consentration of

mature, overmature, deformed (MOD) stems and where there is desireable regeneration. As much

beech and striped maple should be treated as is possible, and these must be treated within the

groups. These interference species should be monitored in the following years. See Merck Forest

Cultural Resource

Notes:

Very little regeneration noted.

This stand is in overall fine health.

Harvest 1962, summer/fall (Smalley, student crew). 1977 (Smalley, Beattie). Southern portion was

treated in 1996 (Calfee, Waite).

Natural Resource

Notes:

A portion of this stand borders east branch of White Creek. A protective strip of approximately

100ft should be left along this portion in which only light thinning or selection harvesting can occur

so that breaks made in the canopy are minimal. Forest equipment shall operate no closer than 50ft

from water's edge.

winter 2022

picture

Species %BA

TOTALS popple 2.2

2011 Volume BA tpa MSD cherry 2.2

Overall 1.75Mbf 100 307 7.31 red maple 6.7

Sawtimber 1.75Mbf 22 21 red oak 11.1

AGS 5 cords 31 120 sugar maple 26.7

UGS 7 cords 47 165 white ash 8.9

Cavity white birch 8.9

yellow birch 33.3

Basal Area

BA 100 Volume 1.75

AGS:UGS 53:47 UCL 2500 Notes:

UCL 109 LCL 1000 Diameter BA

mean 100 mean saw dbh 13.7 5 13

LCL 91 Avg MHt 1 log 6 7

Vol/tree 81 7 20

conf level 80% conf level 80% 8 11

% error 9% % error 42% 9 7

CV 20 CV 91 10 9

# of points 9 16 4

diameter distribution species pie chart 18 2

BAF 20

Cover Type

Size Class

Soils:

Stand Health:

Overstory Stocking

and Site Quality

Low Quality pole stand. Approaching A Line. Nice red oak sawtimber in western portion of stand. Eastern

half fo stand was more heavily cut during last entry. Site Class II. Somewhat wet in western portion of

stand.

Cultural Resource

Notes:

Southwest potion of stand has area which looks like it once held a foundation.

Light regeneration, except where small gaps were made. Seemed to have cut out hitches of oak. Heavy

striped maple in these groups. Some medium size patches of RS, YB.

Lots of poorly formed stems, particularly yellow birch.

Stand histories include total volumes taken from this stand, and surrounding stand. 1962---110Mbf. 1963--

-13Mbf. summer 1975---72Mbf (Smalley). winter/spring 1977 (Smalley, Beattie).

Natural Resource

Notes:

The desired diameter growth for this stand is SM,YB,WA=20" PB=14"

Residual crown cover= 80% , Residual BA between groups= ~80-85sqft/acre

Access is from Old Town Road, and East Hollow Rd. Use East Hollow Road Landing. Bridge will need to be

installed during the summer/fall of 2012 to gain access to East Hollow rd. A portable skidder bridge can be

used for second crossing. Use Hatch Rd Landing.

pole/small saw

63.4 acres

47D, Dutchess channery loam, 15-25%, very stony.

SAF 25: sugar maple-beech-yellow birch

Stand 8C, 8C1

Sawtimber Volume

Management

Recommendations

Single Tree and Group Selection. Remove groups (.25-.75) of mature, overmature, or deformed stems

whereever there is advance regeneration beneth. Groups should cover no more than 12 acres, but will

likely cover much less area. Focus the single tree removal on poor quality, or senesing stems, particularly

those of white birch, red maple and popple. Striped maple which has taken over forest gaps created

during the last entry will need to be treated--crushed or cut--and should be monitored afterwards. See

Merck Forest Harvest Policy for aditional harvest guidelines.

Low Quality Pole/small sawtimber stand. Strange site. Seems to

have eskers throughout, with many creeks running in valleys. Soils

are deep and gravelly. Fair amount of water running through, but

creeks are well-defined--easily crossed with skidder bridge. 8C1 is

very similar to 8C. 8C1 abutts creek. Sections of this stand have

been open in the past. They are now labeled as 8OP on map.

Some very nice, mature, red oak.

Produce quality sawtimber,

and convert stand to

uneven-aged.

popple cherry

red maple

red oak

sugar maple white ash

white birch

yellow birch

% of BA

picture

TOTALS

AGS 2 9 17

UGS 6 38 119

Cavity 1 2 2

Basal Area

BA 82 Volume 2.66

LCL 70 UCL 3642

UCL 94 Avg MHt

Vol/tree

CV 31 CV 79

# of points 9

BAF 20

Cover Type

Size Class

Soils:

Stand Health:

Cultural Resource

Notes:

pockets of yellow birch and red spruce (3-15ft); even, light distribution of beech whips and striped maple.

One barberry bush noted (flagged). BBD aflicting some beech. Few snags/cavity trees/and DWD noted.

Pockets of hay-scented fern.

Harvest in 1965. Then a harvest in 1996, which released pole-sized tree and created openings to begin

regenerating stand. (Calfee, Waite)

Natural Resource

Notes:

A portion of this stand borders small feeder creeks. A protective strip of approximately 100ft should be left

along this portion in which only light thinning or selection harvesting can occur so that breaks made in the

canopy are minimal and a continuous cover is maintained. Forest equipment shall operate no closer than

50ft from the water's edge. Bear sighting: During the inventory, a large bear was seen in this stand

rummaging through the duff litter underneth a large beech, probably collecting nuts.

pole/small saw

31.5 acres

47E, Dutchess Channery loam, 15-25% slopes, very stony.

installed during the summer/fall of 2012 to gain access to East Hollow rd. A portable skidder bridge can be

used for second crossing. Use Hatch Rd Landing.

