The Washington County Conservation Department is considering harvesting some oak trees at Sockum Ridge Park within the next few years. The department received a letter from State Forester Ray Lehn (Lean) recommending that the department complete a harvest as soon as next year. Conservation Director Zach Rozmus explains why this recommendation was made, “All those oaks are the same age group, they’re all 80 to 120 years old, probably right in that realm. If we don’t continue to find ways to allow those next generation of oaks to germinate and continue to grow, 100 years from now there’s not going to be as many oaks. A timber itself is no different than a garden, you have to eventually harvest or take out plants that are ready for harvest in order for that next generation to actually come through.” 

Rozmus says he wants to see the conservation department do a selective harvest and choose oaks that do not produce as many acorns and are less desirable than other healthier oaks. If the conservation department proceeds with a harvest, they would bid out the work to a company, sell the oak lumber, and funnel funds back into Sockum Ridge for future upkeep of the park. Rozmus would like to see the harvest happen between January and March of 2021 or 2022 at the latest.