PISGAH TIMBER HARVEST
November 22, 2023
Operations in the timber sale off Orchard Trail are finished. Cleaning, smoothing, seeding and mulching of the log landing was completed earlier this week. At the back of the landing you will
notice a large pile of limbs, “buttons” (short unmerchantable lengths of logs), sawdust and dirt. This pile may seem unsightly, but it actually serves as a big brush pile for wildlife. Brush piles provide denning and cover for small mammals including chipmunks, and amphibians and reptiles like salamanders and snakes. Predators like foxes and and hawks will also use them as places to hunt. Grasses and shrubs like brambles and elderberry often seed in on the piles and provide additional wildlife food called “soft mast”. As the wood in the pile decays over time it will attract insects that birds and small mammals to feed on, and eventually return nutrients to the soils – as will the logging “slash” out in the harvest area.
Just beyond the landing is a small patch cut where trees damaged in a 2020 windstorm were “salvaged”. The harvest reopened and utilized the original location of Orchard Trail.
For more information on this this project and timber harvesting in State Parks and State Forests, contact
Project Forester, Inge Seaboyer at 603-464-3453 or Regional Forester, Scott Rolfe at 603-227-8741.
October 26, 2023
Operations in the timber sale off Orchard Trail are nearing conclusion. Harvesting during late summer and fall will take advantage of a good seed year for several species including Black Cherry and White Pine to regenerate the patch clearcuts.
Pine seed will come from large legacy wildlife trees as well stems surrounding the patch cuts.
Equipment helps incorporate seed into the soil, which leads to better germination.
For more information on this this project and timber harvesting in State Parks and State Forests, contact
Project Forester, Inge Seaboyer at 603-464-3453 or Regional Forester, Scott Rolfe at 603-227-8741.
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August 23, 2023
Equipment arrived as planned and the log landing was taking shape in the old parking lot on Orchard Trail today. The gate at the junction of John Hill Road was removed to allow truck access but will be reset at the completion of the project. Cutting will be done with a newer style feller bunch than the one used last winter.
Cutting has begun in the first patch clearcut. Remember ORCHARD TRAIL WILL BE CLOSED for the 
duration of the project. Log trucks will begin taking logs to the mill as early as this week, so watch for them weekdays on John Hill and Old Chesterfield Roads.
For more information on this this project and timber harvesting in State Parks and State Forests, contact Project Forester, Inge Seaboyer at 603-464-3453 or Regional Forester, Scott Rolfe at 603-227-8741.
August 18, 2023
Work on the eastern side of the current timber harvest will begin on Tuesday August 22nd. The log landing will be off Orchard Trail near the junction of John Hill Road. ORCHARD TRAIL WILL BE CLOSED STARTING 8/22/23 for the duration of the project. A short section of the trail will be used for bringing wood to the log landing, but this will also reopen the portion of the trail by-passed due to storm damage in 2020. There will be one other skid trail crossing on the northern end of Orchard Trail. If the weather cooperates the project should be completed this summer. Watch here for updates.
For more information on this this project and timber harvesting in State Parks and State Forests, contact Project Forester, Inge Seaboyer at 603-464-3453 or Regional Forester, Scott Rolfe at 603-227-8741.
March 27, 2023
Pisgah State Park – Work has wrapped up for the winter on the current timber harvest. Despite the tricky weather this winter cutting was completed on the western unit of the project. Close out work for the unit will be completed after mud season (including York raking Old Chesterfield Road from Park HQ to the log landing at the intersection of John Hill Road.)
Work on the eastern unit of the project – off Orchard Trail – is expected to begin in mid-August this year. Orchard Trail will be close while the timber harvest is operating. What here for updates.
For more information on this this project and timber harvesting in State Parks and State Forests, contact Project Forester, Inge Seaboyer at 603-464-3453 or Regional Forester, Scott Rolfe at 603-227-8741.
December 15, 2022
The first logging equipment (a skidder) for the timber sale off Orchard Trail and John Hill Road arrived at Pisgah on 12/14. Additional equipment will arrive next week, and we anticipate that operations will begin on the western unit of the sale the week of December 19th.
Log trucks will be entering and exiting a log landing near the junction of Old Chesterfield and John Hill Roads. Snowmobiles will be sharing the section of Old Chesterfield Road – from the Park’s office north to John Hill Road, and a portion of John Hill Road with log trucks on weekdays.
