Timber harvest operations have begun on the Finger Lakes National Forest this month as part of the Finger Lakes Invasive Pest Strategy (FLIPS) Project. Work will be done through a stewardship agreement with the National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF) and will improve overall forest health conditions, restore native plant communities, and create diverse wildlife habitats.
The FLIPS Project is a forest health initiative that involves timber harvest, timber stand improvement, and associated forest restoration work on approximately 700 acres of the Finger Lakes National Forest. The Project was proposed in 2016, with an opportunity for interested publics to seek additional information and provide feedback on suggested proposed actions. The timber harvest was announced in the winter of 2023 with an exact start date dependent on forest conditions.
Nearly 250 acres in the areas of Townsend Road, Wardner Corners Road, Burnt Hill Road, and Mark Smith Road will see some mix of timber activity. Work is occurring on Burnt Hill Road, south of Picnic Area Road. Operations are not expected to interfere heavily with recreational use, however there are likely to be some closures on the Ravine and Interloken trails as work progresses. Although the Forest is expecting minimal disruption to users and community members, District Ranger Jodie Vanselow hopes to avoid surprising users with the coming change in landscape.
“It’s been a while since we’ve seen a timber harvest here on the Finger Lakes National Forest,” said Vanselow. “It may come as a surprise to see some stands cleared or thinned, but it will make a big long-term difference in the health of the forest, and it is a project we’ve developed thoughtfully over the past few years.”
The harvest is intended to improve forest health conditions on the Finger Lakes by reducing forest densities to improve individual tree and stand vigor. Harvests are also intended to restore more diverse native plant communities and create diverse wildlife habitat.
Most of the harvest is focused in areas that were planted in the 1940s, after a long history of agricultural use. These areas were planted with tree species that are not native to New York or would not normally grow in these locations. While these plantations played a valuable role in helping soils recover from agricultural use, most are now overcrowded and declining in health and vigor. Many of the planted species are not well adapted to local sites and are at risk from insect and disease. Some of these non-native plantations will be thinned or removed to establish native tree species and improve wildlife habitat. In other areas, hardwood stands that are becoming overstocked, increasing the susceptibility to a range of forest health threats such as root rot, bark diseases, defoliators, and general species decline, will also be thinned.
Patch cuts and groups of trees will be harvested to promote development of oak/ hickory forest and to create diverse wildlife habitat. Patch and group cuts will improve wildlife habitat by creating early successional habitat and by increasing the diversity in the age, sizes and species of trees on the landscape. Early successional habitat consists of young forest with vigorously growing grasses, forbs, shrubs and trees. This type of habitat is declining in the region and is critical for a myriad of birds, mammals, reptiles and insects, many of which are also in decline.
Have all the Finger Lakes news from Finger Lakes News Radio delivered to your email every morning for FREE! Sign up by clicking here
