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Planned Forest Management Activities at 260 Chesterfield Road, Montville, CT
This document provides details regarding planned upcoming forest management planned at KGIM
Enterprise LLC’s property at 260 Chesterfield Road in early 2026. The work will take +/- 4 Months to
complete depending on the amount of operable time available once equipment is transported to the
property. Ferrucci & Walicki has prepared forest management treatments at the property and the
landowner (KGIM) has reached an agreement with Supervising Forest Products Harvester Brian Silk (Silk
Forest Products) to complete the cutting of designated trees. All treatments aim to improve forest health
in specific ways and the combination of treatments will add valuable structural complexity to the property.
Specific details of the two treatments are provided below. Maps for visual reference start on Page 2.
Clearcut with Reserves (17.8 ac.)
Primary Goals – retain natural heritage and improve habitat quality for species which use semi-open
shrubland habitat
Other Goals – reduce fuel loading to limit potential for wildfire ignition
- Most trees in this portion of the property have reached their growth potential and are beginning
to senesce. Spongy moth defoliation has impacted, and killed, oaks.
- Less desirable species are encroaching and adding to the stand density in a way which, if left
unchecked, could shift the natural community of the area away from the historic cover type.
o The natural heritage of this area is a shrubby woodland with a semi-open canopy. Black
birch, red maple, and other non-upland species are establishing due to the lack of
disturbance which would typically reset a woodland stand. Fire is the primary natural
disturbance force which historically influenced vegetative growth on this and similar sites.
- Retained trees were selected for potential to provide seed of desirable species. Spacing was
another major consideration (aimed to retain 2-8 trees per acre).
Thinning (48.4 ac.)
Primary Goal – remove competition from around the highest quality trees which are desirable to continue
growing
Other Goals - improve vertical structure to benefit wildlife, specifically neotropical migrant songbirds
- Portions of the stand are overstocked and the stand generally is approaching overstocked
conditions.
o Individual tree health and growth rates significantly decline in overstocked forests while
the risk of wind, fire, insect and disease, and other stressors severely impacting the stand
increase.
- Black birch is very dominant in the composition of lower layers.
o This treatment will remove a large amount of black birch to protect the long-term
biodiversity of the stand.
o If unmanaged black birch is on track to occupy >70% of the canopy composition if
disturbance removes the current canopy based on the current volume of black birch in
the midstory.
- Improving conditions for retained trees should increase vigor, growth rates, and seed crop
production.
Page 2 of 3 Description of Planned Forest Management Treatments – KGIM Enterprises, LLC
Page 3 of 3 Description of Planned Forest Management Treatments – KGIM Enterprises, LLC