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To: Conway Selectboard
Conway Logging - Create Old Growth
We ask the Conway Selectboard to:
1) Restrict management of Town Forest to reserves, trails, and invasive species control.
2) Rescind any permissions to locate logging landing(s) on town property on Cricket Hill Extension.
Why is this important?
1) The management plan being considered for the Town Forest (and Fournier) lot specifies the majority (50 acres) of Town Forest land be used to "Crop Tree Release" - a term used to greenwash logging - versus 24 acres of reserve. Our Massachusetts forests are critical in mitigating climate change, preserving native wildlife and habitats, safeguarding soils, providing clean air and water, and offering public recreation. Logging our forests harms these values, while protecting our forests from cutting enhances them. Keeping our forests standing would allow them to absorb and store carbon at an increasing rate for centuries to come. This would complement the state’s goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions. According to the plan, there is no citizen support for active logging.
Let's create old growth forest in Conway in the Town Forest! All the much larger surrounding lands (Northampton Water Supply, Conway State Forest, Cowl's Lumber) are being actively logged. The MA DCR rejected citizen and Conway Consideration recommendation to make the Conway State Forest a reserve. Making the Town Forest as a reserve would make up for the lack of reserve in surrounding lands. Invasive species control and trail creation and maintenance should also be allowed.
2) Residents and users of the beautiful and historic Cricket Hill Road have endured years of logging with accompanying noise, disturbance, frequent oil spills, trucks, and rutted trails. The state is planning 10 years of logging in the Conway State Forest. The disastrous first Town Forest logging project had many serious oil spills at a landing located adjacent to a wetland. Subsequent logging projects are a constant strain and disturbance to the area and have also had oil spills. If private landowners or the state need landings, they should be located off another road. Cricket Hill residents and users need a break! Why was Cricket Hill designated as a sacrifice area by previous Selectboards without citizen input?
We ask that the Conway Selectboard to rescind any permissions to locate logging landings on Cricket Hill Road and Cricket Hill Extension.