Hi! My name is Griffin.

I am one of the new interns here at Starker Forests. I am about to enter my senior year at Oregon State in pursuit of a bachelor’s degree in Forest Engineering. My past work experiences have been mostly in farming and road maintenance, so all the forestry experience I’ve had so far this summer is new. I am very excited to see where this summer goes!

On Monday, the Starker interns set out to cruise without any supervision from Fred and Lys. We split into pairs and tackled the majority of a new stand that Starker bought in the last couple years. So far, our cruising experience has been in post-thinned large timber and pre-thinned timber. This new stand we worked on was only 20 years old, so it was a fight against very dense, low canopies all day.

The change in size/age/density is a good challenge for us to expand our cruising experience. The changes in heights, diameters, crown sizes and density is great to see so we can learn. We still have a day’s worth of work left out there, but I am ready to go back and finish what we started!

I just got my first pair of corks, so it’s been a heck of last few days trekkin’ around in brand new boots! Cork boots are great for hiking in the woods due to their spikes on the bottom of the boot that make it easy to scale steep slopes and fallen timber!

– Griffin Puls

This week at Starker we finished up our stocking surveys for 2-year and 4-year stands. All of us interns had some pretty steep slopes on Monday and a few of us, myself included, took a few fun tumbles.

On Tuesday we started learning about cruising! Yay! Fred and Lys took all of us out to a recently thinned stand to get the basics down on how to use all of the equipment and become comfortable with it. We each practiced a few plots on our own and had our data checked by Fred, Lys and myself. Yesterday (Wednesday), we got to practice cruising in some larger timber, a site very different from the younger, thinned site we were in Tuesday.

It has been fun for me to come back to cruising after doing it on my own a little while ago. I was thankful for the refresher on how to identify defects in trees, as well as practicing heights with the laser. I think so far everyone is doing well; today the six of us (in pairs) got through 37 plots with time to spare. Everyone has been patient and supportive of each other as well, so I’m happy to say that I’m proud of this year’s interns. My guess is that we will be cruising more and more as this summer goes on, I can’t wait to see everyone improve!

-Nic Haye

This last week for the Starker Forest summer crew has been all about stocking surveys. Following being fully trained last week by Stephen and Fred, we were set free in pairs this week and began knocking out the remaining 4-year stocking surveys and moved on to 2-years.

Partway through the week, we switched gears for one day and worked more on cleaning roads in the Soap Creek tree farm from ice damage. While we were in the area, we also worked to clean up a neighbors horse field that had a very large fir tree fall into it from Starker ground. After many hours of work, the tree was all cut up into firewood for the landowner to use and all the debris piled.

Following a full week of work, all six of us interns ended up going to the Philomath Frolic &Rodeo. Griffin, Jonathan and I got the unique opportunity to compete in the wild steer race representing Starker Forests. It was a crazy event, having all three of us hold onto the rope and drag the steer around the race (and also be drug around by the steer). Unfortunately, we did not win, however, we did get second place and have a blast doing so. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1OVyU83btxKfgbB0wCI65P8mNFBmWtI8i/view

This next week is looking like some more stocking surveys to begin and then switching over to learning timber cruising!

 

– Andrew Prom

Last week, the crew learned how to do stocking surveys for 4-year-old stands. Both Fred and Stephen helped guide all of us on the basics of data collection for younger stands and soon enough we were all split into pairs to go survey on our own. It’s fun getting to help train a little bit as well since I have been at Starker since February and have done stocking surveys of my own, though those were 10-year stands. I believe everyone is getting their forestry legs under them and we all are making it through the hot days.

On Friday, Tyler took us all out to practice digging a fire line on a stand that we plan to safely burn at some point in the future. We all got to use all of the different tools, and practice being in different parts of the line while making an actual fire break. We used chainsaws, hoes, and pulaskis. It was a hot day with the sun on our backs, and everyone was exhausted from the long day of hard work, but I think all of us are proud of what we were able to accomplish. I know I’m also happy to have gotten some hands-on experience with fire management, so we can all be prepared in case the fire season is bad again this year.