Overstory Stocking

and Site Quality

Site Class II. The stand is not fully stocked (B line); crowns are generally free to grow.

Stand 8D

Sawtimber Volume

Management

Recommendations

No management activities planned during this cycle.

Long Range Silvicultural Objectives: develop quality sawtimber;

begin conversion to an

uneven-aged stand in next

entry.

picture

TOTALS

AGS 14 57 178

UGS 4 23 89

Cavity

Basal Area

BA 129 Volume 4.12

LCL 116 UCL 5511

UCL 140 Avg MHt

Vol/tree

CV 17 CV 61

# of points 7

BAF 20

Cover Type

Size Class

Soils:

Stand Health:

Cultural Resource

Notes:

Although Hatch Road is not as well used as are the areas around the farm, it is used by hikers and will be

better utilized once a permanent bridge is installed. East Hollow Road runs through a portion of the stand,

and aesthetics should be considered when selecting groups for removal.

very little regeneration noted in the western half of the stand. In the eastern half (the portion treated in

1977), there is a light distribution of beech whips. In the 1 acre patch cut, there is dense beech whips, with

some yellow birch that has begun to overtop the beech.

Lacking large snags. Light infestation of BBD. Birch

The 1942 aerial photo shows this stands as semi-open pasture, reverting to forest. Since then there have

been two recorded harvests in the stand: 1977 (Smalley, Beattie) cut in the southeast portion; 1998

(Birdsall, Waite) carried out a 1 acre patch cut, removing 16.6 mbf, 74 cords. It appears as though this last

entry also treated the southeastern half of the stand.

37.5 acres

47E, Dutchess Channery Loam, 15-25% & 25-50%.

Access is from Old Town Road to East Hollow Rd to Hatch Rd. Use East Hollow Road Landing. Bridge will

need to be installed during the summer/fall of 2012 to access this area.

Overstory Stocking and

Site Quality

Full. A line. High overall and AGS stocking. The western portion has uniform stocking; less so in the eastern

half of the stand. Site Class II.

Management

Recommendations

Variable-Retention Thinning. Treat western half of this stand only. Treat in conjunction with thinning in

Stand 8G. Thin thoughout the stand with variable retention by removing trees of low-vigor and poor quality,

reducing crown cover to to about 80%. Focus removals on the least desireable competators (high risk, low

vigor). Remove small (.1-.25a) groups only where canopy contains MOD trees and were desireable

regeneration is established. Retain some hardwood (or popple) cavity trees >9"dbh, as well as future cavity

trees. Recruit snags by girdling some poor quality dominants. Cut and leave worst quality dominants to

increase amount of DWD. See Merck Forest Harvest Policy for aditional harvest guidelines.

Stand 8E

Sawtimber Volume

nice, high stocking. Pole and sawtimber. High AGS. Only partially

treated during last entry.

Produce high quality timber products,

fuelwood, and wildlife habitat, particularly

for migratory songbirds.

Produce high quality timber products, fuelwood,

and wildlife habitat, particularly for migratory

songbirds.

Schedule for 20 year cutting cycle: Winter 2013; 2033

picture

TOTALS

AGS 17 108 558

UGS 1 8 50

Cavity

Basal Area

BA 132 Volume 0.93

LCL 111 UCL 2045

UCL 152 Avg MHt

Vol/tree

CV 22 CV 175

# of points 5

BAF 20

Cover Type

Size Class

Soils:

Stand Health:

Stand 8F

Sawtimber Volume

spruce stand. Poor site, with marginal soils.

Management

Recommendations

No Planned activity during this harvest cycle.

Long Range Silvicultural Objectives: maintain spruce stand, as it is

underrepresented on property.

pole; stem exclusion

11.3 acres

47E, (low)Dutchess Channery Loam 25-60%; 43E, (high) Taconic-Macomber complex, 25-60%, very

rocky.

Cultural Resource

Notes:

Pockets of red spruce (below the predominatly red spruce canopy).

No problems related to insects or disease, or to invasive plants.

This stand was possibly cut during 1979.

Natural Resource

Notes:

This is an unusual stand on the property; it is a relatively low elevation spruce stand. The dense

spruce, along with its minor oak component, makes good wildlife habitat and should be

perpetuated.

Access is from Old Town Road to East Hollow Rd, to Hatch Rd. Use East Hollow Road Landing.

Bridge will need to be installed to access this area in the future.

Overstory Stocking

and Site Quality

adequately stocked, between A and B line (mixedwood). Canopy is a mix of red spruce and white

birch. Site Class III> this is a steep and rocky site, with marginal soils

picture

TOTALS

AGS 10 56 178

UGS 5 27 98

Cavity 0 2 1

Basal Area

BA 113 Volume 2.6

LCL 100 UCL 3486

UCL 126 Avg MHt

Vol/tree

CV 25 CV 73

# of points 9

species pie chart

BAF 20

Silv. Guides: VT-666

NE-603

Cover Type

Size Class

Soils:

Stand Health:

Schedule for 20 year cutting cycle: Winter 2013;

25-mixed northern hardwood

Stand 8G

Sawtimber Volume

East Hollow Rd Landing

Produce high quality timber products, fuelwood,

and wildlife habitat, particularly for migratory

songbirds.

