May 17, 2018
East Montpelier, Vt. – The Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation (FPR) assisted recently with the distribution of portable skidder bridges that were constructed at Fontaine Lumber in East Montpelier. Skidder bridges are portable structures logging operators use to minimize disturbance when transporting equipment and logs over streams. These bridges are being made available to logging contractors as part of the Department’s continued effort to protect water quality on timber harvest sites and to make it easier for logging contractors to do their work responsibly.
Temporary stream crossings are the most vulnerable to sedimentation during a timber harvest and portable skidder bridges are the best way to protect water quality because the bridges allow for unrestricted streamflow, preserving water quality while also providing access. In 2017, the Vermont legislature approved funding for the Department to develop a program to distribute skidder bridges to logging contractors. The bridges were built by Fontaine Lumber in East Montpelier who won the contract through the state’s bidding process. The large hemlock timbers used to construct the bridges were harvested at a woodlot in Waitsfield, Vermont.
“We received funding for twelve bridges and had applications from thirty-five logging contractors,” said David Wilcox, Watershed Forester with the Department. “It’s clear that many loggers are interested in using these structures.” To be eligible to receive a skidder bridge through the lottery process, applicants had to receive at least 51% of their income from logging operations and couldn’t already have their own bridge. These specifications allowed the Department to direct the effort toward first-time users.
Loggers who receive a bridge will work alongside an FPR forester to ensure the bridge is properly installed. FPR foresters will also help the loggers follow best practices such as crossing where the streams are narrow and where stream banks are stable. The bridges are designed to be carried into the woods with logging equipment and installed at temporary stream crossings during logging operations. They are removed when harvesting is complete, and the site is restored in compliance with the Acceptable Management Practices for Protecting Water Quality on Logging Jobs in Vermont (AMPs).
Vermont’s Natural Resources Conservation Districts have similar bridges available at different sites to be rented by the month. The Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation also has thirty and forty-foot temporary log truck bridges available for monthly rental. More information is available on the Department’s website at fpr.vermont.gov.