Brookfield Highlands Forest

Descriptions

Introduction
The forest is ideally suited to the development of a year-'round home site, while continuing the growth of the existing timber crop.

Property highlights include:

Quiet country location with town-maintained access and adjacent electric power;

Building site options along the road or further into the woods;

Exceptional timber resource with standing value estimated to be $113,700;

Stone walls and gentle terrain.

Location
The property is situated in the northeast section of Brookfield Township, in an area predominately forested and generally at the towns region of highest elevation. This location gives way to long views to the west from certain locations near and on the land.

Locally, there are a few year-round neighbors adjacent to the property with mixed home sizes, styles and maintenance levels. Not far from the property in all directions, the landscape changes from predominately forested to a greater mix of open farmland, creating an attractive local setting.

While the property is situated in a rural area, away from traveled roads, three town villages are nearby. Williamstown village is 6 miles to the northwest where most amenities are available. Chelsea Village, the county seat, is 7 miles to the southeast. The small hamlet of Brookfield, at Sunset Lake, is 5 miles to the west, while Montpelier is 20 miles north. Boston is about a 2.75-hours drive to the southeast.

Access
Access is provided by roughly 400 of direct frontage along the town-maintained portion of Cemetery Street; beyond this point the land has a further 1,590 along the non-town-maintained section of this road. In addition, 725 of frontage exists along Taylor Hill Road; though this is also not town-maintained, this road is kept open in the winter months by local neighbors. Electric power and telephone service runs along Taylor Hill Road and the town-maintained portion of Cemetery Street, with existing and potential driveway cuts easily upgraded and/or established along these roads for housing and/or future forest management activities. Internal trails are well developed and a VAST snowmobile trail runs across the southern end of the land, providing direct access to this recreational asset.

Site Description
Gentle to moderate slopes define the terrain, with southern and western exposure. The center of the property is mostly level and generally the highest elevation in the area at 1,840.

The entire property was once farmed and part of a homestead, evident by the pine stands that have become established from old field abandonment, the many stone walls that cross the land, remnants of a stone foundation, and the Goodrich Cemetery that is located on the property along Cemetery Street.

The headwaters of a small stream originate on the land, and a forested wetland is located in the northeast corner. Soils are generally well drained on the land west of Cemetery Street, as well as the separate 3-acre parcel east of Cemetery Street that comes with the property. This 3-acre lot appears to be buildable. The property also supports a potential homesite just off Taylor Hill Road, with other options located towards the center of the property where views with tree clearing can be long.

Timber
The timber resource has been carefully managed, producing the exceptional stands that exist today. A timber inventory in the spring of 2019 for the purpose of establishing timber value reveals a property-wide Capital Timber Value (CTV) of $113,700 ($1,203/commercial acre).

Hardwoods are the dominant species, holding 79% of total volume. Species composition is dominated by sugar maple, white pine, the birches and white ash, with other common associates making up the balance. The sawlog volume is dominated by sugar maple, white pine and white ash.

All stands are fully stocked (total basal area of 99.7 square feet) with stem quality of the hardwoods and pine exceptional. Scattered, very old sugar maples (100 years of age) are present, adding diversity to the resource. Average diameter of the sawlog component by volume is 15, with average diameter for all products combined at 13.5. The average diameter of the three main species is 14.5 for sugar maple, 19.0 for white pine, and 14.0 for white ash.

Orange County, Vermont is well known for producing some of the finest sugar maple in the country due to its soils which are perfectly suited to maple growth. This, combined with careful management, has produced an exceptional timber resource.