Harvesting in the near future will be followed by a hiatus lasting to 2015.
By JOHN W. GOODWIN JR.
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
GIRARD — A newly adopted forest management plan is designed to properly care for forest properties owned by the city, but harvesting trees from these sites will also add to the city's coffers.
City council adopted the forest management plan late last month. The plan covers harvesting and maintenance of the city's 1,020 acres of forest land through 2017.
The forested properties owned by the city are located in Liberty Memorial Park, David Tod Memorial Park and at both the Lower and Upper lakes properties.
Mayor James Melfi said devising a plan to properly manage and harvest the wooded areas will be good for the city in the coming years.
"Harvesting is a good thing because it opens up the area and allows for new and healthy growth," he said. "The city has taken these steps to protect the public properties going forward in the future."
The mayor said the city will make money off of the tree harvesting, but not enough to bring the city out of fiscal emergency.
Proceeds from the harvesting, however, will go into the general fund and be applied toward the city's debt.
"We are not expecting to make a great deal of money, but it is proper management of our timber lands and the money will go to the general fund," he said.
Some harvesting already done
Melfi said early aspects of the plan began in 2004 when the city began harvesting trees from some of the land. That phase of tree harvesting brought in $161,000.
Melfi said there will also be an immediate limited harvesting of trees at Tod Memorial Park and the Lower Lakes property.
The plan calls for harvesting of about 20 acres of land at Tod Memorial and an undecided number of acres at the lake property.
Melfi said it is unclear exactly how much revenue the this harvesting will bring in.
Once the immediate harvesting has taken place, the plan calls for maintenance and upkeep of the timber of wooded areas through 2015 before any more harvesting is to take place. Melfi said the upkeep will be done in-house and cost the city very little money.
Between 2015 and 2017, under the plan, the city will harvest a total of 162 acres of the land at the Upper Lake property and Liberty Memorial Park.
jgoodwin@vindy.com
Monday, August 14, 2006
Harvesting in the near future will be followed by a hiatus lasting to 2015.
By JOHN W. GOODWIN JR.
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
GIRARD — A newly adopted forest management plan is designed to properly care for forest properties owned by the city, but harvesting trees from these sites will also add to the city's coffers.
City council adopted the forest management plan late last month. The plan covers harvesting and maintenance of the city's 1,020 acres of forest land through 2017.
The forested properties owned by the city are located in Liberty Memorial Park, David Tod Memorial Park and at both the Lower and Upper lakes properties.
Mayor James Melfi said devising a plan to properly manage and harvest the wooded areas will be good for the city in the coming years.
"Harvesting is a good thing because it opens up the area and allows for new and healthy growth," he said. "The city has taken these steps to protect the public properties going forward in the future."
The mayor said the city will make money off of the tree harvesting, but not enough to bring the city out of fiscal emergency.
Proceeds from the harvesting, however, will go into the general fund and be applied toward the city's debt.
"We are not expecting to make a great deal of money, but it is proper management of our timber lands and the money will go to the general fund," he said.
Some harvesting already done
Melfi said early aspects of the plan began in 2004 when the city began harvesting trees from some of the land. That phase of tree harvesting brought in $161,000.
Melfi said there will also be an immediate limited harvesting of trees at Tod Memorial Park and the Lower Lakes property.
The plan calls for harvesting of about 20 acres of land at Tod Memorial and an undecided number of acres at the lake property.
Melfi said it is unclear exactly how much revenue the this harvesting will bring in.
Once the immediate harvesting has taken place, the plan calls for maintenance and upkeep of the timber of wooded areas through 2015 before any more harvesting is to take place. Melfi said the upkeep will be done in-house and cost the city very little money.
Between 2015 and 2017, under the plan, the city will harvest a total of 162 acres of the land at the Upper Lake property and Liberty Memorial Park.
jgoodwin@vindy.com
Monday, August 14, 2006
A newly adopted forest management plan is designed to properly care for forest properties owned by the city, but...
