January 20, 2026
Improving HCWS Forest Health
This winter (January–February), RLHT will conduct a 1–2 week forest management operation to remove non-native Norway Spruce trees at Hunter Cove Wildlife Sanctuary, during which the trail system will be temporarily closed for safety. Much of the property was open pastureland in the early 20th century, and in 1962, more than 8,000 non-native Norway spruce were planted to the right of the parking area.
While these tall, straight rows of trees 🌲 might look nice, we can substantially improve the condition of the overall forest health and resilience by removing the non-native species. “Part of the goal we want to achieve in our forest ecosystem management plan is to harvest these non-native trees, allow sunlight to reach the forest floor again and regenerate our native tree and plant species,” says Jason Latham, RLHT’s conservation biologist. “At first, aesthetically, this stand is going to look much different, but fortunately, we live in Maine and our forests regenerate quickly. This will result in a stand that’s more resilient, healthy and diverse and provide great quality habitat.”
Removing the Norway spruce will allow:
✅ Native vegetation to regenerate
✅ Strengthen the forest against climate change, insects, and disease
✅ Create high-quality wildlife habitat
The operation will also support the local working forest economy and will be carried out under the guidance of Seven Islands Land Company foresters and RLHT staff.
Watch this short video to learn more. For questions or comments, please email us 📧 at info@rlht.org or call our office at (207) 864-7311.
