The Inland Wetlands Commission (IWC), in its role as the town's forest practices agency, has issued a Litchfield logger a timber harvesting permit for a property on Brushy Hill Road.

After reviewing an application for the cutting work from Bruce Turner, who heads Turner Logging & Firewood, IWC members on February 10 granted the firm a permit for a selective timber harvest at 165 Brushy Hill Road. The parcel, which has equestrian facilities, is known as Sunny Brook Farm.

The site, which is in a R-2 (Residential) zone, lies on the east side of Brushy Hill Road, between Brushy Hill Road's intersections with Platts Hill Road and Silver Brook Lane.

Mr Turner told IWC members that the project would have no effect on wetlands, as the harvesting would occur on an upland area of the 21-acre property, according to IWC records.

Erosion control measures would not be required for the project.

In the timber harvest, old dying trees would be removed. The cutting work would open the forest canopy to allow more sunlight to reach the ground, promoting new tree growth.

An estimated 17 percent of the trees at the nine-acre logging area would be removed, according to IWC records.

Mr Turner told IWC members that trees whose trunks are less than 16 inches in diameter would not be removed. Also, "seed trees" at the site would not be cut. Seed trees are those trees which are left uncut to provide seed for forest reproduction.

The firm estimates it will take one year to complete the project. Work would occur from 8 am to 6 pm on Mondays through Saturdays.

When complete, the tree cutting would produce approximately 25,000 board/feet of lumber. The plans for the project are depicted on a "harvest area map" submitted to the IWC.

IWC members unanimously approved the harvesting plans following a discussion on the application.