If there was a vote on whether or not to clear the State Forest of 175 acres of white pine plantations, it would likely be a landslide against the proposal, at least according to public comments recently submitted.
The Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) received more than 100 written responses to the controversial restoration plan when it opened up an additional two weeks of public comment on the Vineyard in March, and the overwhelming majority — nearly 5 to 1 — were critical of the plan.
Many of the reasons have been voiced before — that wildlife would be disrupted, that the Island’s greatest carbon sink would be minimized, that a beautiful, mature forest would be lost, and that there is a general mistrust of the state conservation department, considering what many say has been years of neglect for the Island.
Those in support of the project have described the possibilities of a more diverse forest, that hundreds of acres of rare habitat would be restored — the Vineyard has one of the top five sandplain environments in the country; supporters also expressed excitement about the return of rare species, and noted that restoration work would mitigate fire risk.
The project, intended to remove 175 acres of non-native pine plantations to allow more native species to grow, has received fierce criticism from some Island residents since the plan gained wider publicity — at least on the Vineyard — six months ago. The state originally welcomed public comment in 2022, when a number of other similar projects were being proposed around Massachusetts, but not one Island resident sent in a letter, raising questions as to whether the state had publicized the plan enough on the Island. When many called for more dialogue this year, the state opened up a two-week comment period in March.
On April 29, the state made public all the comments submitted on its website, and issued a statement to The Times saying it is considering next steps, which will involve working with the Manuel Correllus State Forest Task Force and stakeholders. The task force is an Island-based cooperative, formed from the Martha’s Vineyard Commission, fire chiefs, and other local conservation groups, along with DCR representatives. It is in support of the project.
“We appreciate and value the input of the public on this forest restoration and management project,” a DCR representative stated in an email to The Times. “DCR has provided answers to questions about the necessity of this project to the future of Manuel Correllus State Forest, one of the agency’s most important properties for rare species, and the scientific rationale behind the project.”
But of the roughly 90 people who wrote letters against the project in March — many of whom are anonymous and don’t say whether they live on the Island or not — the majority are calling for either an extension on the plan that would allow them to learn more, or a complete halt to the project.
Among them, Times “Garden Notes” columnist Abigail Higgins cited the natural carbon the pine forest provides. “The project of ‘restoration’ appears to resemble more an act of egregious vandalism,” she wrote. “There is no cogent excuse for the destruction of this sizable carbon sink in the manner described and planned for.”
Many comments also brought up the impact of the forest on the daily life and history of Islanders. Richard Toole, an Oak Bluffs resident, said he used to work for Vineyard Pine Lumber in the 1970s and ’80s. “[We] had a contract with DCR to thin the pines and turn them into landscape timbers. We were careful to leave the best trees,” he said. “Many of these are the ones being considered [to be clear-]cut.”
Prudy Burt of West Tisbury said she had submitted a letter in December 2024 to DCR that was not considered, asking for more information and a pause on the project. She was one of the first Islanders to hear about the plan after a walk-through of the forest last fall with DCR Management Forester Paul Gregory. She called for a halt to the project in her letter, and also said her questions over the past few months went unanswered.
“Attendees at the listening session held on-Island by DCR last October overwhelmingly asked for DCR to install a full-time, year-round employee in the State Forest house, and for the bike paths to be repaved,” Burt wrote. “About this, we have not heard one word.”
In addition to Burt’s alarm, there are further concerns that the letters will not have an effect on the outcome of the project at all. Although public comments were opened back up, state officials have said they are required to complete the work.
For others, the possibility of a biodiverse landscape in the forest is enough reason to move forward with the project. Roughly 20 people wrote in with support. “By restoring additional habitat in the center of the Island at the MFC State Forest, the state will have provided a means for the landward migration of species,” wrote Island resident Tom Chase. “As you know, with biodiversity comes the ecosystem services it provides, such as pollination, watershed protection, and resistance to new pests and pathogens.”
Many supporters were members of local conservation groups, who have said the removal of the white pine trees will make way for a more diverse future for the forest. With the closing of one door, another could have the space to open.
