As the internship season at Starker Forests closed, the foresters encouraged us to expand our skills.
Monday began with a trip to a pre-harvest unit along the coast, just south of Depoe Bay. We spent the day cruising the stand in pairs, and I had the pleasure of working alongside Caroline. On Tuesday, however, the foresters challenged us to cruise solo for the first time. While I felt a little lonely without Caroline’s company, I ultimately found the experience to be incredibly rewarding and enjoyed the opportunity to navigate the terrain on my own.
Jamie Gassner
This stand was predominantly composed of western hemlock, western red cedar, Sitka spruce and Douglas-fir, creating a stunning coastal landscape. The lush canopies of the western red cedar and western hemlock allowed for a sparse understory, making our walk through the area quite easy and enjoyable.
Additionally, we observed signs of western hemlock dwarf mistletoe, adding an interesting element to the ecosystem.
On Wednesday, we returned to the coast for the morning, where we had the chance to complete a few final plots while cruising independently. Afterward, we headed back to the office, where we used online programs to compute the volume of the stand based on our cruising data.
High in the branches are bunches of western hemlock dwarf mistletoe.
A hidden pocket of water in a pre-thinned unit.
On Thursday, I spent the day with Jace conducting a pre-thinning cruise in the Beaver Creek area. We collaborated closely, with me focusing on tree counts, diameter at breast height (dbh), and assessing defects at the plot center. Jace measured heights and noted additional defects.
On Friday morning, we assisted Reece by gathering aerial imagery photos and bringing them back to the office. We then wrapped up the day with pre-thinning cruising. It was the final day for the remaining interns, although I would be staying on for another three days. I didn’t feel too sad about saying goodbye, knowing I would reconnect with everyone at school in no time.
On Monday of my final week, I spent the entire day working independently in the same pre-thinning unit. This marked my first experience of the summer working solo for the whole day.
On Tuesday, I had the opportunity to try something new as I joined Lys for check cruising on a couple of units previously assessed by one of Starker Forests’ private cruising contractors. This turned out to be a fantastic learning experience and made for a fun day. During one of my final plots, I encountered a remarkable Douglas-fir with a diameter of 95 inches — almost 8 feet across! This was definitely the highlight of my day!
On Wednesday, my final day at Starker Forests, I joined Reece and Lys in the morning for some big timber cruising in Alsea. I also had the chance to cruise independently, which turned out to be more challenging than I had anticipated. I took my time, ensuring I was thorough and avoiding any mistakes. The day concluded with an afternoon spent observing Brian, who introduced me to various GIS functions he uses to support the foresters. This was a fantastic opportunity, as I had never seen GIS applied in that way before.
Overall, my summer at Starker Forests was incredibly rewarding and far exceeded my expectations.
I am truly grateful for the friendships and connections I’ve made, and I eagerly look forward to sharing my experiences with friends at school!
— Jamie Gassner