The lawn at Kephart Park, a $3.5 million, six-acre park in Bargersville that opened in July.
Daily Journal File Photo
Kephart Park will look a little different to those visiting or driving by as crews work to clear old trees. The town of Bargersville has cleared six dead trees from the southeast area of the park.
Three companies ranging from environmental scientists, forestry services and arborists assessed the area and made the recommendation to clear dead or broken trees to encourage new growth, said Kris Wilson, Bargersville parks director.
“The biggest thing is the dead and hazardous trees and the debris that’s in the forest to allow for positive growth, healthy growth not just for the trees, but also any of the animals,” Wilson said.
The project is not meant to clear invasive species, which would be an entire project of its own, Wilson said. Clearing out trees will rejuvenate the area and encourage natural growth of the area. When the trees are cleared, more sunlight and water will be exposed to the area’s soil to promote natural growth.
“So all that stuff is going to the trees that need it and can thrive off of it instead of the ones that are dead or that are broken off and don’t have any hope of growing any leaves or providing any shade or anything like that,” she said. “It also assists in getting rid of or keeping away pests and disease.”
The winter time is the best time to complete a project like this because there is less interruption than in summer and spring months to wildlife and insects, Wilson said.
“We really wanted to clean up the woods, not only for aesthetics, but really the health of the woods and everything like that,” she said.
Most of the trees that will be cut down will be made into wood chips and put back into the woods, Wilson said.
The project opens up opportunities for future natural developments but the immediate purpose isn’t to clear trees for trails. The town does plan to build a trail in Kephart Park eventually, Wilson said.
