Harvest tour at Sidney Butler Smith Woodland in Mirror Lake

TUFTONBORO — An educational harvest tour of the Sidney Butler Smith Woodland on Mirror Lake, Tuftonboro Neck Road, will be held on Saturday, Dec. 11 from 9 a.m. to noon. Foresters from the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests and Forest Land Improvement will be on site to walk through the property and explain the goals of the active timber harvest to local community members.

Parking will be just south of the intersection of Tuftonboro Neck Road and Winter Harbor Way in Mirror Lake. Google Maps Location: https://goo.gl/maps/D7zRkSZec6B8VznF9.

Sidney Butler Smith Woodland is a 65-acre property that has been under the ownership of the Forest Society for over 40 years. Attendees will learn more about the history of the property, the planning that goes into a timber harvest, which trees are slated to be cut, and how the forest will respond in the upcoming years. Additional discussions will include timber markets, picking the right machinery for the job, and considerations for recreational trails, hydrology, and wildlife habitat. The timber harvest is active, so attendees will experience it first-hand.

The tour will involve light hiking over uneven terrain to parts of the interior forest which are in the process of being harvested. Attendees should dress appropriately for the weather and wear comfortable clothing and good walking shoes or hiking boots. A snack and water are also a good idea to bring along.

Parking is limited, registration for the event is required, visit: forestsociety.org/event/timber-harvest-tour-sidney-butler-smith-woodland. A rain date of Dec. 12 from 9 a.m. to noon will be in effect if the weather is not good on Dec. 11. A notice will be sent Dec. 10 if the rain date is in effect. For questions please reach out to Steven Junkin at 603-545-8406 or sjunkin@forestsociety.org