Kelly Hollow Timber Sale

Timber harvesting, if used appropriately has been proven to be one of the most affective tools that land managers have to influence forest conditions. With the creation of an extensive West Branch forest management plan, Conservancy staff are focused on implementing a variety of forestry activities and operations with intent to restore our vast forested property to a more productive and healthy state. Annual timber harvest projections are targeted at approximately 100 acres a year. That is good news for hunters as timber harvests stimulate new growth which can serve as increased forage for wildlife. It is however critical that we focus on balancing improved wildlife habitat and increased food sources with our desire to regenerate a new forest that consists of a diverse array of native trees and shrubs; not just fern and mountain laurel. Hunters play an important role in helping to manage the forest by tending to the deer herd. The general concept is to harvest adequate numbers of deer each year, enabling overwintering deer to have less competition for feed, resulting in improved survival and better overall health going into spring, resulting in increased body weights, antler development, and fawn recruitment.

The Kelly Hollow area is a logical place to institute a timber sale considering hunting pressure remains consistently high there. Last year’s harvest data indicated that 44% of the total deer harvest (8 of 18) was accounted for within this portion of the property. The Kelly Hollow Timber Sale will be the Conservancy’s first commercial timber sale, meaning we hope to generate revenue from the harvest. Up to this point, all previously implemented forestry operations (e.g., prescribed burning and mowing of mountain laurel) have been a cost to the Conservancy. For those familiar with Kelly Hollow, there is a noticeable hayscented fern problem that is shading out the growth of seedlings. To address the fern problem, all revenue generated from this timber harvest will be allocated toward a future chemical treatment. This timber sale is currently up for competitive bidding, with a bid opening date set for August 10th. The winning bidder will have a two year time frame for completing the harvest.

Within the harvest block, orange paint was applied to signify the harvest boundary and green paint was used to mark all timber that is to remain as the residual stand. Therefore, all trees that do not have paint are to be cut. You’ll notice that the majority of the timber to be harvested is red maple stems 6 to 12 inches in diameter. All oak, hickory, and black cherry trees were retained regardless of size or quality for seed production purposes to help in regenerating a more diverse forest.

Note to Hunters – overwintering deer densities within the Kelly Hollow area were assessed as significantly less than the year prior, which makes sense due to the increased deer harvest within this compartment. Please realize that deer movements vary with seasons and available food sources, please continue to hunt this general area aggressively throughout the upcoming deer hunting seasons. More to follow on how you can assist with assessing buck to doe and fawn to doe ratios through late summer through early fall roadside counts.