Wednesday, October 13, 2010

Logging

Cut logs waiting to be loaded and trucked to a chipper or pulp mill.

My neighbor has a major logging project going on in the woods between our place and his.  Jo and I can't yet figure out the full extent of the logging he has in mind, but it looks as if it might be extensive.  In the past, he's had the same section of woods selectively logged.  Only trees suitable for cutting into lumber were harvested.  This time, everything is being cut.  The logs will go to a pulp or wood chip mill since they're too small for saw logs.


Claw-jawed log loader on trailer.

The loggers began work on Monday.  So far, all they've done is clear a swath straight down the hill.  We have no idea of the purpose.


Log Skidder

This section of woods was heavily damaged during the severe ice storm of January, 2009.  None of the timber is suitable for anything except pulp or wood chips.  Our neighbor has talked about clearing this wooded area and turning it into another pasture for his cows since it's now "worthless".  We fear this logging may be the start of that clearing. Since the land belongs to him, all we can do is lament the loss.


Swath of timber cut straight down the hillside.

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14 comments:

Jeannette StG said...

Sorry that your view of the trees (and privacy) is taken away:(

The Fuller Family said...

Oh how heartbreaking--our county had a similar "clearing" project adjacent to the roads. The trees were cut down carelessly--beautiful 100 year old trees--then simply destroyed by fire. For what? What was the goal? Who was responsible? Always someone else. My heart goes out to you.

Lisa at Greenbow said...

It just about makes me sick seeing this. I think you better get used to the idea of having cows as neighbors.

Andrea said...

Oh that is a bad sight for our earth! How sad. I am new here and the first post i saw was that, so bad. Good i opened the older posts and i liked the moths and the larvae. I love that green moth larvae, i see them always and i thought they will be butterflies. Now i learn. thanks.

Dave Dorsey said...

Best of luck with that. Unfortunatly there's not much you can do if zoning is not an issue. That's a real bummer.

Tom said...

Hi Marvin
What a shame this is.. you both must be very worried and saddened by this... to lose so many trees and brush cover is such a loss. I can only look at this as a wild life habitat... but I'm not a land owner with bills to pay... I hope it dose not spoil your area I really do.

KaHolly said...

Oh, I'm so sorry. I can hear it.

Pat - Arkansas said...

I do hate to see, or learn of, destruction of wooded lands. I hope the land-owner is truly in need of funds, otherwise it's just desecration.

abb said...

I'm sorry this is happening to land so close to yours. It actually hurts me when I see trees being cut down.

Lana Gramlich said...

It physically hurts my soul to see deforestation on any level. I could have cried when we got neighbors over a year ago. I can sympathize with you...my soul hurts for you & the trees.

D.B. Echo said...

I wonder what sort of erosion issues will arise with timber removed from a slope? I suppose time will tell.

Marvin said...

As we had feared, this logging project is extensive and almost certainly the first step in turning this section of woods into a pasture. If the clearing follows the typical pattern, bulldozers will arrive after the loggers remove all the marketable timber from the land. The dozers will knock down all the brush and trees that were too small to cut. Then, they'll shove all that brush plus the tree tops and limbs remaining from the logging into piles which will be burned.

Erosion will be severe because of the slopes and especially because this clearing is being done in the fall. There isn't enough time to get vegetation growing on the bare soil before winter. The ground will set bare throughout the winter and early spring rains and snows.

Sherry said...

Damn! What a shame.

Crafty Green Poet said...

oh that's so sad, 'worthless' economically perhaps but he should think of the wildlife and amenity value, what a shame