NH Resident Sued for Tree Cutting in VT State Park

[Andrew]

Unfortunately this article is not easy to access without a subscription
https://www.unionleader.com/news/co...cle_7da27328-5441-547a-86fa-735550d32ef7.html

I searched around for another source unsuccessfully until using the method to get limited free access. The short is that the defendant owns land abutting Smugglers Notch SP and allegedly got carried away while cutting his own backcountry ski trail, and crossed over the state boundary. The state says they found 839 trees cut on the state property.

 

[TEO]

First, this occurred in HAZEN'S Notch SP, not Smugglers' Notch SP


"Officials were notified of the cutting when a visitor to Hazen’s Notch State Park reported hearing the buzz of chainsaws in the area"

While I do not condone cutting trees on public land without approval, yet again it's the use of a chainsaw that gets the perpetrator into trouble. The yahoos who cut Jailhouse Chute on Big Jay were nabbed when they returned for their chainsaws, which they had stashed.

 

[briarpatch]

VT Digger has a link to the story but I was unable to link directly to the site. The article had this line on how Vermont values trees: Vermont law values trees on a sliding scale based on size, from $50 for those with stumps under 6 inches in diameter to $2,000 for those with stumps over 22 inches in diameter. Bushes and shrubs are valued at $50 each.

 

[peakbagger]

Here is an link with details.

https://fpr.vermont.gov/news/hazens-notch-timber-trespass-ago-files-suit

Here is the complaint https://ago.vermont.gov/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/State-v.-Tremonte-Complaint.pdf I see treble damages so that triple the trees value. It also mentions it was cut for backcountry skiing.

In NH I think the price of the cut trees is based on the future potential value in the opinion of a forest professional. Vermont seems to attract timber trespass. Northern Woodlands has had articles about serial timber trespassers and in general shady companies that con landowners into timber sales and rip them off. They setup their assets so that there is nothing to grab when they get fined and then go right back at it. Rarely does the actual value get paid.

Not sure why but Hazen Notch seem to attract bad news, for years it was a place not to leave a car for Long Trail hikers due to vandalism.

 

[JoshandBaron]

First, this occurred in HAZEN'S Notch SP, not Smugglers' Notch SP


"Officials were notified of the cutting when a visitor to Hazen’s Notch State Park reported hearing the buzz of chainsaws in the area"

While I do not condone cutting trees on public land without approval, yet again it's the use of a chainsaw that gets the perpetrator into trouble. The yahoos who cut Jailhouse Chute on Big Jay were nabbed when they returned for their chainsaws, which they had stashed.

There appears to be a glade matching the location description (~400 yds from the highway, ~400 feet wide, straddling a property line near the SP) that is clearly visible on a recent sat map. It's unclear to me if the property line it straddles is state land but the cutting doesn't resemble other timber cuts in the area.

*Nevermind. State filing puts it south of 58.

 

[peakbagger]

One of the reasons the Granite Backcountry Alliance is partnered with the WMNF and other landholders is that surreptitious cutting of backcountry glades is reportedly occurring all over the area along with mountain bike trails. There was a NHPR show awhile back that the there was inquiry made to the WMNF regarding backcountry mountain bike trails and the WMNF responded there were not any until someone showed a Strava Map of trails where no official trails existed. No doubt the same occurs with ski glades. The Mt Hale glades were maintained for years on a dont ask dont tell basis with no doubt some knowledge by WMNF staff although my guess is the maintainers left out the chainsaws.

Then again there have been major strides in battery powered chainsaws to the point that I expect someone could do a lot of damage in a short time with far less noise. I use a battery powered angle grinder with a chainsaw chain based lancelot carving blade to girdle trees on my property. it makes almost no noise and I can kill a lot of trees in a short period of time.

 

[TEO]

Not only do gas-powered chainsaws attract attention, but your timber-value fine is going to be much, much larger than if you stick to pruning by hand.

 

[Andrew]

First, this occurred in HAZEN'S Notch SP, not Smugglers' Notch SP

Whoops- thanks for the correction!

Smuggs seemed too busy to think you could get away with it. 2 somewhat recent examples I had awareness about on NH Park land the offenders were awarded. I don't wish to share details.

Peakbagger- I thought a market was developing for popple?

 

[peakbagger]

Actually the trees I need to cull are diseased beech, mostly post 1998 ice storm sprout growth out of the existing beech roots. (I hear the condition is called "creeping beech" It gets a head start on the other northern hardwoods and shade them out. Someone told me the roots actively discourage competing tree types from growing. All I know is my forest plan and multiple other publications suggest selecting a desirable tree type then cut and squirt the cut with herbicide (torlon?)every beech in 25 to 50 foot radius. The big stuff gets girdled and squirted. i use the wood I can reach as firewood but with a steep lot, i just cant get to most of it easily. No doubt almost all the benefit to work now will be to some future owner as my guess is it will take 20 years to establish a non beech canopy. The Randolph Community Forest is adjacent to one section of my lot and they took the worst patches and just clear cut them and are maintaining as forest clearings. On my side of the line is big thicket of bent and diseased beech that deserve the same treatment but the access is poor.

I will not waste my time processing and burning popple but I do have a friend with a portable sawmill and have couple of fine large popples (aspen to folks from away)on the ground waiting to be cut up and dragged to a landing for sawing. Popple is a clear strong light wood but has to be kept dry as it rots quick. I am unsure if there is local market for it. It is the primary wood used in chipboard which is demand but I dont know any nearby chipboard mills. The reason I cut the big ones is they shade out the maples underneath the Popple canopy. Given the current price of plywood, it probably is a good substitute for sheathing as long as it gets a membrane on top of it t keep it dry.

 

[Andrew]

I have a friend in Milan who's family logs and I mentioned 2 yrs. ago I had too much popple, and wondered if there was a market, as I think it is a fine (finish) building material. Geez I could have said I found gold as they really wanted to get a look and cut, and it was hard to cool them off. Our land is very wet and not a large lot, so I didn't want big machines. I once cleared a house lot with huge aspen on it and that had to be that winters firewood. Much regrets as a fine woodstove cracked one night while the stove was turned down a bit too low and busy making creosote; the volatile gasses built and ignited with a very loud metallic sounding pop that woke me. I often get well meaning suggestions to my popple struggles to cut and burn it, to which I politely say no thanks.

I read an article maybe 3 years ago that I believe was from the Maine Forest Service......oh wait it was in the Northern Forest News Digest but may have been sourced from the MFS, that described a problem of beech dominance in the northeast northern forests. It was interesting to me in that I was observing this in many forests. It's one of my favorite fire woods, but certainly a PITA of a tree to wrestle with having branches like grabby Ent arms.

 

[peakbagger]

One more drift https://blogs.northcountrypublicrad...beech-gone-wild-how-a-blight-launches-a-boom/

 

[TEO]

All I know is my forest plan and multiple other publications suggest selecting a desirable tree type then cut and squirt the cut with herbicide (torlon?)every beech in 25 to 50 foot radius.

Maybe Trailbandit would help you out with that?