This week we are back on stocking surveys! We are almost done with the 4-years so some pairs have started working on the 2-year stands. Plus, we are switching around partners each day, so I really get to know and become friends with my fellow interns, hooray! It seems we will be doing stocking surveys for the rest of the week, so I’ll be sure to bring lots of sunscreen.

– Nic Haye

Another week brought about a whole new set of tasks for the summer crew.

During the heatwave that started last week, we began learning how to do stocking surveys.

For anyone not familiar with these, the goal is to take an inventory of saplings growing in replanted clear-cuts to see how they are doing. At Starker Forests, stocking surveys are done on 1, 2, and 4-year-old units, and inventory data is stored each time so it can be compared. As far as the actual data collection process, stocking surveys involve taking plots of 11.78-foot radius at predetermined locations in each unit. In each plot, you record the number of trees as well as noting their species, height, diameter, vigour and any damage done on them. After working as a group on a few units to begin the week, we were set free in pairs to continue performing stocking surveys for most of the week.

On Thursday, Jonathan (one of the other interns) and I got to work on a special project Starker Forests is involved in. After completing a few stocking surveys in the morning, we came back to the shop early to work on making nesting boxes for wood ducks. All the boards had already been cut to the right sizes, however, we were tasked with cutting out the entry holes on the front face of the box as well as small groves on the inside of the box. After I cut the entry holes out, Jonathan worked to make groves on the inside of the front face of the nesting boxes so once ducklings are hatched, their feet have little slots to climb out of the boxes. After the construction of the boxes is complete, they will be attached to posts in wetland areas to help protect nesting wood ducks from predators.

To close out the week on Friday, we completed fire training by digging a hand line around a unit that was clear-cut last year. Not only does this serve as good practice for our crew to train for an actual fire, it allows for the possibility of a broadcast burn being able to happen on that unit in the fall.

Though broadcast burning is becoming more and more rare, it is still used when possible at Starker Forests and is a very effective way to remove logging debris from harvested units and return key nutrients to the soil for the seedlings that will be planted there shortly after a burn.

— Andrew Prom

Week two for the Starker interns was all about fire training. This week we had a great opportunity to attend fire school at the ODF office in Philomath to take the S130 and S190 courses. The combination of these courses certified our entire intern crew as Firefighter Type II and prepared us all for the potential of being on fires this summer.

Though Starker Forests is not a company focused on wildland firefighting, they actually own three different firetrucks. It is very important that everyone is trained to fight fires if need be. The S130 course took up the first few days of the week and served as a general outline to wildland firefighting. We learned about things like firefighting tactics, tools, communication on fires, and watch-out situations. S190 took place on Friday and is a course introducing the effects of weather and topography on fires.

During the training, we got to spend some time outdoors working on more hands-on activities. In the middle of the week, we got to test some fire tools and did a simulation of having to deploy emergency fire shelters. Though we hope none of us ever have a real situation that involved having to deploy fire shelters, it is extremely important to know how to do so and to practice. Another fun activity we got to do was learn how to use things like fusees drip torches, which in fires would be a tool for backburning or lighting prescribed burns.

Having worked at Starker last summer, I had gone through the same set of fire training courses, however, I still learned a ton of new information again this year. As western Oregon moves into high fire danger with the heatwave, I hope everyone remembers to be extra cautious and has a safe holiday this weekend!

– Andrew Prom

Before starting fire training this week, Tyler took a couple of interns and myself out to a road system in one of our forests that had many fallen trees from this winter’s ice storm. Andrew, Marshall and I tackled with chainsaws a large oak that took up a majority of the road for most of the morning. I’m still quite sore from a full day of wielding a saw, but I’m proud of our work! While we did that, the rest of the crew stayed behind to test out the rest of our fire hoses near the Starker office, and make sure they are all in well working condition. We want to do everything we can to be prepared for this fire season, and now all our hoses and equipment are ready!

