Parciak Timber Harvest Information

UPDATE 04/15/2024: The select timber harvest at the Parciak Conservation area is complete. The Tolland Conservation Corps is in the process of preparing the property for re-opening

The Town Planning Department, in consultation with the Town Conservation Commission, has prepared this letter to inform you about forest management activities that will be taking place at the Parciak Conservation Area (Parciak Property) located between Bald Hill Road and Burbank Road. 

In 2022, the Town hired a State-licensed, professional forestry company (ConnWood Foresters, Inc.) to assess the woodlands on the Parciak Property and develop a Forest Stewardship Plan (FSP) to establish “best management practices” for ensuring the long-term health and viability of the forest for years/generations to come.  The FSP recommended a select timber harvest to improve overall forest health and achieve the following goals: 

Enhance the robustness and resiliency of the forest to both natural (weather) and introduced (invasive plant & insect) threats;

Create a more diverse forest that would support a greater variety of plants and animals (including birds); and,

Improve hiker safety threatened by damaged and rotting limbs and tress that have been compromised by recent storms and insect infestations.

To accomplish these goals, selective cutting and strategic thinning of trees will be performed.  Thinning of the forest is needed because current conditions can be best described as a mature 100-year-old mono-culture of Ash, Oak and Hickory that are prone to insect infestation and/or storm damage.  Those that have recently visited the Parciak Property will notice colored (red and orange) marking paint place on trees by the professional forester, which will be used to guide the loggers during the harvest.  We note that the professional forester hired by the Town will also oversee all logging operations to ensure work is done in a manner consistent with the Forest Stewardship Plan.

The timber harvest will take place later this year and will take approximately 5 to 6 weeks to complete.  Although a start date has not yet been set, work is likely to begin in late June/early July.  Please note that logging trucks will be travelling along Bald Hill Road, Kozley Road, and Peter Green Road on their way out to Routes 30 and 74 during the harvest.

Hikers of the Parciak Property should know that trails will be closed during the timber harvest to protect the public.  Once the harvest is complete, and the trails are again safe for hiking, they will be reopened.

Any proceeds from the timber harvest will be used by the Town to fund forest stewardship plans for other conservation area properties and for long term management of the beautiful wooded public lands in our Town. 

To learn more about the planned timber harvest please contact the Town using the contact information below.  Also, you can view the Forest Stewardship Plan for the Parciak Property at the Conservation Commission website noted below. 

Sincerely,

David Corcoran, Town Planner                     Jim Hutton, Chair
Tolland Planning Department                         Tolland Conservation Commission
Phone:  860-871-3601                                    Website:  tollandct.gov/conservation-commission
Email:  dcorcoran@tollandct.gov