Science & Outdoors
A CNR student makes a face cut on a red pine tree during the annual pulpcut.
Fall pulpcut: A CNR fall tradition at UW-SP
Science & Outdoors Reporter
The student chapter of the Society of American Foresters (SAF) and two forestry professors conducted the annual fall pulpcut successfully again this year. The pulpcut usually takes place in red pine stands of cooperating landowners in the county. Pulpcut provides a learning experience for all involved.
Mike Schreiber and Makenzie Schafer, the two co-activities coordinators of SAF, organized the student supervisors and made sure the equipment was on site and in good working condition. Dr. Michael Demchik and Dr. Paul Doruska found the willing landowners. Usually these properties are in Wisconsin’s Managed Forest Law program and this year was no different.
Dr. Demchik did the administrative work of filing notice with the county so the county knew what was being cut and could collect taxes. He negotiated a price with the landowners and, like usual, had a silvaculture class mark the trees. Dr. Demchik taught a pulpcut safety class for about an hour on topics such as chainsaw operation, safety and proper personal protective equipment.
The professors took turns every other weekend to supervise and transport students to the site with a College of Natural Resouces bus. A different group of students participated each weekend. Either Dr. Demchik or one of the supervisors demonstrated how to fell a tree. The demonstration included limbing and bucking a tree into 100 inch pulp “sticks,” too. The students were divided into crews of four to five, and assigned to a supervisor. Supervisors have taken pulpcut previously or have taken a Forest Industry Safety Training Alliance chainsaw course. Some supervisors have taken Powersaws S-212 with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources or with the U.S. Forest Service.
The supervisor kept a close eye on the pulpcut students as they felled, limbed and bucked two to four trees over the weekends. The supervisor sometimes made suggestions such as how to use the line on the chainsaw to drop a tree where the student wanted it.
The logs are carried to staging areas with peaveys, tongs and muscle. The logs are loaded onto a trailer and hauled to a landing by a small tractor. One tractor was borrowed from Treehaven. Schreiber explained that a logger had agreed to haul the logs to the mill. The logger then issued a check to Dr. Demchik and he paid the landowner the amount agreed upon. Whatever was left went to SAF to pay for saw fuel, bar oil, equipment upkeep and replacement.
Tom and Maureen Brocken and the W-T Bar Land Company were the two landowners that allowed pulpcut to occur on their properties this fall.
Tom Brocken said the loggers they spoke to wanted to clearcut their red pine stand in order to be profitable. Brocken wanted some sensitive areas untouched and clearcutting would have damaged those areas. Brocken said the professors tailored the cut to their request and kept them informed. UW-SP utilized low impact logging, performed safely, and avoided baby spruce and other sensitive areas.
Brocken said it was fun watching the students learn and that they learned from watching the students.
“We were satisfied with the job and everyone acted professionally, Brocken said.
CNR Dean Christine Thomas and her husband grilled hot dogs, hamburgers and cooked chili for the entire pulpcut group when they logged the W-T Bar Land Company’s red pine plantation. When thanked by the students for the great meals, Dean Thomas said, “I was happy to do it. It was fun.”