Management

Recommendations

Variable-Retention Thinning. Thin thoughout the stand with variable retention by removing trees of low-

vigor and poor quality, reducing crown cover to to about 80%. Focus removals on the least desireable

competators (high risk, low vigor), especially within the lower crown classes. Remove small (.1-.25a) groups

only where canopy contains UGS and were desireable regeneration is established. Retain some hardwood

(or popple) cavity trees >9"dbh, as well as future cavity trees. Recruit snags by girdling some poor quality

dominants. Cut and leave worst quality dominants to increase amount of DWD. See Merck Forest Harvest

Policy for aditional harvest guidelines.

35.0 acres

49D Pittstown loam 15-25%. 47E, Dutchess-Channery Loam 25-60%.

Cultural Resource

Notes:

Although East Hollow Road is not as well used as are the areas around the farm, it is used by hikers and will

be better utilized once a permanent bridge is installed. East Hollow Road runs through a portion of the

stand, and aesthetics should be considered when selecting groups for removal.

uniform distribution of red spruce (2-10ft)

Stand is in fine health; no invasives; beech is only minorly aflicted with BBD. Contains nice mix of snags and

cavity trees and DWD of various sizes.

The only previous harvest took place in 1979. The 1942 photo shows portion os this area as semi-open.

Natural Resource

Notes:

installed during the summer/fall of 2012 to access this area.

Overstory Stocking

and Site Quality

Approaching A line. Relatively uniform and stratified stand (spruce and beech dominate understory. Site

Class II. Productive site; the stand has southern exposure, which may lead to droughty conditions.

¯0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.40.05Miles

Compartment Nine

picture

TOTALS

AGS 1 5 25

UGS 8 65 250

Cavity

Basal Area

BA 75 Volume 0.36

% error 162%

CV 200

# of points 4

BAF 20

Cover Type

size class

Soils:

Stand Health:

25 mostly beech

Stand 9A

Sawtimber Volume

Poor site, up high. Mostly UGS, lots of small diameter beech UGS.

Management

Recommendations

No activities planned for this management cycle.

poletimber

109E, Tunbridge-Berkshire complex, 25-50% slopes, rocky.

Access is to East Hollow Landing, via Hatch Rd.

Overstory Stocking

and Site Class:

B-line, however, AGS is extremely low (10sqft). Site Class III-IV.

Cultural Resource

Notes:

This ridgeline can be seen from the Mettawee Valley, and from Dorset.

beech whips exist throughout, with some pockets of YB seedling/saplings.

BBD affects much of this stand, which is predominantly beech.

This entire Compartment was previously owned and managed by Rogers Hollow Associates.

Evidence of a harvest from the mid 1990s. This area has a conservation easement on it, requiring

Merck to submit harvest plans to New England Forestry Foundation. This Compartment was not

entered during the last management cycle.

Natural Resource

Notes:

This stand is on a ridgeline, and much of it is around 2000ft in elevation. Soils are

picture

TOTALS

AGS 5 28 92

UGS 8 62 171

Cavity 0 2 4

Basal Area

BA 108 Volume 0.87

% error 65%

CV 130

# of points 8

BAF 20

Cover Type

size class

Soils:

Stand Health:

The desired diameter growth for this stand is SM,YB,WA,AB=18" PB=12"

Residual crown cover= 80% , Residual BA between groups= ~80sqft/acre

Residual stand will have greater proportion of low-risk, high vigor trees with mid-sized gaps

scattered throughout, and will eventually lead to a multi-aged stand.

Stand 9B

Sawtimber Volume

Management

Recommendations

Single Tree and Group Selection. Remove groups (.25-.75acres) of mature, overmature, or

deformed stems whereever there is advance regeneration beneth. Groups should cover no more

than 15-20% of stand, but will likely cover much less area. Focus the single tree removal on poor

quality, or senesing stems. Beech whips will need to be treated--crushed, cut--and should be

monitored afterwards. See Merck Forest Harvest Policy for aditional harvest guidelines.

pole/small saw

Access is to East Hollow Landing, via skid road through stand 8C.

Overstory Stocking

and Site Class:

Overstory is mostly beech, along with sugar maple and yellow birch. Fully stocked (A line). Site Class

II-II.

Cultural Resource

Notes:

This ridgeline can be seen from the Mettawee Valley, and from Dorset. ATV use was noted from the

previous timber cruise (1999), but was not seen in 2012.

beech whips exist throughout, with some pockets of YB seedling/saplings.

Natural Resource

Notes:

This stand is on a ridgeline, and a portion of it exists above 2500ft in elevation. Soils are thin along

the ridge.

TOTALS

AGS 1 8 16

UGS 10 80 298

Cavity

Basal Area

BA 96 Volume 0.35

% error 6% Vol/tree

CV 9.3 conf level 80%

% error 93%

CV 137

# of points 5

species pie chart

BAF 20

Cover Type

size class

Soils:

Stand Health:

Residual stand will have higher proportion of AGS in canopy, and will have newly-formed gaps in

canopy to either release adv regen, or allow desireable regeneration to establish.

The desired diameter growth for this stand is SM,YB,WA,AB=18" PB=12"

Residual BA ~70sqft/acre

2. Patch Cut. Remove approximately a 3-acre patch as part of this commercial improvement cut.

Focus on area with highest proportion of UGS and where slopes are only moderate.

Stand 9C

Sawtimber Volume

Management

Recommendations

1. Commercial Improvement Cut. (**Treat portion adjacent to Stand 9B.**) Develop marking

guide to remove poor quality canopy stems as individuals or groups.

poletimber

Ridgeline: access is to East Hollow Landing, via skid roads in 9B and 8C.

