Plot new trail through Eastern Wedge unit

TRAILS: 0.5 hours: 2:15 PM to 2:45PM

Looked at potential trail routes through Eastern Wedge unit #5.

Scoped out new Eastern Wedge Unit #5, accessed from the top landing of the south side High Road. “Pierced the veil” of thick young hemlocks an entered an alder/hemlock forest, approx. 20 years old, that probably naturally regenerated from an earlier clearcut. Further on, ran into sections of a healthy Doug fir plantation of the same age class, which was probably planted after the clearcut, but was shaded out by the alder and hemlock in much of the area. Surprisingly, the hemlock and especially the alder seems to be robust and relatively well-spaced, although there is also a thicket of suppressed trees mixed in with the hemlocks. No sign of pre-commercial thinning in here, but now is a good time to do it comprehensively. Located a massive cedar stump with remnants of shake bolt cutting stretched over a 20-foot area. Will route the trail by this feature and highlight the cut pieces.

Eastern Wedge unit viewed from the top of High Road.

This unit was harvested about 16 years ago, as part of the hillside in the background. The property boundary line runs horizontally across the hill about half way up. Doug fir was planted on the entire hillside, but on the lower part, in a wet depression, Red Alder (bare trees with a red tinge) overtook the fir and became the dominant species.

Originally included as part of South Side unit #4, this is a different age class (10 years older), a different topographic area (the East Hill) and also different silviculturally (a plantation versus natural regeneration), so I decided to create a new management unit for it: “Eastern Wedge #5”, because it is on the eastern edge of the property and it is wedge-shaped.