For more information on this this project and timber harvesting in State Parks and State Forests, contact Project Forester, Inge Seaboyer at 603-464-3453 or Regional Forester, Scott Rolfe at 603-227-8741.
November 14, 2022
Work to install access to the log landing for the southern Unit of a timber sale near the junction of Old Chesterfield Road and John Hill Road will begin on the week of November 14th. Watch for gravel trucks on Old Chesterfield Road and turning at the junction of John Hill Road. This work is in preparation for logging operations which are exected to happen this winter on dry or frozen ground.
This project is located in the management Criteria 3 area as described in the Pisgah State Park Management Plan. In this part of the Park even-aged forest management techniques – including patch clear cuts – are used to create young forest habitat. This project includes six patch clear cuts ranging in size from 1.2 to 6.3 acres and three smaller “group” cuts from 0.4 to 0.8 acres. Clear-cuts are located in blocks of mature and/or declining trees.
In the short term, clear cuts will be foraging locations for bats and the fledglings of insectivore songbirds nesting in the cuts and the surrounding woods. They will provide quality browse for deer and moose, and “soft mast” like blackberries eaten by may wildlife species. Large stems will be retained in the clear cuts for wildlife use as nest trees or perches for hawks and owls to hunt from. And in just a few years the regenerating clear cuts will provide “escape cover” & breeding habitat for many birds and small mammals.
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An additional 11 acres will have partial cutting call “shelter-wood” done to provide growing space for the residual trees, and light to help establish desired tree regeneration.
For more information on this this project and timber harvesting in State Parks and State Forests, contact Project Forester, Inge Seaboyer at 603-464-3453 or Regional Forester, Scott Rolfe at 603-227-8741.
October 10, 2022
The timber sale east of Old Chesterfield is complete. The southern portion of the new Habitat Loop Trail – from Old Chesterfield Road to the spur on the east side of the beaver pond – is open. Close out work on the log landing, forwarder trails and roads is complete.
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For more information on this this project and timber harvesting in State Parks and State Forests, contact Project Forester, Inge Seaboyer at 603-464-3453 or Regional Forester, Scott Rolfe at 603-227-8741.
September 16, 2022
The southern portion of the new Habitat Loop Trail – from Old Chesterfield Road to the spur on the east side of the beaver pond - remains closed until further notice. Additional road work may be done to add materials to spots softened by recent rains. Remember to watch for log trucks and equipment weekdays. At the end of the harvest the roads will be receive additional work.
Cutting is complete, but processing and forwarding continues on the southern portion of the project area. Some forwarding remains to be done on the north end of the project. To expedite completing the project – as fall rains approach – some logs may be “hot yarded” (ferried with a small log truck from the southern log landing) to an old log yard at the junction of Winchester Road and the Hubbard Hill Trail. From there larger trucks will reload and take the logs to local mills. This same spot served as a log landing in 2013.
For more information on this this project and timber harvesting in State Parks and State Forests, contact Project Forester, Inge Seaboyer at 603-464-3453 or Regional Forester, Scott Rolfe at 603-227-8741.
August 26, 2022
Road repairs to Winchester Road and Old Chesterfield Road are complete, so there are no use restrictions. Additional work will be done at the end of the harvest. Remember to watch for log trucks and equipment weekdays.
Some forwarding remains to be done on the north end of the project. Cutting, processing, and forwarding is happening on the southern portion of the project area. Wood is being decked (piled) in a log landing off Old Chesterfield Road just north of the Lily Pond Trail at the new Habitat Trail southern spur. This same spot served as a log landing prior to State ownership.
For more information on this this project and timber harvesting in State Parks and State Forests, contact Project Forester, Inge Seaboyer at 603-464-3453 or Regional Forester, Scott Rolfe at 603-227-8741.
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August 23, 2022
Pisgah State Park – Road repairs to Winchester Road and Old Chesterfield Road (from Winchester Road to the just north of the Lily Pond Trail at the new Habitat Trail southern spur) have been delayed waiting for gravel trucks, so weekday (Mon-Thurs) access continues to be limited until it is complete - watch for signs and updates here.
Cutting and processing is complete on the north end of the sale. Wood is being decked (piled) in an existing opening off Old Chesterfield Road where trucks will load it to go to mills. Watch weekdays for equipment and log trucks. Meanwhile work is being completed on the main log landing.
For more information on this this project and timber harvesting in State Parks and State Forests, contact Project Forester, Inge Seaboyer at 603-464-3453 or Regional Forester, Scott Rolfe at 603-227-8741.