On Tuesday, seven of us from Starker (interns included) started our fire training to become ODF Type II Firefighting certified. So far, we’ve learned about basic safety and equipment requirements, the 10 Standard Firefighting Orders and their importance, as well as the 18 “Watch-Outs” of wildland firefighting. We got to learn all about the fire triangle and its significance in wildland firefighting, as well as varying fuel loads and their effects on tactical choice and choosing safe zones.

We also became familiar with the different tools used, fire suppression techniques and tactics, and how to safely start fires with drip torches or “fusees” in the few situations that they are needed. The instructors have been incredibly informative and have made the program fun with hands-on practice outside of the classroom.

We’ll continue to train at the ODF Philomath office the rest of the week. I believe tomorrow will be all about pumps and hose layout, and I’m excited for what’s in store for Friday!

– Nic Hayes

Hi Everyone,

My name is Andrew and I am a returning intern from last summer here at Starker Forests. After such a great summer last year learning so many new things, I decided I would return to the crew and continue to gain valuable experience in the field. A little background on me is that I am originally from Molalla, Oregon, and I am about to enter my senior year of college at Oregon State University to finish my Forest Engineering degree.

This summer, I started my first day back by heading out to the woods to cruise a recently thinned stand and was able to meet and work with Nic, one of the new interns from this year.

On Tuesday, the entire intern crew and part of the office staff got to partake in one of my favorite experiences Starker offers – the annual tour. Part of what makes this so special and unique is getting to go into the field as a group and hear about what each forester does at Starker to ensure the land is managed to the highest standards. During this year’s tour, we were able to see everything from active thinning and cable logging operations to culvert improvements for fish passage and the importance of broadcast and pile burning for seedling regeneration.

In the remaining days of week 1, the focus turned to fire training and ensuring all the necessary equipment needed to fight fires is in working order. With fire season starting last week, we brought all three Starker fire trucks out as well as water pumps to test. After making sure everything was working well, we transitioned into learning progressive hose laying as if we were surrounding an actual fire and used this as a good opportunity to spray down some trees in a freshly planted clearcut. The week closed out with working one more time on laying fire hose and digging out an old burned slash pile to ensure there was no longer any heat remaining underground.

Week two brings the excitement of attending a fire training class at ODF!

So far, this week has been an exciting one!

The rest of this year’s summer interns have arrived at Starker and are settling in with the company. On Monday, everyone, except myself and Andrew (a returning intern) stayed in the shop to get their first aid and CPR certifications. Andrew and I finished cruising a thinned site I had been working on last week.

On Tuesday, we all took a tour around some of Starker’s land to see different management tactics, including broadcast versus pile burns, site prep and chemical applications, and the actual machinery that is involved in harvests. This included a harvester, forwarder and piler. We also got to watch a skyline cable harvesting system in process.

After a fun pit stop for a big lunch, we got to get up close and personal with a large culvert that goes underneath one of our roads and learned about their importance in riparian management here at Starker.

Today, Tyler took us all out to a tree farm entrance in dire need of clean up and taught us all proper chainsaw safety, usage, and care, as well as teaching us the importance of being aware of potential fire danger when using mechanical equipment in the field during fire season. We also got a brief intro to chainsaw usage and firefighting situations before getting to practice and feel comfortable with the saws.

Next week, we get to go to the local ODF to start getting our fire training certifications, which I’m also very much looking forward to.

After finishing up work at an old progeny site Monday, which mostly just involved removing tree tags, I got to go back to cruising thinned stands this week. This is one of the biggest sites I’ve worked on alone so far, containing four separate stands and nearly 60 plots! The four stands have different densities of trees per acre as well, so I really got to put my Basal Area Factor estimation skills to the test each time I entered a new stand.

By this point I’m fairly used to using all my equipment and trekking on steep slopes to swampy creek beds, and I’m excited to see what new challenges are to come.

Next week, the rest of the intern crew will be here. To prepare, I helped clean up the shop a little bit, as well as applying some finishing touches to the intern crew gear bins. I’m looking forward to meeting some new faces and learning more about forest management here at Starker. It seems next week will be chock full of tours, certifications and chances to learn about fire management. How exciting!