The Cumberland Times-News Mon Jan 24, 2011, 07:57 AM EST
— FROSTBURG — Frostburg City Council members on Thursday unanimously voted to approve resolution 2011-01 awarding a timber harvest bid to Blue Triangle Hardwood Inc. of Everett, Pa.
The bid was awarded in the amount of $117,500 with 50 percent of the proceeds of the logging set aside for projects specifically designed to protect or enhance the city’s water supplies at Piney Dam Reservoir or Savage Springs. Through the bid, Blue Triangle Hardwood obtained 92 acres of sawtimber, hardwood and pulpwood. The bid was advertised during November and December with nine companies submitting bids.
The timber assets of Piney watershed are managed by the city through a forest management plan that was prepared by the Forest Service of the Maryland Department of Natural Resources.
The objectives of the plan, which was established in 1989, are to maintain or improve the watershed as a source of high quality water, promote the health of the forest while supplying a sustained yield of high quality timber products as a source of income to the city, develop and improve wildlife habitat and promote recreational and educational use of the land as a means to better appreciate and understand the environment.
“I can stress the importance of our springs during the spring, since the river flows down from the mountain it allows us to have less pumping costs and water treatment is almost nil since the water is so pristine,” said Mayor Arthur Bond. “We need to make sure we protect it.”
The management plan states, “maintaining and improving water quality is of the utmost importance on the watershed.” In order to maintain the water quality, a buffer zone must be left on “all sides of the intermittent or perennial streams, lakes, marshy area or large spring seeps” when harvesting the forest. In accordance with harvesting timber, proper forest management techniques to maintain and enhance the health of the woodlot must be used, forest harvesters must adhere to Maryland guidelines regarding forest harvest practices, as well as road and trail locations and construction.
In addition, any stream crossing should be avoided, forest harvests should be closely monitored and should cease during periods of wet weather and the harvested areas should be properly regenerated.
“Forest management recommendations will be based upon the objective of maintaining the health of the forest while providing an even, nondeclining supply of forest products and income to the city of Frostburg,” states the management plan.
The Frostburg watershed is composed of two tracts of land encompassing 1,396 acres in Finzel. Tract I is 1,206 acres and lies around Piney Dam and Tract II consists of 190 acres located three-quarters of a mile east of Tract I, according to the Forest Management Plan’s watershed narrative. Presently, the land composition of the watershed includes 1,288 acres of forest, 77 acres of glade and fields and 31 acres of reservoir.
During the meeting, council members also thanked Dan Hedderick of the Maryland Forest Service for his loyal service to the city.
“He has been woking for decades with us to protect our watershed and I think he is doing an excellent job,” said Bond.
Council members also voted to approve resolution 2011-02, approving a contract in the amount of $34,500 for professional service with Bennett Brewer & Associates for a preliminary engineering report on springs located on Big Savage Mountain in Garrett County. Bennett, Brewer & Associates will perform a boundary and location survey and will provide a plan of this data which will serve as a bas map for all preliminary engineering and site improvements. In addition, the company will provide a electrical equipment study, a spring evaluation and will produce of final report.
Contact Elaine Blaisdell at eblaisdell@times-news.com
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