Analysis of Hyla Woods Bird Research
Effects of Management Practices on Avian Abundance in Oregon Coast Range Forests Molly Hayes Biology-Environmental Studies Whitman College 2014 Advisor: Delbert Hutchison Abstract Forestry in Oregon has traditionally used an industrial model aimed to maximize timber production and revenue, with little attention to the potentially negative affects on ecosystem health and biological diversity. However, some […]
The Value of Heat
Some like it hot – but the Hyla Woods team does not. Though we are champion “heat wimps”, our work at our mill and kiln teaches us the value of heat. This has been one of our best summers yet for using our solar kiln to dry green (wet!) lumber into high quality products. Using less […]
The 230 Year Challenge – Who’s In?
In the forests, every year and season brings some new adventure. A low point of 2014 was that the largest oak in our Mt. Richmond Forest died. We’re not sure of the cause – perhaps just old age? The discovery of this winter was that once the old, dead monster tree was cut and came […]
Update on Herbicide Trespass Incident
For those interested in this incident and issue, here is a quick update. The Oregon Department of Agriculture completed their investigation and shared their report. As we expected, they found no evidence of a violation of Oregon law. OPB provided this coverage: http://www.opb.org/news/article/investigators-find-no-evidence-of-chemical-drift/ The Department of Forestry is completing their own investigation of the incident. […]
It’s Not OK
It’s Not OK – On the morning of May 17th four of us who were working in our Timber forests were apparently exposed to drift from an herbicide spray operation. We were each working in different parts of the forest and independently sensed the chemical – either through smelling and/or tasting. We soon became aware […]
Students Share Their Results and Conclusions
For the past three years we’ve been fortunate to have the seventh graders from Catlin Gabel School focus their research attention on the health of our Timber Forest. Here is a report on the questions their asked, the data they collected, and the conclusions that they’ve drawn. We thank them, their teachers and the parent […]
I Caught Hell – And Deserved It
I thought they’d be pleased to see me, but they weren’t. Hands on their hips, they gave me a steely, stern look as I puttered up on my four wheeler “iron pony”. As soon as I shut down the engine, they accusatively asked “you didn’t drive down the road did you?”. The four of them […]
New Food for Thought
Our forests produce many things that we find of interest and value. This includes thoughts and ideas. Over time, some have proven useful while others have rightly wandered off into oblivion. I, Peter, write and share the essays shared in our “Food for Thought” section, not because I feel that I have any wisdom or […]
Full Use of Good Cedar – A Family Story
This past year, Peter, Caroline, and Lizzie put their heads together to consider what might be a good birthday gift for their father. Recognizing the skill and enthusiasm he brings to wood working, they asked themselves “why not get him some special lumber from our buddies out at Hyla Woods?”. The transaction was made, Paul was […]
Who Knows….
Who knows where the wood goes? In the busy business of caring for the forests, and milling, drying, and selling the wood that they provide, it is all too easy to lose track of where the wood ends up. This week we had a welcome inquiry from our friend and customer, Charles Freeborn. After discovering […]