Necessary Destruction, Part 2

Over a year ago, I shared why we decided to timber the land we own in a neighboring county.  It was a difficult decision because it was beautiful; however, feeling as if we should be good stewards of the land, we knew it needed to be selectively cut.  The large trees were harvested to make room so the saplings could thrive.  It was tough facing the devastation on our first trip to visit after the work began, it was just as hard to see the damage this second time.

This is the access area close to the highway and it was originally thick with large trees.  The logging company provided the gravel and built roads through the property.  We asked them to lay logs across the entrance to deter trespassers.

Further down is the staging area where the large equipment was once parked.  They will be returning when the ground is dry so they can finish.

On this day, we decided to travel the logging road down the hill to the holler on the back of the property.

On the hillsides were piles of cut trees waiting to be removed.

At the bottom of the hill was a creek that had to be crossed.  It was a case study of our different personality types.

Joshua, my firstborn, faced it like he does every obstacle in life, something to be conquered. He has never met a problem he can't outmaneuver.  He is my bulldozer, a strategist and a natural-born leader, but also a gentle giant.  When he was small, he was never allowed on his bike without a helmet.  If there was a pothole or bump in the road, he swerved over so he could jump it.  However, he is the person you want to follow if you are going through a jungle or minefield.  He sees the creek and without hesitation, flies over.

After landing on the other side, he triumphantly turns around to see if his tribe is following.

Slow, old, stumbling Mom is dragging along behind.  Joshua pauses, observes the situation, strategizes a solution, puts down big heavy rocks to serve as stepping stones along the creek bed, and then gently guides me over.

Dustin, my second born, follows behind me watching to make sure I don't get lost.  He is my cautious, careful engineer.  He visually inspects the creek, architects a bridge, searches available recyclable resources, carefully tests the structural integrity, analyzes the statistical probability of sustainable weight limits, then proceeds over the rotten logs.  He was never, ever required to wear a bicycle helmet or any protective gear when he was young - he never needed it.

Joshua, big brother, leader of the pack, reaches back to steady Dustin since he did not budget for handrails.  

Last comes Scooter.  He thinks it is ridiculous to be afraid of a little bit of water and trots on through.

 Then we face the steep hill on the other side.

The backside of the land has not lost many trees - most were too small.  It still looks like it did originally.

We reached the back boundary line of the property which is marked with orange plastic tape.

This is the legal boundary marker:  HY RW  which stands for "Highway Right-of-Way."

 

We returned by the logging road that runs along the top of the ridge going back toward the staging area.  

By this time it was late afternoon: we were exhausted and in need of a rest.

Of course, Scooter had to lay down close to something rotten, smelly and nasty (probably animal poop).  Rather than move, he decided to roll in it.  That didn't make me happy since he had to ride in my lap back home.

When the loggers are completely finished and the leaves have returned to the trees, we plan to go back to see how the land is recovering.  Hopefully, it will revive quickly due to the increased sunlight.

Link to the First Trip
Necessary Destruction