by Dave Beers

Stephany Dumond, Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) State Parks Unit Manager,and Jeremy Clark, DEEP state forester, lead an informational walk to discuss the upcoming timber harvest that will remove hazard trees and ash trees impacted by the Emerald Ash Borer. At the Sept. 13 walk, the specifics of the harvest were discussed with a Bill Couch, a representative of the Norfolk Land Trust.

The land trust is mainly concerned with the impact of the harvest on public trail use, particularly the annual September trail race. Clark explained that the harvest will occur only between Oct. 1 and May 1, to avoid any impact to the race or the many warm weather hikers. The harvest will likely last less than three months. 

Contingent on favorable ground conditions, only those parts of the trails/roads that are directly impacted by the harvest at any given time will be closed. Clark said they will try to administer the harvest in such a way that when the Haystack trail is closed to hikers, the road up Haystack will be available to walk,and vice-versa. In this way, recreational access at Haystack might never be fully off limits during the harvest. He also emphasized that all logging debris (branches and logs) will be removed from a 25-foot buffer on either side of the trails and roads. Clark will be providing email updates on the harvest to anyone who is interested. To get on that email list please contact Clark at Jeremy.Clark@ct.gov. – Dave Beers