ARROWSIC — As it prepares to begin the first timber harvest in over three decades at its Holt Research Forest, the Maine Timber Research & Environmental Education Foundation (Maine TREE) is announcing a guided, educational tour on Saturday, Nov. 7 at the Old Stage Road property in Arrowsic.  

Since it is the site of a long-term forest ecosystem study, Holt Research Forest is accessible to the public only through educational programming hosted by Maine TREE or its partners. The research at Holt is designed to assess the impacts of forest harvesting on the various ecosystem attributes monitored for the last 37 years at the property while demonstrating best forest management practices that are applicable to other small landowners in the state.

The tour will be co-led by consulting forester Barrie Brusila and University of Maine research scientist Jack Witham.  They will provide context as to the findings on forest response to the harvest conducted in the late 1980s, as well as how the forest harvest recommendations were developed and the goals to be achieved in the harvest.  Will Cole, a logger from Sidney, and owner of Trees, LTD, will be on-site to demonstrate the use of the equipment and answer questions about managing harvest operations.

Maine TREE, the sponsor of the acclaimed Project Learning Tree program within the state and a leader in environmental education for more than 30 years, sees a growing opportunity for the Holt Research Forest as a base of outdoor learning for southern Maine students, families, community members, and owners of forested land to learn from the on-going research activities sponsored there.

Maine TREE (MTF) owns the 350-acre Holt Research Forest in Arrowsic, the site of a long-term forest ecosystem study conducted through a contract it funds with the University of Maine. The Nature Conservancy (TNC) holds a conservation easement on approximately 285 acres of the Holt Research Forest.

Maine TREE requires pre-registration for this event and all participants must follow their COVID-19 policy for in-person events, designed to meet CDC guidelines. When registering, you can choose from multiple tour time options, each lasting two hours. Tour start times are 9 a.m., 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. if needed. Space is limited to 10 participants per tour.  To find these details and to register online, please visit www.mainetree.org