The Many Facets of Forestry: A Description of this Year’s Annual Forest Day Event 

The annual Randolph Forest Day falls on Saturday, August 3^rd this year. The theme of the discussion and forest tour will be the past and the future of timber and wildlife management. The year marks the completion of the first Stewardship Plan which was finished on November 17, 2003. It is also the year in which the second Stewardship Plan will go into effect. This makes it an appropriate time to look at both what has been accomplished over the last decade and what is being proposed for the next one.

We will begin with a presentation at 9:00 am in the Town Hall. Members of the Forest Commission and the Forestry Team will review the activities carried out in the Forest during the last year. They will also look back over the life of the first Plan to explain its original goals and the extent to which those goals have been realized.

They will then describe the broad outlines of the second Plan, now in preparation, presenting its goals, specific proposals for timber harvesting, recreational and wildlife habitat activities. The public will be encouraged to participate with questions, suggestions or comments.

The new Randolph Forest website will be formally unveiled with a description and explanation of the information posted on it.

The Forest Tour will begin at 10:00 am or shortly thereafter. It will pick up the theme, traveling along the Pond of Safety Road with stops to look at activities carried out under the first Plan: the trailhead parking lot established to promote traditional outdoor recreation, areas harvested to further the goal of encouraging the growth of high quality saw timber, softwood regeneration sites created to improve animal habitat and the health of the Forest, permanent wildlife openings put in place to encourage the proliferation of variously species of wildlife and transects laid out to make possible future educational and research.

A stop will also take place at a site chosen for a future timber harvest. The considerations which determine the choice of a location, the means of measuring the probable output, the cutting options available and the ways in which the forester interacts with the loggers will be discussed and illustrated.

All are welcome to participate, children included. Feel free to come to the Town Hall but not go on the field trip or to join the field trip at 10:00 am. On the road, we will travel by car but the side trips could involve wet or uneven terrain so those planning to go on the field trip are reminded to wear shoes appropriate for moderately rough terrain and to bring a lunch and insect repellants. For more information or directions contact David Willcox at (603) 466-5104, or by e-mail to dlw [at] ncia.net.