Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Urban Forestry topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Committee endorses Dinsmore Woods red‑pine harvest plan to address invasive scale and hazards
Summary
After consulting UNH extension and Long View Forest, staff recommended cutting infested red pine stands along Maple Avenue (Dinsmore Woods), chipping tops, and managing post‑harvest regeneration and invasive species; the committee accepted the harvest plan and noted temporary road closures and FY27 CIP funding allocations.
Parks Director Carrie Hennessy introduced Alex Barrett of Long View Forest, who outlined the ecology and urgency of the red pine scale infestation in Dinsmore Woods along Maple Avenue. Barrett said the red pine stands are largely planted monocultures from mid‑20th century reforestation efforts and have become highly vulnerable to red pine scale, root‑rot and secondary beetle attack; many trees are over 80 feet tall and create visual and roadside safety hazards when they fail.
Barrett described the proposed operational plan: fully remove pure red‑pine blocks, selectively thin mixed stands to retain native hardwoods where feasible, chip crowns and small material to reduce slash and fire risk, and stage harvesting during a short, planned closure window timed to school vacation to reduce public‑traffic impact. Crown Point Excavation has been selected as the contractor through the RFP process. Barrett recommended a short wait after harvest (a few months) to assess natural regeneration and then consider targeted enrichment plantings, preferably in the fall, tailored to observed sprout and seedling composition.
Staff said the FY27 CIP includes $135,000 for Dinsmore Woods removal (including a $10,000 donor contribution from the local conservancy) to cover harvest, invasive‑species treatment and limited replanting. The committee voted unanimously to accept the Long View Forest presentation and recommended the harvest plan as informational.
What happens next: staff will finalize contractor scheduling, public notification, and traffic/closure plans for the narrow Maple Avenue corridor, host on‑the‑ground walks for neighbors, and implement post‑harvest monitoring and invasive‑species control.
