The purpose of this chapter is to protect forests and the environmental
and economic benefits they provide and to encourage the owners of
forestland to continue to use their land wisely, including the long-term
production of timber, recreation, wildlife and amenity values. The
timber harvesting requirements of this chapter are intended to further
the above purpose by:
A. Promoting good forest stewardship;
B. Minimizing the potential for adverse environmental impact; and
C. Avoiding unreasonable and unnecessary restrictions on the right to
practice forestry.
The provisions of this chapter shall apply to all timber harvesting
within the Township where the size of tract exceeds one acre or where
the value of the trees, logs or other timber products removed exceeds
$1,000. These provisions do not apply to the cutting of trees for
the personal use of the landowner or for pre-commercial timber stand
improvement.
As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the
meanings given them in this section.
FELLING
The act of cutting a standing tree so that it falls to the
ground.
FORESTRY
Managing and using for human benefit forestlands and natural
resources that occur on and in association with forestlands, including
trees, other plants, animals, soil and water. It includes, but is
not limited to, the planting, cultivating, harvesting, transporting
and selling of trees for commercial purposes.
LANDING
A place where logs, pulpwood or firewood are assembled for
transportation to processing facilities.
LANDOWNER
An individual, partnership, company, firm, association or
corporation that is in actual control of forestland, whether such
control is based on legal or equitable title, or on any other interest
entitling the holder to sell or otherwise dispose of any or all of
the timber on such land in any manner, and any agents thereof acting
on their behalf, such as forestry consultants, who set up and administer
timber harvesting.
LITTER
Discarded items not naturally occurring on the site, such
as tires, oil cans, equipment parts and other rubbish.
LOP
To cut tops and slash into smaller pieces to allow the material
to settle close to the ground.
OPERATOR
An individual, partnership, company, firm, association or
corporation engaged in timber harvesting, including the agents, subcontractors
and employees thereof.
PRE-COMMERCIAL TIMBER STAND IMPROVEMENT
A forest practice, such as thinning or pruning, which results
in better growth, structure, species composition or health for the
residual stand but which does not yield a net income to the landowner,
usually because any trees cut are of poor quality, too small or otherwise
of limited marketability or value.
SKIDDING
Dragging trees on the ground from the stump to the landing
by any means.
SLASH
Woody debris left in the woods after logging, including logs,
chunks, bark, branches, uprooted stumps and broken or uprooted trees
or shrubs.
STAND
Any area of forest vegetation whose site conditions, past
history and current species composition are sufficiently uniform to
be managed as a unit.
STREAM
Any natural or artificial channel of conveyance for surface
water with an annual or intermittent flow within a defined bed and
banks.
TOP
The upper portion of a felled tree that is unmerchantable
because of small size, taper or defect.
WETLAND
Areas that are inundated or saturated by surface water or
groundwater at a frequency and duration sufficient to support, and
that under normal circumstances do support, a prevalence of vegetation
typically adapted for life in saturated soil conditions, including
swamps, marshes, bogs and similar areas.
For all timber harvesting operations that are expected to exceed
one acre or $1,000 in value, the landowner shall notify the Township
Code Enforcement Officer and/or the Township Forester Consultant at
least five business days before the operation commences and within
two business days before the operation is complete. No timber harvesting
shall occur until the notice has been provided. Notification shall
be in writing and shall specify the land on which harvesting will
occur, the expected size of the harvest area, and, as applicable,
the anticipated starting or completion date of the operation.
The following requirements shall apply to all timber harvesting
operations in the Township:
A. Felling or skidding on or across any public thoroughfare is prohibited
without the express written consent of the Township or the Pennsylvania
Department of Transportation, whichever is responsible for maintenance
of the thoroughfare.
B. No tops or slash shall be left within 25 feet of any public thoroughfare
or private roadway providing access to adjoining residential property.
C. All mainstream portions of residual tree tops and slash shall be
lopped to a maximum height of six feet above the surface of the ground,
in all areas affected by harvesting to include public and private
roadways.
D. No tops or slash shall be left on or across the boundary of any property
adjoining the operation without the consent of the owner thereof.
E. Litter resulting from a timber harvesting operation shall be removed
from the site before it is vacated by the operator.