Trail and Road Work

by Tyler Hughes

This summer at Merck Forest there are several trail-building projects in the works. The section of Antone Road that leads to Clark Cabin has major drainage issues. Because the trail is both flat and close to bedrock, water tends to sit and flood the trail which leads to both muddy conditions and long-term erosion of the trail. Due to this, perforated drainage pipe that will be covered with stone and soil is being installed. These structures will aid in diverting water off and away from the trail’s surface.

There are several other places like this on the trails around Merck Forest that will require attention at some point this summer. The two major problem spaces include some spots on Meyer and Gallop Roads. There, water has eroded the trail and some water diversion structures have failed and must be replaced.

Vermont Youth Conservation Corps Sawyers Deployed at MFFC

by Tim Duclos, MSc.r

A crew of four novice sawyers (a person who saws timber for a living) from the Vermont Youth Conservation Corps (VYCC) have been hard at work this past month completing a series of forest management prescriptions along the Discovery and Wildlife trails. The driving force behind this work is a 2019 grant secured from the High Meadows Funds that is sparking an emerging effort towards engaging regional landowners in conservation planning; deploying the Vermont Youth Conservation Corps and implementing demonstrative forest management in close proximity to the visitor center meets several objectives for this project. By engaging VYCC crew in the work, young sawyers are learning about the process of harvesting trees, as well as Bird Friendly Forestry considerations in collaboration with Audubon Vermont; along the way, MFFC is completing forest management that will carry forth in providing a compelling visual demonstration of timber stand improvement work. As MFFC continues toward engaging with regional landowners within the 42,000acre forested area in which Merck Forest resides, this effort aims to inspire.