We visited Turf Hill and Millersford Plantation on 5 February 2023, which was exactly two weeks after our first survey. We were surprised to find that the majority of the timber was still uncollected lying on the ground given the speed at which the 13.5 hectares was felled in just 2-3 weeks. Two weeks ago the ground was frozen, now it has thawed. Consequently, the condition of the two main trails has deteriorated considerably. Both main trails are now impassable, with mud frequently a foot deep, and some sections resembling a mud slurry. I tried to traverse the trail but got stuck in the mud and like others, had to clamber over the timber and felled branches along the side of the trail. It is going to take a lot of money, time and effort to return these trails to a fit state. I assume that the delay in timber collection may be due to the poor condition of the trails not being suitable for use by heavy equipment. Rain is expected in a week or so and conditions will deteriorate further, especially as all the trees have been removed on the steep slopes, increasing water runoff.
