To the Editor:

I attended the Sept. 26 meeting of the Georgetown Conservation Commission where the topic of the evening was, in essence, whether or not to clear-cut the Ipcar Preserve as a possible approach to prevent a forest fire. The presentation was made by Barrie Brusilla, a registered forester.

The Ipcar Preserve was the brainchild of my uncle, Adolph Ipcar, who had the vision to protect this special forest for the use and enjoyment of residents of Georgetown. I worked closely with him, and in the early 1980s served as the president of the Maine Association of Conservation Commissions.

I hold a Ph.D. in vertebrate zoology, have written reports on wetlands for the state of Maine, and have served on the board of the Holt Woodlands Foundation in Arrowsic for 20 years.

I would emphasize that, to date, the Conservation Commission has been presented with a completely one-sided view regarding the future of the Ipcar Preserve. Soil scientists, hydrologists and wildlife biologists have not been consulted for their opinions.

As I stated at the meeting, a forest is far more than just trees.

In my opinion, a clear cut would destroy the essential character of the preserve, and lead to predictable and unforeseen outcomes.

A possible fire danger might be reduced, but the land would be modified into a largely sterile, even-aged stand of small trees and of limited aesthetic interest, for a long period of time. Few people would choose to visit the preserve for many years.

I believe that a discussion of the preserve’s future deserves a more searching and intensive review over a period of years.

Admittedly, no panacea exists, but at this time I would envision various disadvantages to a clear cut with an as yet unproven need.

In short, it seems premature to a favor a clear cut without a far more thorough examination of the preserve’s ecology. A rush to judgment is unwarranted given our current state of knowledge.

Tim Zorach
Georgetown