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Hellbender Journal Summer/Fall 2001 Private Lands: Cut and Run: Don't Let it Happen to You By Ryan Talbott A few weeks ago, I received a call from a woman that was desperately searching for a way to halt logging that was occurring on her family's property. Joyce Borland, along with her husband, Herb, had called numerous sources, hoping for a miracle. Unfortunately, because Joyce's mother owns the land, they were told there was really nothing that could be done to stop it. Joyce's mother, who lives in Pittsburgh, had contracted the logging operation and was led to believe that the logging would leave the woods in better health than if the trees were left standing. Sound familiar? A more believable explanation was that the logging company, Bradford Forest Products, a division of the Danzer Corporation based in Germany, stood to make a lot of money. I offered to come out to her house to discuss what could be done and look at what, apparently, was going to be lost. On the phone, Joyce had told me that "her woods" contained mostly old growth. This intrigued me because I thought there was little to no old-growth left on private land in this area. When I got out there, though, I realized why Bradford Forest Products wanted to log this land. The forest is dominated by oak with hickory, maple, and cherry. Many of the trees averaged between two and three feet in diameter with several trees, especially the oak, well over three feet in diameter. Virtually all the trees were slated to be cut. The Borlands' life they had known for decades was changing in a matter of days. I walked downhill towards the log landing to view their current operations. Hardly any trees were left standing and of these, many were badly scarred due to the carelessness of the workers. Many trees had their tops snapped off and their bark deeply gouged. Unfortunately, strong winds may bring down more trees because there is no longer any buffer to protect them. The impact to the soil was devastating and will lead to accelerated erosion. Bradford Forest Products even made a shortcut through the Borlands' cornfield, rather than using the road, which was apparently out of their way.
It was obvious this was a cut and run operation and there was no time to spare. I told the Borlands that they would have to communicate with Joyce's mother and review the contract she had signed if this was to be stopped. The next day I went back to the Borlands to see if any progress was made. Joyce's mother was upset that she had contacted the ADP, as was the forester who had surveyed the land. Things seemed bleak. A few days later, the ADP held a Volunteer's Meeting at our office and Joyce and her daughter came with some better news. They would be able to save a few of the larger trees that were special to them and Joyce was allowed to mark off areas where she hunts for mushrooms. Those areas would be left alone. This is reminiscent of another private landowner we did a story on a few issues ago. Unfortunately, this is all too common. Some important guidelines to remember if you want to log on your land is: 1. Ask yourself, "Will I benefit more from my woods being cut or left intact?" 2. If you decide you want to log, contact you local county extension service agent and ask for a list of certified, registered, professional consulting foresters who deal with private woodlot owners. Demand that you want an ecological forester. Also, if you are considering a timber sale, consult a tax specialist to advise you in tax liability issues before proceeding. 3. Call a professional forester who will provide such services as surveying your timber land, drawing up a management plan contract, advertising the sale, and assuming responsibility for overseeing the logging company to ensure that they log responsibly. They should give their objective opinion on the value of your standing timber, and their recommendations for how, and indeed if at all, it should be logged. Ask for a logging company that specialize in draft horse logging. And never, ever, cut your land without consulting a reputable third-party forester! 4. Develop a long-term management plan for your land, discussing with your forester how you want to benefit from the logging. Don't just look at the immediate cutting cycle. It is important to look decades into the future. Should you clearcut and take all the profits now, or selectively log over many years to maintain an intact forest and profits over a longer time period? What non-timber uses do you want to manage your land for? 5. Thoroughly research the logging company's background and reputation before you sign any contract. Ask to talk to landowners whose land they have worked on before. Check with federal and state agencies to see if the company has a record of environmental violations. 6. Read any contract very carefully before you sign it. What a logger says to you verbally means absolutely nothing. Be sure to insist that whatever company will do the logging, that they follow Best Management Practices, which are guidelines to sustainable forest management. Without it written into the contract, the BMP's are completely optional. Make certain that the contract conditions are clear, explicit, and exactly how you want them before signing anything. Spell out, in the contract, which trees are to be cut and which are to be protected, where roads are and are not to be built, etc. We hope these suggestions help anyone who is pondering any type of logging on their land. Don't hesitate to call our office at (814)-223-4996 or e-mail at info@alleghenydefense.org if you have any questions. |
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