Overstory Stocking

and Site Class:

Adequately stocked (Between A-B line). Overstory is made up of predominantly poorly formed

beech and birch poletimber, along with some maple. Site Class II-III.

Cultural Resource

Notes:

beech whips exist throughout.

Natural Resource

Notes:

This stand is on a ridgeline, and much of it is around 2000ft in elevation. Soils are

picture

TOTALS

AGS 3 20 44

UGS 7 48 83

Cavity 1 5 1

Basal Area

BA 80 Volume 0.56

% error 69%

CV 138

# of points 8

BAF 20

Cover Type

size class

Soils:

Stand Health:

Stand 9D

Sawtimber Volume

Management

Recommendations

109E, Tunbridge-Berkshire complex, 25-50% slopes, rocky. 47E, Dutchess channery laom, 25-60%

slopes, very stony.

Southern portion--access is over neighboring lands (Buechner?), down to East Hollow Landing.

Northern portion--access is through landds of Zaplatel.

Overstory Stocking

and Site Class:

Adequately stocked (B line), overall, although many sections are minimally stocked. Site Class II.

Cultural Resource

Notes:

This ridgeline can be seen from the Mettawee Valley, and from Dorset. Signs of ATV use exist on

the main woods road through this stand.

Large patches of YB seedling/saplings throughout the stand. Many of these patches are free to

Some sections fo skid road are washed out, and will need repair during next entry.

Natural Resource

Notes:

This stand is on a ridgeline, and much of it is around 2000ft in elevation (some of it approaches

2500).

picture

TOTALS

AGS 3 17 71

UGS 6 43 124

Cavity 1 6 3

Basal Area

BA 71 Volume 0.24

% error 92%

CV 170

# of points 7

species pie chart

BAF 20

Cover Type

size class

Soils:

Stand Health:

Stand 9E

Sawtimber Volume

Management

Recommendations

112E, Rawsonville-Hogback complex, 25-60% slopes, very rocky.

Western portion--access is over neighboring lands to the west(Buechner), down to East Hollow

Landing. Eastern portion--access is through lands of Zaplatel.

Overstory Stocking

and Site Class:

Adequately stocked (B line), overall, although many sections are minimally stocked. Site Class II-III.

Cultural Resource

Notes:

Large patches of YB and striped maple seedling/saplings throughout the stand. Many of these

patches are free to grow.

Some sections fo skid road are washed out, and will need repair during next entry.

entered during the last management cycle. 1999 harvest (Calfee, Waite)

Natural Resource

Notes:

This stand is on a ridgeline, and much of it is around 2000ft in elevation. Higher elevations exceed

2500 feet in elevation, which would require an ACT 250 permit prior to entering this section.

Appendix A.

Forest Harvest Guidelines (reference: Vermont Family Forests)

1. Legacy Tree Benchmark:

a. There are a minimum of three vigorous, wind‐firm legacy trees per acre measuring over

19 inches diameter at breast height (dbh).

2. Tree Species Richness Benchmark:

a. Native tree species richness is maintined when pre‐and post‐treatment levels are

compared.

3. Snag & Cavity Trees Benchmark:

a. There are a minimum of four large, secure cavity or snag trees per acre with one

exceeding 21” dbh and four exceeding 15”.

4. Access Roads Benchmark:

a. Erosion control structures such as water bars, broad‐based dips, and turn‐ups are

properly installed on all forwarding paths and skid trails at intervals according to Table 1

of the Vermont AMPs.

5. Log Landing Benchmark:

a. Log landings are located on nearly level, stable ground, kept out of protective strips, and

graded to prevent soil erosion and stream sedimentation.

6. Stream Crossing Benchmark:

a. Streams are crossed with bridges or culverts that are properly sized according to Table 2

of the Vermont AMPs and carefully installed perpendicular to the stream.

7. Large DWD Benchmark:

a. Minimum of four downed trees 16+ foot long logs per acre on average, with one

exceeding 21” dbh and four exceeding 15”dbh.

8. Small Woody Debris Benchmark:

a. All leaves, needles, and tree limbs less than 3 inches in diameter are left in or close to

the place where they were felled.

9. Stream Protective Strip Benchmark:

a. All streams are bordered by protective strips that exeed the minimum widths listed in

Table 4 of the Vermont AMPs, have little or no bare mineral soil or ground disturbance,

and have at least 70% crown closure.

10. Stream Condition Benchmark:

a. All streams and other bodies of water are kept free of logging slash, debris, and waste.

11. Ecologically Sensitive Areas Benchmark:

a. Sensitive areas such as rare upland forest communities and forest wetlands are properly

buffered.

12. Non‐native Invasive Tree and Shrub species Benchmark:

a. Invasive tree and shrub species are absent.

APPENDIX B ‐ Wildlife Habitat

Composition and Age Class structure of Ecosystems

The largest impact this management cycle can have to wildlife on the property is by ensuring that a

diversity of composition, structure, and function of forest stands is maintained or enhanced. Simply

put, Merck needs to manage its forest stands so that they are ecologically healthy and diverse.

Aspen Habitat

Aspen can occur in pure stands, and as a component of stands located in scattered small clones. Aspen

clones in other habitats can be managed over time and expanded to create larger aspen habitat area.

While there are currently no aspen habitat stands at merck forest, there are scattered small clones

within stands which can be managed and expanded to provide for the species that prefer these habitats.

