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July 21, 2025
People using the Chippewa Hills Pathway trail system, near Alpena, over the next five years likely will notice timber harvest activity and changes to the landscape. The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is sharing highlights and background to keep the public informed about what to expect, as work is anticipated to get underway as early as this week.
Planned harvests along the Chippewa Hills Pathway over the next five years include aspen clear-cuts, oak clear-cuts, thinning of red pine and irregular thinning of oak-aspen stands. The DNR has planned the harvests – a key part of forest management efforts – to promote forest health. Harvests also can create or improve wildlife habitat.
At the north end of the trail system, aspen that are aging out of the canopy in oak-aspen stands will be removed, with the remaining oak being thinned. This is an attempt to minimize clear-cutting within the trail system. However, if oak wilt disease spreads to the thinned oak, subsequent harvests may be needed.
Clear-cut harvests will focus on aspen stands as well as oak-dominated stands where pockets of oak wilt are spreading. Plans are in place to plant red pine in choice oak clear-cuts where oak wilt is currently prevalent. This will break up the continuous oak cover type and could help slow the spread of oak wilt. Habitat needs of specific species of animals and birds help determine timing of harvests and where pine planting operations can take place.
Oak and red maple regenerate through stump sprouts, depending on the current vigor of the cut tree and factors such as deer browsing. Past harvests in the area have shown this type of regeneration can be successful. Aspen clear-cuts will regenerate through root shoots, better known as root suckers. Pockets of forest will be retained at key locations along the trail system to protect visual aesthetics.
Forest management choices may vary based on damage assessed from the March 2025 ice storm. The specific timing of the harvests will depend on contract length, wood producer schedule, and forest health and species-related restrictions.
Before harvests begin, timber harvesting maps will be posted at the north and south trailheads along Kissau Road. Details on the specifics of trail section closures will be posted at the north and south trailheads and updated as harvesting progresses.
Harvest equipment trail crossings will be kept to a minimum and any damage to trails will be restored at the completion of operations.
For more information about the planned forest management activities along the Chippewa Hills Pathway, contact Dale Parris at 989-590-1204.
Learn more about how and why the DNR takes care of state forests at Michigan.gov/ForestManagement.
