by Amelia ‘Melly’ Napper, RGS & AWS Vermont Public Lands Forester
Grass Mountain is a stewardship project associated with the Early Successional Habitat Creation project. It is located on the only U.S. Forest Service parcel within the Taconic Mountain biophysical region of Vermont. Grass Mountain is unique within the Green Mountain National Forest, featuring a diverse mix of tree species that are less common across the forest.
Regenerating red oak is a key goal of the project. While red oak is present on the landscape, heavy competition from diseased American beech sprouts has prevented successful regeneration in the understory.
Without disturbance, this forest would likely remain dominated by shade-tolerant tree species. In addition, the looming threat of beech leaf disease could eliminate American beech entirely, resulting in the loss of another hard mast species. The silvicultural prescriptions focus on creating conditions that allow a diverse suite of species to regenerate, producing high-quality habitat for birds and other wildlife. Following harvest, red and white oak will be planted to supplement natural regeneration.
The project is designed to create heterogeneous forest conditions through a mix of irregular shelterwoods, group selection and improvement treatments across 110 acres. The treatment area represents less than 3 percent of the approximately 3,700-acre parcel. These efforts will create valuable habitat for wildlife that depend on young, healthy forests.
Grass Mountain is a stewardship sale, meaning the value of harvested timber stays on the landscape and is applied toward additional restoration work within the project area. This includes restoring portions of Little White Creek to improve aquatic organism passage and planting oak seedlings.
A Forester’s Perspective
I spent most of my first winter in Vermont working at Grass Mountain. There were days when I carried up to 30 pounds of orange paint, used to mark trees intended to remain on the landscape. Each mark represented a decision, and I told myself that if I chose to leave or remove a tree, I needed to be able to explain that decision to someone who wasn’t another forester. By the time I completed the project, I knew the area like the back of my hand.
I finished the fieldwork for Grass Mountain in early spring, which allowed me to assist Green Mountain National Forest timber crews with other sales. I spent a month wading through head-high birch, spruce and blackberry thickets, marking an overstory removal. This treatment follows a shelterwood harvest and removes remaining overstory trees to release established regeneration.
The previous treatment was successful. The operator did an excellent job protecting existing spruce regeneration, and yellow birch and sugar maple were regenerating in the understory. Hearing grouse drumming, listening to migratory birds and seeing signs of moose were encouraging indicators that forest management work on public land is benefiting wildlife. Experiencing this firsthand is impactful, and I hope to bring members and the public to Grass Mountain after harvests are complete to share that experience.
This summer, I hosted a walk for members and the local community to learn more about the Grass Mountain stewardship sale. I explained the decisions behind the project and discussed the changes that would occur on the landscape. RGS members traveled from as far as Connecticut to attend, demonstrating how important public lands are to the community, especially in this region.
It was rewarding to hear how excited members were about the project. Branden Roberts, Green Mountain Chapter president, shared, “I am incredibly excited to see this kind of forest habitat improvement work happening in our backyard public lands. It’s exactly what grouse, woodcock and other wildlife need to thrive in Vermont, and it’s a great example of donation dollars hard at work on the ground to support wildlife and our hunting heritage.”
I ended the summer feeling hopeful and motivated to complete the stewardship sale contract. The sale was advertised on the first day of fall and awarded in November. Less than a week later, Pitts and Sons Logging began operations. After a dry fall, conditions were ideal for late-season work. I am also hopeful that ground disturbance will help incorporate the fall acorn crop into the soil and improve natural oak regeneration.
The paint has barely been on the trees for a year, and treatments are already underway, a clear measure of success. The loggers are meeting project goals while contributing to the rural economy by purchasing local materials and providing firewood for locals. I am hopeful that by next summer, the project will be complete and we can host events for members and the community to see the work firsthand.