If mature aspen clones are not managed, the clones can become less productive and die, removing this

habitat feature from the landscape. Providing age and structural diversity of aspn clones and stands can

increase available wildlife habitat within the property. Management will likely increase the abundance

of aspn within stands rather than convert them to pure aspen habitat.

1. Create new early‐successional aspen habitat by removing groups around mature aspen

clones.

2. Expand aspen component by expanding some clones through management.

Oak Habitat

Management to improve oak habitat includes regenerating oak and oak‐hardwood stands to allow oak

seedlings to get established in high levels of light, and releasing established oak saplings and small trees

from over‐topping vegetation.

1. Increase the abundance of oak in stands that have an oak component by releasing them

from copeting vegetation.

2. Regenerate oak and oak‐hardwood stands to create new stands of oak.

Deer Wintering Areas

To enhance wintering habitat for white‐tailed deer, Merck can retain and encourage vegetative

conditions for both shelter and browse. Wintering habitat for deer will be emphasized within or near

deer wintering areas, and permanent upland wildlife openings containing grasses, forbs, and shrubs can

provide forage in early spring.

Permanent Upland Openings

Permanent upland openings provide important early‐successional wildlife habitat, ranging from grass‐

forb meadows to openings with young, shrub‐scrub, woody vegetation. Without early‐successional

habitat ike that provided by permanent upland openings, the diversity and quality of wildlife habitat in

the project area would decrease.

Permanent upland openings complement the temporary openings of silvicultural regeneration

treatements in mature forest stands.

1. Restore, enlarge, and enhance existing upland openings to provide early‐successional

habitat for wildlife.

2. Create new permanent openings in the project areas to provide additional early‐

successional habitat to meet forest habitat composition objectives.

3. Create some permanent openings to be managed for late‐stage early‐successional habitat

with older age classes of vegetation (5‐20 years).

Apple Tree Management

Individual apple trees and remnant orchards are an important source of wildlife food and are historic

features of Merck Forest. As the forest matures around the apple trees, other etree species encroach

upon and shad apple trees, rendering them less productive in the reduced light of the understory and

lead to eventual death. By removing over‐topping trees immediately around them, the apple trees

show better growth and fruit production.

1. Release apple trees sot that these historic features continue to provide food for wildlife.

2. Prune apple trees to enhance soft mast production, providing and increased food source for

wildlife species.

3. Pile material cut to release and prune apple trees to enhance habitat for small mammals

and amphibians.

Historic Structure Habitat

There are many historic sites including rock walls, building foundations, and wells at Merck. These sites

are often located in small‐ or medium‐size openings and some include other habitat features such as

small ponds, wetlands, or apple trees. These features provide unique wildlife habitat providing nesting

shelter or travel ways for small mammals, reptiles, and amphibians.

1. Maintain historic structures and improve the wildlife habitats they provide.

2. Place removed material in a way to provide nesting, foraging, and travel habitat for small

mammals, reptiles, and amphibians.

Spruce Peak

Antone Mtn

Master Mtn1893'

Haystack Mtn

Burnt Hill2482'

Rupert M

ountain

Antone Rd.

Gallop Rd.

Lodge Rd.

Old To

Gallop Rd.

Marquand Rd.

Hammond Rd.

Stone Lot Rd.

Old Town Rd.Stone Lot

Barton TrailKo

oven R

East Hollow Rd.

Spatial Refernce System: UTM Zone 18N (Meters) Datum NAD1983Map produced by: MFFC June 20, 2011

0 0.25 0.50.125 Miles

Sap House

Appendix C: Sugarbush BoundariesThis map outlines the boundaries of the leased sugarbush, as well as the potential boundary for a new sugarbush. Leased sugarbush: 200 acresNew sugarbush: 40 acres

Visitor's Center

Merck Forest Locus Map

South Entrance

NEW SUGARBUSH

SUGARBUSH

LEASEDLegend

Old Town RoadMerck_boundarySugarbushOther Main RoadsLeased Sugarbush

Gallop Rd

Hatch Trail

Carmody Property Map -- Approximate Boundary -- ~4.8acres

Old Town Road

Inholding

LegendCarmody PropertyRoads/Trails/Skid RoadsMerck Property Boundary

®90 0 9045 Meters

Appendix E

Historical Land Use at The Merck Forest and Farmland Center Charles V. Cogbill May 2004

The nature of the land at Merck Forest today represents the result of centuries of natural changes overlaid by generations of human activities. The simplified view is that this 3000 acre forest was a consolidation of three old declining farms in the 1940s, now in 200 residual acres of fields and pastures as a demonstration farm, and the remaining 93% of the land covered by second growth woodland. Lost in this story are the specifics of what nameless people did, when, where, how much, and perhaps why. A few clues to the answers remain in place names such as the Stone Lot, The Gallop (hill on Gallup Rd.), the Wade Lot and Road, and Clark Hollow, all of which bespeak the family names of earlier inhabitants. More directly, the “Harwood Farm”, one of the three original parcels, still has descendents maintaining contact with Merck Forest. Older residents also remember sheep being pastured on the “Sheldon Farm” and hay harvested on the “Young Farm” in the 1920s.

