A harvester (right) and a forwarder (left) from Miller Timber Services clear a section of the Nebraska National Forest at Halsey. Three crews of two like these have been deployed around the forest to clear 850 acres of dead standing trees.
Ryan Herzog, North Platte Telegraph
Matthew Mattiota of Milller’s Timber Services (left) and Sarah Myers of the U.S. Forest Service inspect a deck of timber on the side of the road. Because the wood stayed out in the forest for so long, some of it is stained blue from fungus carried by burrowing pine lps beetles.
Ryan Herzog, North Platte Telegraph
Jack pine cones opened up after the Bovee Fire. Seedlings have begun sprouting from the soil to regenerate the forest.
Ryan Herzog, North Platte Telegraph
This is a view from inside the cockpit of the Ponsse timber harvester. Salvador Hernandez can fell, buck and cut a log to size with a series of subtle hand motions. A computer screen shows him measurements of length and diameter of the log to give him a precise cut.
Ryan Herzog, North Platte Telegraph
A masticator finishes the job of chewing up any limbs or brush lying around. The Forest Service requested this be done in open areas at Halsey to reduce fire hazard and expedite the mulching process to allow for forest regeneration.
A harvester (right) and a forwarder (left) from Miller Timber Services clear a section of the Nebraska National Forest at Halsey. Three crews of two like these have been deployed around the forest to clear 850 acres of dead standing trees.
Matthew Mattiota of Milller’s Timber Services (left) and Sarah Myers of the U.S. Forest Service inspect a deck of timber on the side of the road. Because the wood stayed out in the forest for so long, some of it is stained blue from fungus carried by burrowing pine lps beetles.
This is a view from inside the cockpit of the Ponsse timber harvester. Salvador Hernandez can fell, buck and cut a log to size with a series of subtle hand motions. A computer screen shows him measurements of length and diameter of the log to give him a precise cut.
A masticator finishes the job of chewing up any limbs or brush lying around. The Forest Service requested this be done in open areas at Halsey to reduce fire hazard and expedite the mulching process to allow for forest regeneration.