“The white pine plantations create a fragmented ecosystem,” Polly Hill Arboretum Executive Director Tim Boland wrote. “With thoughtful removal, the habitat for New England’s rarest plants would increase, not decrease. Oak woodlands on the Vineyard are diminishing each year. Here is an opportunity to bring back oak woodlands on protected land.”
The possibility of an oak woodland forest has been an idea most Islanders haven’t been opposed to, but the lack of information regarding the way DCR would get there has been an issue for some. An oak woodland would provide more management than DCR has stated it is providing so far, but it has said its intention is to plant oak trees instead of having the forest be just a sandplain environment. The common ground between many of the supportive and oppositional letters to DCR is the community desire for woodland of some kind.
The next steps for this project involve DCR submitting its plan to the Edgartown conservation commission for review, and upon approval, the state will begin the bidding process — and eventually will hire contractors, construction workers, and tree-removal experts.
In hearings during the winter, officials have said that they expect the project to begin in the fall of 2025. When asked by The Times over email this week if there is a time frame for when the project might start, state officials responded with a statement that they are reviewing next steps.
Hmmm, Remember the uproar of opposition about the proposed Barnes Road roundabout? Yeah, they were wrong. It turned out to be one of the best decisions the island has made in recent times.
No, not necessarily. Sure, you cruise through the roundabout, but why do you think traffic is now so backed up on either end of Edgartown/Vineyard shaven Rd? Or the intersection of Edgartown/West Tisbury Rd? Or the four way intersection by the fire station in Oak Bluffs. All those backups are a direct result of the new roundabout.
How did the Roundabout create more cars and drivers? Your logic here is unknown to many of us
I didn’t say the roundabout has created more cars and traffic. What I said was, because traffic now cruises easier through the old blinker, it creates backups at the intersection on either end of Edgartown/Vineyard Haven Road and either end of Barnes Road.
All the roundabout has really accomplished is to move traffic to four of the busiest intersections on the island faster. Hate the blinker or the four way stop all you want, but those two things actually kept the flow of traffic in check.
Instead of waiting 5 minutes at the intersection of Edgartown/Vineyard Haven Rd and Barnes Rd, you’re now waiting 15 or 20 minutes at the intersections of Etown/VH Rd and State Rd or the Triangle. Or 15 minutes at the intersection of Barnes Rd and Etown/WT Rd. Or 10 minutes at the intersection of Barnes Rd/Wing Rd/County Rd.
Those intersections have actually been made more dangerous. Meanwhile, large trucks are obliged to drive over the center of the roundabout.
The roundabout accomplished nothing except providing a handy rhetorical tool with which to lambast challengers of wholly unrelated ill-conceived plans without actually engaging with the merits or demerits of the specific plan.
The pictures of Miles Standish state forest look amazing! I can’t wait to see the transformation in our state forest.
Exactly what I thought. I loved the sentence at the beginning of the article that one reason for resistence was that the state had ignored us for so long. Of course now that we’re being given some attention we don’t like it. Invasive species is just that, invasive. Do the project and guess what? In two years you just might have some other “radical” change to our precious Island that will garner your attention and the pine tree “calamity” will be forgotten.
The southern pine beetles are demolishing the native pitch pines. Climate change has already decimated the red pines mistakenly planted in the last century. Now the latest scourge, DCR, is proposing to remove a population of healthy white pines. Clearly, their vision is a forest without conifers. Just bare branches in winter. Is there not room enough for both the pines and an ‘oak forest’? Shame on you DCR. Listen to the people. How about an island-wide referendum? Save the Pines!
Cleaning up the State Forest.
Going back to those who can Manage a forest would be great. Right now the forests is in dire need of some to help keep it accessible, fire resistant and giving to humans, plants and animals. If the calls to cut all the pines were heeded, it would be an endless rask as the white pine seeds would be distributed from other parts of the island eventually.
Manage the forest and timber it accordingly no seat of the pants decisions.