Importantly, one can still find numerous stone walls roughly in eight clusters,

some 14 cellar holes, and various even-aged second growth forests scattered around the property documenting earlier agricultural activity. Apparently missing are any unquestionably old forest remnants which have escaped past logging activities and perhaps indicate original conditions. Obviously what we now know about this land is the only partially buried details of lives from yet unknown previous users and managers. At every turn the land speaks: What happened here? Is this the result of land use history? Who lived and worked here? When did this change? How do we find out? While as a forest ecologist I am primarily interested in the natural condition of the forested landscape, the profound human influence on the forests of New England suggests a different perspective when approaching the landscape history of places like the Merck Forest. Using contemporary written records and the study of human activities to understand the past uses of the land is a relatively new discipline in North America, called historical ecology. Combining the environmental and biological records gleaned from field studies with the cultural record is a contemporary and wide-ranging documentation that is truly an “eyewitness” of past conditions. Using this basis, one can study changes in land use over time and analyze the specific effects that humans have had on the vegetation, soils, and forests. With its intense and changing land use through settlement, clearing, cultivation, pasturing, logging, farm abandonment, and woodland management since the 1780s, the Merck Forest is an ideal location for application of the historical ecology methodology. In addition to deriving a baseline of land use conditions from different periods, this study serves as a case study of land use history and provides specific historic resources to managers and educators at this site. Over the past three years I have been researching the land use history of the Merck Forest and Farmland Foundation land. This article summarizes the effort to collate ownership and land use documents and addresses the themes of human influences on the hilly Taconic farmland of southwestern Vermont.

The first step in this approach was studying the relationship of humans to the land by creating a detailed ownership chain derived from over 1250 property transfers abstracted from the Rupert Land Records. The initially rather dry and esoteric deed chronology effectively puts ownership, residence, vocational activities, and land production into a spatial and temporal perspective. The mapping of the ownership parcels through time forms a spatial framework of the primary users of the land and incidentally records much of the economic, cultural, and geographic lives of these residents for over 200 years. A great help in the organizing this mosaic of parcels are extant maps (draft listers/surveyor Plan for Rupert, 1896 USGS topographic), gazetteers (Child’s 1881Gazetteer), cadastral surveys (especially Beers 1869 Atlas and Rice & Hayward’s 1856 Atlas), and despite rumors of its theft, early Proprietors’ survey records (Rupert Town Office). The property transferred (including farms, mills, houses, shops, barns, timber and water rights, as well as land) and boundary descriptions (including trees, large stones, stonewalls, and fences) in the deeds themselves are the source for much of the specific land use information. Moreover, since the owners at any time are now known, their activities are keyed to primary land use documentation contained in decadal U.S. Census Agricultural and Manufacturers Schedules for 1850 to 1880 and property inventories in Probate Records (Bennington Probate Court- northern District). Ancillary information contained in genealogies, town histories, and family/business papers flesh out the activities of the known residents on specific parcels. So far the emphasis has been on documenting the history of early ownership and land divisions and the agricultural activities of the 19th century rather than the better documented, and markedly more familiar, activities of the 20th century.

Next steps in the study will incorporate on the ground reconnaissance. Field verification together with further oral histories of former owners, older residents, and informants (some already done, especially by the Vermont Folklife Center), forestry, archeological, and site surveys (some already done by the Merck Forest forest managers and consultants, Chris Olsen and Alan Calfee), and ecological research on the current vegetation (much done by Kerry Woods at Bennington College) must be done before the full history of this site is revealed. One immediate goal is combining all available land use information within a Geographic Information System (GIS). Preliminary ArcView layers of forest types, roads, foundations, and stonewalls have already been compiled (Jim Henderson, Bennington County Regional Commission and consulting forester Chris Olson). An ArcView layer of land ownership and linkage to the associated Excel databases of the 1250 deeds with property descriptions and transactions and of agriculture census data has already been accomplished by this project. Summary of Merck Forest Land Use

What follows is a chronological presentation of the dominant land use activities on Merck Forest. This history is split into seven periods which represent major differences in the dominant use. This overview is keyed to a graphic summary on cadastral maps (see sidebar illustrations) which indicate patterns and ownership of parcels in eight time layers from first land division for settlement in the 1780s to just before reassembly into a single ownership in 1950. The narrative also previews some themes and provides data supporting the interpretations of the human influences.

Presettlement Period (1761-1788) Rupert was granted by the Governor of the Colony of New Hampshire to 64 Proprietors in 1761. Early land divisions split Rupert into a diffuse crazy quilt of surveys and pitches of "shares" rather than a geographically coherent array of many nearby towns. After 1765, the 1st and 2nd lotting divisions of the town resulted in European settlement on the prime farmlands on floodplains of the Mettowee River of East Rupert and the White Creek Flats of Mill Brook in West Rupert. Starting in 1785, the backlands on Merck Forest were granted by the Proprietors to individuals, predominantly in the 5th and 6th divisions. Based on 241 trees cited in presettlement surveys, forests over all of Rupert, consisted of a mixture of types dominated by beech (61% of early survey witness trees), maple (27%), and oak (2.5%). There was a minor component of other species such as birches, elms, basswood, hickory, spruce, poplar, hardhack, and pegwood, but no pine nor hemlock were recorded in the early town surveys. The original woods of Merck Forest were completely forested and dominated by much the same hardwood species found there today, including a scattering of oak, but significantly had more spruce than other areas of the town. Settlement and Small Farm Period (1788-1820) The first farm properties on Merck land were settled in Clark Hollow (from the Sugar House and south to the slopes of Haystack) by an closely intermarried group of Yankee immigrants. Andrew Clark from Pelham, Massachusetts settled first in 1788 and by 1790 there were about six separate small farm properties in the Hollow. Also there was a small mill established immediately to the south in Kent Hollow (established by Samuel Kent in 1782) and by 1796 another mill above the current village of East Rupert, both of which which were providing sawn boards for buildings and local milling of grains. In 1791, a road was built from Kent Hollow to Clark Hollow and soon after the Draper Rd or later Convis Road reached from west of the “Gap” into the northwestern section of Merck Forest. Within the next decade at least three more farms were established at the periphery of the original Clark Hollow, and three new settlers were established in the northern half of the property. Thus within 15 years of first settlement there was a well established farm neighborhood community of at least a dozen self-sustaining farms within Merck Forest. Interestingly the current stone walls and cellar holes are closely associated with these early property boundaries and farmstead locations. Consolidation Farming Period (1820- 1850)

