New Hampshire

DES warns against clear-cutting in Windham

Trees felled in Windham

By Terry Date
tdate@eagletribune.com
Published: July 2, 2009

WINDHAM — Environmental violations tied to timber clearing on Shadow Lake have prompted warnings from the state and has a longtime seasonal resident lamenting the new treeless view.

The clear-cutting at 9 Allen Road was done without a wetlands permit, without any observable erosion control, and timber debris was left along the bank of a stream for 150 feet, Department of Environmental Services compliance specialist Emily Lucas noted in a recent letter to property owners Jeffrey and Johanna Panich.

"It's not pretty," DES spokesman Jim Martin said yesterday. He was referring to photographs of the property taken after timber was removed by Northeast Firewood of Tyngsborough, Mass. The DES inspected the property June 3.

The land is behind the Panich home and along Dow Road, near the shore of Shadow Lake.

Martin said the homeowners and the owner of Northeast Firewood, Al Trapanier, are responding to the state's concerns.

"They have admitted to the wrongdoing and have agreed to take action to rectify the situation," Martin said.

The response includes stabilizing exposed areas and removing leftover timber debris.

"We have asked them to reforest the area and they have agreed to do it," Martin said.

The DES typically tries to work with homeowners to correct violations, at least less severe ones, before taking any stronger action.

Martin said the department reserves the right to fine the homeowner but it may not in this instance given their responsiveness.

Jeffrey Panich said yesterday "there was nothing illegal done," and there has been no erosion at the lake.

Martin said the owners had the trees removed as a safety precaution to prevent them from falling during harsh weather.

Shadow Lake resident Trudy Yukl, a seasonal resident for 35 years, said she understands the need to take down trees that threaten the home but does not think such a large area should have been cleared.

Yukl was saddened to see the clear-cut area on Allen Road when she returned for the season June 20.

She said the sight sickened her.

"It looks like a bomb went off," she said.

Yukl said she has spoken with neighbors about the cutting but they seem resigned to the fact that the damage has been done.

Still, she wants to be sure something like this does not happen again.

The paths bordered by trees where she would walk her dogs used to remind her of the Robert Frost poem "The Road Not Taken." Not anymore.

"Two roads are diverging into something else — Iraq and Afghanistan," she said.

Yukl also worries about the health of the lake and whether any erosion from the timber clearing has affected the water quality.

Lucas' letter warns the property owners and timber company owner that any additional harvesting of trees or removal of stumps must be in compliance with the state Comprehensive Shoreland Protection Act. The law protects land up to 250 feet away from shore.

Windham Conservation Commission Chairman Jim Finn said he has not seen the Allen Road property but plans to visit it tomorrow.

ÔÇæÔÇæÔÇæ

Join the discussion. To comment on stories and see what others are saying, log on to eagletribune.com.

Photos

Allegra Boverman/Courtesy photo

This photo from Trudy Yukl shows what the area looked like before many of the trees were cleared.

Allegra Boverman/Staff Photographer

Trudy Yukl, a seasonal resident of Shadow Lake in Windham, looks at the cleared land on Dow Road, left, and an unnamed lane at right. The area has been clear-cut.