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Forest Management Practices This forest area was formerly industrial
forestland and nearly all logged over at one The block of land comprising the Randolph Community Forest (RCF) and the White Mountain National Forest’s Pond of Safety tract has been a place for work and play for more than a century. The land has historically supplied logs for industry, recreation for outdoor enthusiasts, and habitat for forest critters. The land managers of today are charged with continuing these traditional land uses for the benefit of all who come here. Following a stewardship plan, the town forester visits each stand of trees with a long list of questions:What kind of forest community is here? How old are the trees? Is there enough timber volume for a harvest? How can we enhance the health of the trees? What is the soil type? What wildlife species are here? Has there been logging? The list of questions goes on and on. The forester looks for clues such as stumps, old roadbeds, artifacts, and old standing trees to determine what management has occurred in the past and what we can expect with future management. In the end, the forester takes everything into account in order to design a “prescription” or plan for managing that particular stand. The bigger picture is also considered: what is the character of the watershed? What are the neighbors doing with their land? What wildlife habitat and recreational needs exist in this area? When all the questions are answered, the database grows, and a mapping process begins. The RCF data is kept in a Geographic Information System (GIS) format for ease of planning and updating forest information. This forest area was formerly industrial forestland and nearly all logged over at one time or another during the last century.Most of the logging was selection cutting—taking some but not all of the trees in a stand—to promote regeneration of species that can tolerate shade and thrive below a canopy of taller trees. Some large trees left from early selection cutting are still scattered throughout the forest area. These now serve as perching and nesting surfaces and as a food source for a variety of flora and fauna. Recent harvesting has included some clearcutting in order to salvage timber and clean up damage caused by the severe ice storm of 1998.While creating wildlife habitat was not a goal in the past, there is ample space in the Randolph Community Forest for a diversity of habitats.
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