A proposal by the Department of Conservation and Recreation to remove an area of white pine trees from the state forest is facing pushback from local forestry experts.
Fears of wildfire, concerns about trail safety and anger over this summer’s unannounced destruction of a homeless camp were the top themes when Islanders spoke to Massachusetts officials in charge of the Manuel F. Correllus State Forest on Thursday night.
Islanders will have a chance to air their concerns about the management of the Manuel F. Correllus state forest next week when state officials hold a public meeting on the Vineyard.
Staff planner Dan Doyle told commissioners last week that an MVC-led task group has been meeting to develop improvement plans that take into account both the forest’s ecological health and the safety of human communities that surround and use it.
A public outcry in support of the Island’s homeless community followed the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR)’s decision to clear three homeless encampments in the state forest last week.
State contractors entered the state forest this week and cleared three homeless encampments, razing tents and leaving several Islanders without their possessions.
The Island homelessness relief group Harbor Homes has begun a new summer outreach program that aims to offer food, medicine, counseling services and more to the Island’s high seasonal homeless population.
State conservation officials have made plans to cut down a stand of pest-ridden pine trees in the northwestern section of the Manuel F. Correllus state forest, after finding an infestation of the southern pine beetle earlier this summer.
Dry conditions, flammable native plants and encroaching development make the state forest at the heart of Martha’s Vineyard highly susceptible to wildfire, and officials are urging homeowners to help mitigate the risks.
