I finished up my final week at Starker Forests this summer. The summer seemed to go by so fast! Between stocking surveys, timber cruising, fire mop up, engineering projects, and various other projects I enhanced my forestry skills and learned new techniques all summer long.
Anthony Cafferata
Most recently, I worked by myself on laying out a road system for logging on the Glenbrook tree farm. This involved lots of walking and looking around the woods to find possible road routes of acceptable grade. At this particular unit, logs would be hauled up to the landing and then hauled out uphill.
This is called “adverse,” when log trucks carry logs out of the woods uphill. I had to consider that trucks can only drive a certain grade for a certain distance loaded and drivers prefer a “runup” of sorts, meaning a flat straight stretch before beginning an adverse haul.
I definitely learned so much working on this project. Being by myself, I had to trust my own judgment and knowledge in order to keep moving forward and finding acceptable haul routes. I am still new to road layout so when Reece met up with me on my last day on the project, I was very grateful to hear his advice and ideas.
A foggy morning in the Glenbrook tree farm.
As my summer at Starker Forests comes to an end, I would like to say that I am so thankful to everyone at Starker Forests who made my summer a success.
As an intern I felt no less heard when giving ideas, listened to when asking questions, and pushed in the right direction when I needed it; I am more prepared for my senior year at OSU now than I was at the beginning of the summer.
Thank you to the staff and crew who expected lots and pushed me to work hard. I could not have asked for a better summer.
And to all you readers, Thanks for reading my blog, I hope it was both entertaining and informative. Stay tuned for next year’s bloggers!
— Anthony Cafferata