Sockum Ridge and Clemons Creek are two heavily wooded recreation areas under the jurisdiction of the Washington County Conservation Board, and they are the focus of timber stand improvements in the county. Conservation Director Steve Anderson said they hired an outside firm to remove unwanted trees in the Sockum Ridge timber stand, which will improve reproduction among the remaining trees. The firm completed the job recently, and Anderson says the next phase is to conduct prescribed burns in the timber stand to further prepare the site for improved reproduction. The improvements are being done on 14 of the 215 acre timber at Sockum Ridge, which is located south of Washington on the way to Wayland.

At Clemons Creek, the conservation board is working on the clean-up of the timber stand after the harvest, according to Anderson. They’re going in now to ensure they were successful in the regeneration they’ve begun. With the harvest phase completed, they’re making sure the remaining timber is viable and healthy. Additionally, they’re ensuring the species combination is correct to make the healthiest timber possible. Clemons Creek is located west of Washington between the Kewash Nature Trail and Highway G38.