Wildlife Management
Focus of Gaiko Tour

On December 3, the White River Partnership's Forestry Work Group hosted a forest tour on the land of Robert and Anita Gaiko in Bethel.

Located high along a ridge overlooking Bethel village, this property has long held prominence among townspeople because of the American flag flying from a pole erected there.

Much of the nearly 200-acre parcel consists of forest that has been designated as "deer yard" by Vermont Fish & Wildlife. The primary focus of the tour was a discussion of how a recent timber harvest was conducted to protect habitat requirements for white-tail deer.

A light and chilling wind mixed with pleasant sunshine as eight members of the FWG and public joined Bob Gaiko on the tour. He explained that to meet his objective of improving the woodlot while limiting residual slash, his forester arranged a whole-tree harvesting operation. The Gaiko's forester is Patrick Bartlett from Barnard, a consultant who specializes in wildlife forestry.

Because low-quality trees were harvested, chip-wood was the primary product from the sale. Harvesting chip-wood from a designated deer yard triggers a regulatory review, so a harvest plan was created to ensure against undue impact. As the group was led through the harvest area, it was evident that the job had been carefully orchestrated.

Jon Bouton, Windsor County forester and WRP-FWG member, led discussions about forest regeneration, mechanized selective harvest, and the value of trees that produce mast for wildlife food.

Bouton pointed out how a "feller/buncher" was used to harvest low-grade competitors without damaging good trees on either side. He noted that species such as wild turkey will be encouraged by the post-harvest open character in some areas of the woodland, and how trees such as red oak, black cherry, and ironwood—which provide food for wildlife—were left standing.

Family Legacy

The forest tour ended at a small opening at the top of the hill where an American flag flies atop a small pole. Gaiko’s Uncle Louie, the original Gaiko family owner, erected it there in the late 1960s after he discovered that a couple of young men had helped themselves to one of his trees to hang a flag. Being a retired Marine, he felt that the flag should be hung with more respect and he employed the young men's service to rectify the situation.

Standing in the clearing with spectacular views to the southwest, Gaiko described how every year schoolchildren, boy scouts, and other community groups hike to the flagpole, and use his land for recreation and education. He also told how he and his wife are proud to continue the family commitment to their land, and how they are pleased to have their grandchildren learning to enjoy it as well.

"The WRP Forestry Work Group extends sincere appreciation to Robert and Anita Gaiko for their generosity and hospitality," said member Carl Russell this week.

The December tour was seventh in a series focusing on topics such as clear-cutting, conservation easements, sugaring, wilderness, and forest recreation, Russell noted.

Topics for 2007 include watershed policy, riparian buffer zones, vernal pool protection, erosion control, and public ownership of forests.

The Forestry Work Group meets the first Tuesday of each month at 7 p.m. in the Bethel school cafeteria. For information, contact Betsy Shands, WRP outreach coordinator, at 767-4600 or on line at betsy@whiteriverpartnership.org.

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