Connecticut’s Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) announced that trails at Sessions Woods Wildlife Management Area (WMA) in Burlington will re-open today, Thursday, January 12, after being closed since October for a forestry operation on an eight-acre area. All nearby trails were closed during the forestry operation for public safety. The operation involved the removal of red pines that were dying due to insect infestations, as well as other potential hazard trees, due to the proximity of public trails. 

The closed trails included 3,500 feet of the main loop road known as the Beaver Pond Trail, as well as blue-blazed trails and a bike trail entering the area of the logging operation.  The red pines were salvaged and revenue from the sale of the forest products will be used to enhance wildlife projects and educational efforts at Sessions Woods.   

Non-native red pine trees at this eight-acre site were dying due to an insect attack that occurred between 1970 and 1990.  In 2015, southern pine beetle was discovered in some of the trees and were believed to be accelerating the decline.  The forestry operation was planned to salvage the trees before they died.  Due to trails that are located nearby, the dead trees were removed.

Other forest thinning was conducted in this area to favor native white pine and healthy trees of other species. The harvest will increase forest and habitat diversity through creation of irregular openings and contribute to age class diversity on the property.  It will complement the 30-acre clear-cut that was created nearby for New England Cottontail and early successional birds. 

The forestry operation was a cooperative effort of DEEP’s Forestry and Wildlife Division.  For more information contact:  Forestry – (860) 379-7085 or Wildlife – (860) 424-3011.