August 19, 2022
Pisgah State Park – Road repairs to Winchester Road and Old Chesterfield Road (from Winchester Road to the just north of the Lily Pond Trail at the new Habitat Trail southern spur) continues. Weekday access will be limited until it is complete - watch for signs and updates here.
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Cutting, forwarding and trucking has begun. Watch weekdays for equipment and log trucks. Do not approach equipment or assume the operator can see you.
For more information on this this project and timber harvesting in State Parks and State Forests, contact Project Forester, Inge Seaboyer at 603-464-3453 or Regional Forester, Scott Rolfe at 603-227-8741.
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August 16, 2022
Operation of the timber sale east of Old Chesterfield Road
has begun.
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Road repairs to Winchester Road and Old Chesterfield Road (from Winchester Road to the just north of the Lily Pond Trail at the new Habitat Trail southern spur) is ongoing. Access will be limited on portions of the trail - watch for signs and updates here.
The southern portion of the new Habitat Loop Trail – from Old Chesterfield Road to the spur on the east side of the beaver pond is closed until further notice.
For more information on this this project and timber harvesting in State Parks and State Forests, contact Project Forester, Inge Seaboyer at 603-464-3453 or Regional Forester, Scott Rolfe at 603-227-8741.
August 10, 2022
Operation of the timber sale east of Old Chesterfield Road which was delayed due to last summer’s rains, will begin on the week of August 15th.
Road repairs to Winchester Road and Old Chesterfield Road (from Winchester Road to the just north of the Lily Pond Trail at the new Habitat Trail southern spur) will happen first. Access will be limited on portions of the trail - watch for signs and updates here.
During harvest many of the old culverts and bridges will be covered with “crane or timber mats” to protect them during trucking and forwarding. These wooden mats are similar to wooden bridges so equestrians should be aware of possible traction issues.
Once harvesting begins, there will be occasional weekday trail closures (watch here for updates) and trucks on Winchester and Old Chesterfield Rd during weekdays.
For more information on this this project and timber harvesting in State Parks and State Forests, contact Project Forester, Inge Seaboyer at 603-464-3453 or Regional Forester, Scott Rolfe at 603-227-8741
December 15, 2021
Due to ground conditions resulting from the rainy summer of 2021, operation of the timber sale east of Old Chesterfield Road has been postponed until 2022.
Work to repair storm damage to a section of the newly approved re-route/revival of the “Habitat Trail” (being spearheaded by the Friends of Pisgah) and provide access for the timber harvest, was begun in June 2021 and completed in October.
For more information on this this project and timber harvesting in State Parks and State Forests, contact Project Forester, Inge Seaboyer at 603-464-3453 or Regional Forester, Scott Rolfe at 603-227-8741.
June 3, 2021
Pisgah State Park - On June 9th and 10th road and trail repair work will be taking place off Old Chesterfield Road, just south of the Winchester Road junction. Old Chesterfield Road will be closed from Winchester Road to Reservoir Trail on Wednesday June 9th while this work is being done. Gravel trucks may be encountered on Horseshoe Road, Winchester Road and Old Chesterfield Road on both Wednesday and Thursday.
This work will both repair storm damage to a section of the newly approved re-route/revival of the “Habitat Trail” (being spearheaded by the Friends of Pisgah) and provide access for an upcoming timber harvest.
The Division of Forest and Lands recently received bids on a project to harvest timber and improve wildlife habitat on 94.5 acres at Pisgah. This project is located east of Old Chesterfield Road, in the Criteria 2 management area (as described in the Pisgah State Park Management Plan). In this part of the Park the goal is to develop an uneven-aged forest with all the different age classes, from seedlings to large saw timber represented. The management technique used is Group Selection, which harvests small openings ranging from 0.1 – 1.0 acre in size.
Several Groups have been located in pine with sparse tops like these. Crowns here are small due to overcrowding and are also affected by White Pine needle disease which causes the tree to shed more needles than normal, earlier in the year adversely affecting photosynthesis, growth and overall health. Other Groups are in areas of mature or low quality trees.
The harvest operations will take place on dry or frozen ground between August 15th and December 15th. Logs will be brought to a log landing in the Castle Field with a “forwarder”. The forwarder will traverse short sections of Old Chesterfield and Winchester Road as well as portions of the Habitat Trail.
For more information on this this project and timber harvesting in State Parks and State Forests, contact Project Forester, Inge Seaboyer at 603-464-3453 or Regional Forester, Scott Rolfe at 603-227-8741.
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