PROVIDENCE, RI – The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM) is advising the public that it will begin removing standing dead trees in the Browning Mill section of Arcadia Management Area, Exeter, on Thursday, Oct. 13, weather permitting. The trees are deciduous, including ash, pine, spruce, oak, maple, and evergreen and have been damaged by fungal and insect pathogens. This project will help strengthen the overall health of the immediate forest and wildlife habitat, reduce fire risk, protect the water quality of nearby Browning Mill Pond, and help manage stormwater runoff.
This is not a clear-cutting project. DEM foresters have strategically selected the trees to be removed and the work will be done by Rhode Island-licensed arborists at North-Eastern Tree Service under the supervision of the DEM Division of Agriculture and Forest Environment (DAFE), which manages 40,000 acres of state-owned rural forestland. Due to the potential hazards associated with tree removal, DEM asks users of this popular recreational area to exercise caution while the work is underway. For more information, please contact DAFE at 401-539-2356.
DEM is developing an outreach effort on timber harvesting and tree removal projects, including the one planned at Arcadia, to make community members and local officials aware of planned cutting operations on state-owned management areas and to improve the public's understanding of the benefits of forest stewardship for wildlife habitat, forest health, and public safety. The targeted audience includes local officials, neighbors/homeowners, management area users such as hunters, anglers, and hikers, and other recreational partners.
For more information on DEM programs and initiatives, visit www.dem.ri.gov. Follow DEM on Facebook, Twitter (@RhodeIslandDEM), or Instagram (@rhodeisland.dem) for timely updates.