The health of the treees in my 10.59 acres is good. An occasioal dead tree
from being smashed in logging 12 years ago and a lot of dead yellow birch
and red maple in the swamp but I attribute that to a water level change as
approximatly 20 years ago my neighbors downstream put a drive way across the
swamp and with only 6 inch culverts is essentioally a damm. { in the
spring they drive through water for at least a month). What I have seen in
this area over last 50 years is much of the land divided into 5 to 10 acre
lots and thus out of commercial logging activity. For example serveral 100
acres on my road were devided into 5 acre lots 30 years ago and now 25 or
30 have houses. Most homeowners cut some firewood (though not exclusive
heat) and gradually clean woods to park like seting though others do
nothing. It is an excellent red oak area but the scattered large trees are
no longer likely to be cut for lumber. There are large logging cuts in the
back woods of the area but the tendency is for them to be stripped and
subdiveded as much as current regulations allow (much stricter} and sold to
someone not likely to log. So I see gradual decrease in logging as time
goes on. However the last 10 years their has been quick increase in
portable mills in area, both for cutting on site and more accomodationg
for cutting a few logs if you can get to them. For example after clearing
my house site I had one by to cut the oak logs and have 1000 feet aging
undermetal until I get inspired to do my living room floor and I have 7
white pines blocking my south light I plan to have dropped and sliced for my
next addition.
