Prentiss Woods and Brown Woods Forest Management Plans
At a glance
What: new 10-year forest management plans (2026-2036) for the city-owned Prentiss Woods and Brown Woods.
Where it stands: staff from Parks and Recreation and the Forestry Division asked the committee for review before the plans become the governing documents; the Prentiss Woods plan would run 2026-08-17 to 2036-08-17.
Next: committee review; no action recorded in the packet.
Details
Prentiss Woods: last written plan dates to 1965; the 25-acre city parcel is managed with about 40 acres culturally considered part of the woods. Objectives: safe recreation, forest health, protecting waters, cultural features and habitat, and demonstrating good forest management; a 250-foot buffer around a vernal pool is recommended.
Brown Woods: plan history is unclear (a possible joint draft dated 2002). No commercial harvest is recommended other than to promote forest health, such as removing invasive Norway maple and hazard trees; the northern boundary line is to be re-blazed to discourage dumping.