The first established farms were generally not maintained within the same family, but bought by later settlers, often offspring of other Rupert residents. Following this pattern, the Harwood family (who originally emigrated from Bennington in 1787) expanded a series of farm properties in the “Gap” and created a farm for Joseph Harwood in 1830. In addition, the new owners such as the James Weed (with his father and brothers) and Bernice Raymond were accumulating large blocks of mountain land. Judging from the later land divisions and “pitching” (surveying one’s own vacant land), the upland surrounding the farms wasn’t utilized until the 1830s when it was being converted to pastures and woodlots. This was part of a trend to gradually consolidate the farms into larger properties and by 1850 the number of farms had declined to only five,

whose boundaries remained relatively constant for the next hundred years. These farms supported some cultivation of crops and dairy (butter and cheese) production, but the dominant occupation was sheep pasture with nearly 800 sheep maintained over the Merck property by 1850. In addition the two local sawmills were owned by local farmers and in 1850 Elishu Flower’s mill in Kent Hollow was cutting 80 M board feet of boards while John Harwood’s mill to the north was cutting 130 M board feet of spruce logs to make boards, clapboards and joists. Diversified Farming Period (1850 -1880) The greatest farm production was reached in about 1870 when 60% of all Merck land was cleared in five or six farms (see census sidebar table). There was a gradually decreasing number of sheep pastured down to about 100 animals in 1880. Compensating, however, was greatly increased dairy production and more crops produced, increasing gradually with oats and corn for cattle and potatoes and maple sugar (up to 2000 pounds each year) for human consumption. Much of the milk from over 100 cows was used in the manufacture of nearly 16,000 pounds of cheese at the local cheese factory. Several of these farms were run by tenant farmers while the owners were businessmen involved in other businesses (for example Bernice Raymond was a banker in Manchester, W. Clemons co-owned a cheese factory in Rupert and possibly a counterfeit currency press!, and the Flower family owned the saw mill in Kent Hollow). The surrounding woodlands were increasingly used for logging as the single local mill in Kent Hollow was cutting 150 M to 200 M board feet through the period. Expanding Woodlands Period (1880-1920) As the farming economy wound down, the ownership pattern stabilized with a pattern of three large holdings. Although some farming continued on the same five basic farms until the 1920s, decline was rapid with pastures reforesting, rapidly decreasing the open land, and the town road through the property was abandoned. There was increasing turnover of ownership, and when Joseph M. Harwood died in 1933, land owners were no longer resident on the land. Local timber barons such as S.H. Dole and Arthur Bonneville owned thousands of acres of timberland to the south of Merck Forest and were running their own large sawmill processing local timber supplies. Logging Period (1920-1950) The switch to using the land for its timber resources continued as the Young farm was sold to the West Rupert Timber Company in 1907, and then owned by a series of timber companies until 1938. Similarly the Sheldon farm was sold in 1920 to Thomas Hunter the proprietor of the old Bonneville Sawmill. The harvests were apparently regular, with woods roads threading through the second growth forests on old pastureland and into the uncut timber on the old woodlands beyond the formerly cleared land. A few open pastures were maintained where the most long-lasting farming had been practiced. Demonstration and Education Period (1950-present)

Starting in the 1940s, George Merck started the acquisition of the three parcels which make up the heart of Merck Forest. These were transferred to the Merck Forest and Farmland Foundation in 1950. With the later addition of surrounding adjacent parcels, the Merck Forest came under consistent management for the first time since 1785. Insights on Merck Forest Use

The story of Merck Forest is indeed a wonderful case study of agricultural history of hill farming in the Taconics. The back valley, Clark Hollow, was settled fairly early (1788) and maintained a remarkably large number of small farms (12) which quickly spread onto the surrounding slopes. Evidently most of the archeological remains on the property date from this early period of small farm occupation. In contrast to the Hollow farms at the southern end, the classic upland Harwood Farm (1830-1924), at the northern end of the Merck Forest, was essentially a later expansion of the family’s holdings. It was successfully maintained by 5 generations of Harwoods and lasted longer than most other hill farms in the town. Interestingly the Harwood farm was not the chief farm of the family nor the dominant farm on the property until near the end of its existance.

With business diversification through the 1800s, the farms switched their

emphasis from sheep to cheese and finally milk, and by the turn of the 19th century had declined to only adjuncts of larger businesses and run by tenant farmers. The woodlands on the higher hills, such as those on Master Mountain and Burnt Hill, were acquired later as part of larger “farm” holdings, but never really farmed. In contrast to the intensively farmed land, these “backlots” were not settled or walled, but was used primarily for logging after the middle of the 19th century. Interestingly, the place names given properties (Wade lot (1817-1828), Gallop Lot (8 months in 1819), Stone Lot (1865-68), Young Farm (1879-1907), Sheldon Farm (1902-1920)) are generally short-term ephemeral or recent owners. Apparently names of the first owners, long-term residents, or large-scale owners do not provide distinctive, unambiguous names.

