The Wrack

With heritage apples in vogue, we're curious about the apples in the neglected orchard of old Laudholm Farm.

Earlier this week, over thirty people convened for a dedication of the Yankee Woodlot Trail & Demonstration Forest. After tree-themed refreshments and remarks from several Wells Reserve at Laudholm staff, there was a ceremonial watering of a newly planted American Chestnut seedling and a guided hike along the trail.

A timber harvest in fall 2012 removed one-third of the trees in this 36-acre parcel, and a series of concurrent workshops trained small landowners in planning, designing, and carrying out sustainable harvests on their own properties. Four interpretive signs were added early this summer and an educational booklet was released in August. The reimagined woodlot also features a bench crafted from Yankee Woodlot timber, a piled cord of wood, a Picture Post, and electronic links (QR codes) to informational videos. The Yankee Woodlot is back in the spotlight for the long term.

The ultimate invasive species, the one that has penetrated to every corner of the map, left no waters or winds untouched, and helped all the others spread so quickly, is Homo sapiens.

WELLS, Maine, July 25, 2012 — A 34-acre woodlot in Wells is seen as a testing ground for managing timber for long-term gain while maintaining its value for wildlife, clean water, and recreation. The Wells National Estuarine Research Reserve will complete a partial harvest of its Yankee Woodlot this fall while hosting a series of four workshops that will encourage participants to get involved in the process.

The Reserve recently received 12 trees from a nursery in midcoast Maine, thanks to the Maine Forest Service's "Project Canopy." This week, Charles, volunteer Mark Klys, and the AmeriCorps team planted them along the entry road, where they will serve as a wind break and visual buffer.