To the unknowing angler or backwoods explorer, stumbling onto the scene can be jarring: mature hardwood trees growing along the banks of high-quality streams, chain-sawed at their base and intentionally dropped across the water. Exposed root balls winch into the streambank. During high water, the obstructions shunt water out of the stream and onto the forest floor.
Is it eco-vandalism? No. It’s a carefully orchestrated and increasingly popular stream improvement technique embraced by public land managers and conservation groups in Pennsylvania.
The practice is known officially as “large woody material stream restoration” but more commonly as “chop and drop.”
Advocates say it is a valuable tool to help build populations of disappearing native eastern brook trout, boost aquatic insects, reduce stream erosion and sediment buildup, and to generally improve the stream ecosystem.
“It’s one of the most effective methods for habitat improvement,” said Luke Bobnar, watershed scientist for the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy. “I think it’s growing because we now have a cultural recognition that wood is part of a vibrant ecosystem.”
The conservancy has carried out chop-and-drop projects on 56 miles of streams in the Allegheny National Forest, state game lands and other places.
Trees and branches have been dropping generous loads of woody debris into streams, without help from humans, for all of Earth’s history — until the last few centuries, when old growth forests virtually disappeared in a geological blink of an eye. And even where second-growth forests have taken their place, the trees are not old enough to regularly supply woody material to the streams.
Enter chop and drop, where teams of trained workers armed with little more than helmets, chainsaws and perhaps winches trek deep into the woods, where heavy machinery can’t go. There, they restore a long-missing link to high-quality streams, especially in inaccessible and vital headwaters.
“What we’re trying to do with this process is replicate what an old growth forest would be doing naturally. We’re just speeding that up and accelerating the process,” said Michael Wright, who oversees resource management in the 90,000-acre Michaux State Forest in central Pennsylvania.
Allegheny National Forest staff and Pennsylvania chapters of Trout Unlimited were the pioneers for chop and drop in the state, treating more than 70 miles of streams in its only national forest. The work has attracted volunteer groups as well, such as Backcountry Hunters and Anglers.
Chop and drop is not a new concept. It has been around for 20 years or so, first used in Western states and now in the East. But only eight years ago, it was not permitted on Pennsylvania streams.
Advocates of the technique with the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission and the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources persuaded the state Department of Environmental Protection to permit chop and drop by classifying it as fish habitat enhancement.
“You couldn’t do these activities before because there was no permit for it. Now it’s exponentially growing every year,” said Mark Sausser, stream habitat chief for the Fish and Boat Commission. “This opened up a huge amount of forested watersheds all over the state.”
The Pennsylvania Game Commission is inviting chop and drop on its high-quality streams on the 1.5 million acres of state game lands.
This almost makes too much sense to be carried out by a government agency.
The Wombat has Rule Five Sunday: Indoor Lounging up and garnering clicks at The Other McCain.
Couldn't do it before, because there was no permit for it. And everyone knows everything requires a Permit.
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