Game commission explains reason for clear-cut

The Pennsylvania Game Commission recently clear-cut a 100-foot-wide stretch of trees in state game lands along Route 93 in Packer Township and Nesquehoning.

The project came about after Pennsylvania Department of Transportation warned the game commission that numerous dead trees along the road could fall onto passing cars.

The affected area totals about 20 acres, but state game lands 141, where the area is located, includes more than 17,000 acres.

So far, the trees have been removed on the east side of Route 93, where the game commission also recently conducted a controlled burn. The result is that the east side of the highway looks decimated. But the game commission said wildlife will quickly make use of the newly vacated space.

“If the hunters go out to that prescribed area this fall, there’s going to be all kinds of activity in there. The deer will be loving it, the bear will be loving it,” said Warren Harris, a forestry manager with the Pennsylvania Game Commission.

Harris said the project isn’t related to any wind turbine or natural gas infrastructure projects.

In January 2016, PennDOT’s Carbon County Management office contacted the game commission expressing concern about dead trees along Route 93. PennDOT said the game commission could be sued over damage from the trees.

“There were several dead and dying trees there that posed a hazard to the highway. If they were to fall and drop limbs, they would fall on the highway and pose a safety hazard,” Harris said.

The game commission made the decision to cut the 100-foot buffer. The primary reason was cost, but according to the game commission, it will also serve as a firebreak and promote wildlife habitat.

Hiring someone to take down the individual dead trees would have “been a significant expense to PGC. This treatment would avoid that expense,” according to the commission’s description of the project.

They also looked into selling the timber. It’s not uncommon for them to sell timber from game lands around the state.

The value of the timber did not exceed the cost of removing it, so the game commission had to pay a contractor to take down the trees, allowing the contractor to take any usable timber.

The project called for removal of any trees over 2 inches in diameter, except pitch pine and trees with significant wildlife value.

The game commission noted in its description of the project that it has several benefits. Route 93 is a firebreak, a barrier which stops the progress of wildfires, and the tree removal will widen that barrier.

The project will also increase the amount of sunlight which reaches Route 93, helping to melt ice and dry the road.

There are also environmental benefits. When an area is clear-cut, species including golden winged warblers make nests. If the area cut was 25 or 50 feet wide, Harris said, it would be easy for predators to find them. By widening the stretch to 100 feet, it gives the nesting species a better chance of success.

“It’s very easy for the predators to zigzag that area and wipe out all the species,” he said.

The game commission’s contractor was supposed to wrap up work on the project by June 30. Harris said the west side of the highway will be timbered in the same way, but he couldn’t say when.