Slash removal

After teaching my applied ecology students about forestry management methods we toured several regions of our campus. At each place we discussed logging history and indicators of the forest health. To test them on the material the students had to identify which of the forests most needed management. They then had to devise a management plan.

Upon reviewing their answers I learned they all identified the same forest plot. The underlying problem with the spot was that trail clearing and logging practices had accumulated high concentrations of slash. They advocated removing the slash, wood chipping it, and returning the chips to this region to improve the soil.

I brought this up with the headmaster who approved of the plan. A few weeks later we spent a day clearing slash. Later our schools maintenance team took the slash, woods chipped, and we returned it to the forest floor. A small idea became an amazing day of action.