What are you doing and when?
In early 2022, SELT finalized a management plan for Stonehouse Forest written by natural resource professionals and approved by SELT’s conservation partners, including NH Fish and Game. Guided by this plan, we have begun to implement some of the recommended management activities, including timber harvests to improve overall forest health.

SELT executed a timber harvest on approximately 150 acres of Stonehouse Forest, which occurred between January and March. Please see map here for the harvest area.

How did SELT develop its management objectives for Stonehouse Forest?
Objectives are driven by the Stonehouse Forest management plan, which was completed in early 2022. This management plan was written by natural resource professionals and approved by SELT’s conservation partners, including NH Fish and Game. The plan provides SELT with direction for all management activities regarding wildlife habitat, recreational uses, and conservation objectives for Stonehouse Forest.

What about forest regeneration?
Promoting regeneration means encouraging the growth of seedlings and saplings that are currently living close to the forest floor (also called the forest’s “understory”) and giving them the opportunity to become the next level in the forest canopy (the “overstory”). This selective cut will provide ideal conditions for this to happen by allowing more light to pass through and by making growing space more available for the next generation of trees.

Will you be making money from this cut?
Yes – this timber harvest will produce revenue. The revenue from the cut will compensate the loggers, our consulting foresters, and pay the NH timber tax to the Town of Barrington. SELT will receive revenue as well, which will be used to further our mission of saving, sharing, and stewarding the critical lands in our region. This wood will be of good value for the regional economy and, as we know, there is an ongoing need for building supplies and millwork. Finally, there is no economic quota for the cut; the ecological motivations are first and foremost and will guide the decisions on what to harvest or not.

Do other land trusts harvest timber on their conserved properties?
Yes. We are not the only ones and, in fact, selective forest harvests like this are a common way for conservation organizations to meet their land management objectives and keep their lands healthy and thriving.

How will the harvest affect local wildlife?
Some wildlife may be temporarily impacted, yes, but overall, this cut is designed to create a richer, more diverse, healthier habitat for wildlife and plants. Land management is always a balancing act and not every species may benefit, but the guiding principle of SELT’s ecological activities is to help as many native plants and wildlife flourish as possible. We do that by keeping the forest healthy and promoting regeneration so this beloved property can continue on as a thriving forest for generations to come.

What will this part of Stonehouse Forest look like after the harvest?
You’ll see stumps and some woody debris, which is good for the health of the understory and, generally speaking, is left there purposefully. Overall, it will still look like the forest you love, just thinned out in places, with noticeable gaps in the canopy, and more light coming through from overhead. You may also see small openings from 1/20th to a ½-acre in size which help promote the regeneration of desired tree species (such as oak and pine) in areas that were dominated by less desirable species and lower quality trees (such as beech or declining hemlock).