For more information, contact:
Mike Hendrickson
BHC Conservation Director
319-433-7275
mhendrickson@blackhawkcounty.iowa.gov
Jim Weimer
BHC Wildlife Conservationist
319-277-2187
jweimers@blackhawkcounty.iowa.gov
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 23, 2024
Making Room for a Healthier Forest in Black Hawk County
Black Hawk County, IOWA – Black Hawk County Conservation is preparing for a Timber Stand Improvement project in Black Hawk Park. Situated north of Cedar Falls, the 1600-acre park is one of the largest county parks in Iowa.
Timber Stand Improvement (TSI) is the practice of managing woodlands to promote a sustainable and healthy forest. It involves thinning trees that are overpopulating a forest, or are unhealthy (diseased or dead), to allow new tree growth and vegetation to appear. It allows for a healthier forest for generations to come.
In his remarks to the Black Hawk County Board of Supervisors, Conservation Director Mike Hendrickson noted that TSI is not new in Black Hawk County. “Our parks and woodlands are beautiful, because of the management practices we have been doing for over 50 years,” said Hendrickson. “We do some type of improvement every year, this project is just higher profile, so we think it’s important that the community be aware of the project.”
This phase of TSI in Black Hawk Park includes removing 175 trees from 68.45 acres of wooded areas (marked 1, 3, and 4, in the accompanying map). That averages to 2.5 trees per acre.
Bruggeman Lumber of Hopkinton, IA will complete the project in late fall/early winter, weather permitting, and is anticipated to take ten days to complete. The contractor will remove the trees and logs, creating over $35,000 in revenue for Black Hawk County. County conservation staff will harvest the treetops for firewood, mulching, and creating new habitats for wildlife.
“We aren’t just clearing trees, we are looking at how to make this area a good functioning ecosystem,” said Jim Weimer, BHC Wildlife Conservationist, “we want new tree growth, but we also want to create good habitats for all types of wildlife.”
During the project, park visitors can expect road closures within the park. In the months and years to come, visitors will notice increased growth and tree species within the woodlands, allowing for a healthy and sustainable forest.
For more information about the TSI project in Black Hawk Park, contact the Black Hawk County Conservation office at (319) 433-7275. To read more Black Hawk County’s ongoing Forest Management efforts at: mycountyparks.com/County/Black-Hawk/News.aspx or watch this video: https://youtu.be/48hNgIOCY3U?si=PgRwgUrMBBFzQSeS
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Black Hawk Park Tree Stand Improvement by Numbered Zone.
