Horse Logging In Action
In Appalachia
- My name is Jason Rutledge and I am a practicing sustainable forester in Appalachia. I live
in Floyd County, in Southwest Va. I operate a small company where we manage
forestland and harvest timber using the method of balanced many aged
management through single tree selection. Our extraction of log length
segments is accomplished with animal powered traction. We use horses,
mules and oxen. We use a log arch to provide front end suspension of
logs that allows removal with minimum impact on the soil and remaining
growing timber. We also assist non-industrial private forestland owners. We value add our forest products through on site sawing and community based processing as close to the source as possible. We provide instruction of modern horse logging through quarterly workshops throughout the Appalachian region. I travel all over the country to speak about modern animal powered extraction and my belief that what is good for the ecology is good for the economy in forest management. I am convinced that animal powered extraction is the most appropriate technology for sustainable forestry.
For more information about my work and practictioners of
ground level sustainable forestry and rural economic development please
contact Jason Rutledge, ESLLC, 8014 Bear Ridge Rd., Copper Hill, Va.
24079, Telephone/Fax 540-651-6355, e-mail jason@swva.net