This week, starting Sept. 3, at Starker Forests was enjoyable, though it ended on a bittersweet note with Daniel wrapping up his last week.
Jamie Gassner
On Tuesday morning, Anthony, Gus and I returned to our project unit to complete the few remaining plots that needed cruising. Afterward, we joined Lys and Reece, who introduced us to a new location and taught us about pre-thinning cruising. In a pre-thinning unit, the trees have not yet been thinned, resulting in a dense growth pattern. This means the trees are closely spaced, with many branches at the bottom and a tightly packed canopy. As a result, cruising these trees can be challenging, as there are often numerous trees to measure per plot, and using a laser to assess tree heights can present complications. I opted for a mechanical approach, using a clinometer to measure tree heights instead. While this method takes a bit more time than a laser, it can be more reliable when clear shots to the trees are difficult to achieve. I wrapped up my day by helping to flag the unit boundary for this pre-harvest stand.
A foggy view from a clearcut on the coast.
On Wednesday, Anthony and I spent part of the morning with Lys, learning how to input the cruise data from our project unit into Starker Forests’ online system to calculate the final volumes. After that, we headed to Waldport to meet the rest of the crew and began conducting stocking surveys for Stephen. Starker Forests recently purchased several large units in this area, so we had the opportunity to assist in inventorying the seedlings on this new land. It was a refreshing escape from the heat in the valley
On Thursday and Friday, we continued our work in Waldport, wrapping up the stocking surveys in the area. I really enjoyed these surveys, as they were among my favorite activities from the beginning of the season. They’re particularly exciting because you often encounter the most wildlife while spending the entire day in recently planted clearcuts.
Left: Elk graze in a field. Above, deer find food in clearcut areas.
Friday was sad as we said goodbye to Daniel on his last day with the crew for the summer. During lunch, I gathered everyone together for one final crew photo—though we missed Wyatt and Kathy—making it a memorable way to end the day.
From left: Anthony, Caroline Jace, Gus, Jamie and Daniel.
— Jamie Gassner