Rules for placing structures?

[Dugan]

I recently found a very poorly planned and executed project on a local hill. It involved clear cutting part of the hill side and building a viewing platform (right next to an older but still safe platform). It's a real mess - pointless cutting, brush piles left in place, lumber offcuts and litter remaining on site. The commemorative plaque states that it was done in August 2006, so clearly there is no intention to go back to clean it up.

I plan to write some letters to protest this project. I'm hoping, at the very least, it will force the participants to clean up the site.

What I'm wondering is, are there AMC/GMC/ADK "official" books or guides that discuss how to manage projects in a way that is environmentally sensitive? I'm thinking my letters will carry more impact if I can point-by-point cite references showing how they could've done it in such a way as to not leave behind an eyesore.

 

[Tom Rankin]

I'm not arguing with you but sometimes a brush pile can be a good place for rabbits, etc. to establish a nest or concealed entrance to a burrow.

BTW, is it on state land or does it belong to a town or individual? The rules may vary on what is allowed.

 

[Dugan]

It's public land managed by the town's conservation commission. The project was by a third party.

I agree, brush piles can make good nest areas, but the bunnies seemed to like the shelter provided by the juniper bushes just fine - while it existed.

This isn't a matter of a few brush piles. It was perhaps a half an acre that was clear cut - most of which did nothing to expand the views from the platform or any where else on the hill top. No care was taken to make the cut attractive. Brush was mostly left where it fell, some was gathered into several small piles that dot the clear cut.

 

[onestep]

I'm not arguing with you but sometimes a brush pile can be a good place

At one time I worked in the Moosehorn National Wildlife Refuge "creating" Woodcock habitat. We clear-cut areas removing any marketable wood but left all brush & slash behind. Looked ugly as h*ll but those cute little elusive winged creatures loved it!

 

[smitty77]

I have also visited the location Dugan mentions and it is indeed a mess. I can understand creating habitats, but most of the scrub they cut would serve as well or better than the piles of stuff left behind. We're talking almost 1,000 contiguous acres of conservation land, so I'm guessing there would be a million other sites where one might want to create "habitat" other than the most visited location in the conservation area itself. And they didn't even cut most of it to the ground. Lots of big stubs, some 12-18" long, sticking up everywhere. If I can get up there again soon (I only live 5 minutes from the site), I'll try to get some pictures.

 

[Dugan]

If I can get up there again soon (I only live 5 minutes from the site), I'll try to get some pictures.

Rocksnrolls hasn't seen the pre-cut hill top and was horrified just the same. He got some pics that I'm hoping he'll post.

This is Round Top in Bears Den in Athol MA.

 

[brianW]

I have not been up there in a good 12 years and even back then I did not care for the top do to the clear cut feel of it. -brianW

 

[Dugan]

I have not been up there in a good 12 years and even back then I did not care for the top do to the clear cut feel of it. -brianW

I'm guessing it must've been cut to the other side when the pre existing platform was built in 1991.

Though I wouldn't have liked it, I wouldn't feel a need to object had they cut only a few trees here and there to open the view. There was no need to cut things that were below platform height.