Although the general outlines of the history of the Merck Forest is emerging, there is still more work to pursue. In addition to unraveling some difficult ownership knots and tracking obscure parcel ownership, much of the peripheral woodland have not yet been searched either in archives or in the field. The next phase of this project is to complete the title work and begin to align the documentary and on-site layers into a single narrative. For example it will be informative to associate the placement of cellar holes with the actual owner on specific farmsteads, to derive the exact alignment of stone walls with property boundaries of specific fields, or to confirm association of forest stands with specific fields or dates of abandonment. Particularly exciting will be the search for the cellar holes of Thad Remington and J. Slater on the property which have building locations cited in deeds, but as yet not found on the ground. All of this will flesh out the interpretation of the current use of the forest as well as provide a revealing, complete and usable history of the Merck Forest beyond the rather trite “three old declining farms”.

5F 9C8C

8G6A8D

¯ 0 2,100 4,200 6,300 8,4001,050Feet

LegendSoil Types

<all other values>MUSYM

106C106D106E108C108D109C109D109E10D10E111C111D

111E112D112E116F118C118D118E11C11F122B125E128C128E129D129F

12F130C130D130E131D131E13B13D13E148B148C148D149C149D152

1631772121A23A2424A25B26A2828A29A2D2E34A

38A3A3B3C3D3E40B40C40D41C41D41E42C42D42E

42F43C43D43E44B44C44D47B47C47D47E48B48C48D49C

49D50A50B51B52A52B61B65E66A66B66C67B67C67D68A

69A69B70A71A71B72A84B84C84D85B85C85D85E8686A

86B87B88994D9595D95E96F97A97B97C97D98EW

Merck Forest Soil Type Map(showing soil types and stand boundaries)

**This map is an NRCS requirement, and is not intended for use as a practical management tool. Managers should consult the soils

discussion of the management plan, and of each stand description.

Old Tow

n Road

5F 9C8C

¯ 0 0.3 0.6 0.9 1.20.15Miles

South Gate

Invasive Plantsgarlic mustard (mostly along roads)

honeysuckle (within stands, and around farm)barberry (light invasion.)

Spring 2012173

Appendix I ‐ Prescription Change Form

This form can be found on Merck’s Forestry Computer under:

Desktop >> 2012 Forest Management Plan >> Forms >> Presription_Change_Form.xls

TOTALS

Overall

Sawtimber

Cavity

# of points

Silv. Guides:

Forester:

Field Notes/Rational for Recommendation

New Treatment

Prescription Change Form Stand

Visitor's Center

Stand Condition 1Stand 8GHigh stocking pole/small sawtimber stand,good quality35 acresStand Condititon 2Stand 4A1High stocking pole/small sawtimber stand,poor quality19 acresStand Condition 3 Stand 5B2Sawtimber stand, somewhat poor quality, variable stocking26 acres

Old Town Road

Lookout Rd.

East Hollow Rd

enhove

n Road

Old Tow

n Road

Old Town Road

Lookout Rd.

¯ 0 0.25 0.5 0.75 10.125Miles

South Gate

Merck Forest: Foresters for the Birds Demonstration Sites

Spring 2012175

Forest Management Guides:

NE‐603 Silvicultural Guide for Northern Hardwood Types in the Northeast (revised) 1987. Leak,

Solomon, Debald.

NE‐332 Uneven‐aged management of northern hardwoods in new England. 1975. Leak & Filip.

VT‐666 Integrating Timber/Songbird Habitat Mgmt

Managing Rich Northern Hardwood Forest for Ecological Values and Timber Production.

Recommendations for Landowners in the Taconic Mountains. The Nature Conservancy.

VT ANR Management Guidelines for Optimizing Mast Yield

NA‐T_‐03‐06 USDA Forest Service: Northeast Forest Regeneration Handbook. (Ward et al. 2006)

NA‐TP‐02‐00 Guidelines for Applying Group Selection Harvesting. (Lamson & Leak).

Good Forestry in the Granite State (2010). Recommended Voluntary Forest Management Practices for

New Hampshire.

Gen. Tech. Rep. NE‐331 Beech Bark Disease: Proceedings of the Beech Bark Disease Sumposium.

(Evans, Celia A., Lucas, Jennifer A. and Twery, Mark J. 2005.)

Manomet Study: Forestry Adaptation and Mitigation in the Changing Climate: A Forest Resource

Manager’s Guide for the Northeastern US (Gunn et al).

Agricultural Handbook 355. Even‐aged silviculture for upland central hardwoods. Roach, Gingrich (1968)

Central Hardwood Notes. Thinning Even‐aged, upland Oak Stands. North Central Forest Experiment

Station 6.06

Gottschalk, 1995. Using Silviculture to Improve Health in Northern Conifer and Easter Hardwood

Forests. USFS, Northeast Forest Experiment Station, Morgantown, WV.

Leak, William B. 2011. Estimating allowable-cut by area-scheduling. Res. Note NRS-115. Newtown Square, PA: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Northern Research Station. 4 p.

Leak, 2005, Effects of small patch cutting on sugar maple regeneration in new Hampshire northern

hardwoods.

Leak, William B. 2003. Best density and structure for uneven-aged northern hardwood management in New England. Northern Journal of Applied Forestry. 20(1): 43-44.

Leak, 2003. Regeneration of patch harvests in even‐aged northern hardwoods in new England.

merck forest and farmland center's forest management plan

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