Chase Road, Berlin, VT 05602 - Washington County

Chase Mountain Forest offers exceptional opportunities for a multiple-use investment. The property contains a high-value and well-stocked timber resource but also presents attractive homesite opportunities in conjunction with the expansive woodlot. This forest is perfect for a timberland or multiple-use investor desiring to live close to and appreciate their asset.

Investment highlights include:

-Recent 2024 sugarbush inventory revealed 44,864 taps with an additional 18,314 potential taps within the 5-8 diameter size classes.

-Exceptional timber resource with capital timber value estimated to be $1,584,300.

-Long town road frontage with developed internal woods trails.

-Secure access with roadside power.

-Attractive location within 7 miles of Vermont's capital city, Montpelier, and 39 miles to Burlington, Vermont's most populous city.

-An old house and 2.0 acres outside the land's conservation easement, near the end of a quiet, town-maintained road, with options to repair the existing homestead or build new to suit.

-Protection by a conservation easement, allowing sugarbush operations, forest management, and development of associated support infrastructure.

Location

Chase Mountain Forest is located in central Vermont, a region known for nurturing productive stands of sugar maple and other commonly occurring northern hardwoods. The area also benefits from a diverse array of regional and local markets for forest products, including sawlogs, veneer, pulpwood, and maple sap/syrup outlets. The surrounding landscape is mountainous and heavily wooded overall.

The property is 15 minutes from Montpelier, the state capital of Vermont, and Interstate 89. The forest is within the towns of Moretown and Berlin. The city of Montpelier and surrounding towns are well known for their solid employment base, strong communities, and vibrant cultural scenes. To the south, the closest town is Northfield, which contains the famous Darn Tough Socks headquarters and Norwich University.

Boston, Massachusetts, and Hartford, Connecticut, are both 3.5 hours to the southeast and south, respectively.

Access

This multiple-use investment offers secure, year-round access from a town road. Much of the forest is accessed by Chase Road, a fully-maintained, graveled town road off Vermont Route 12. The property starts near the end of Chase Road, where only one year-round residence is located. There is approximately 2,100' of frontage along the maintained section of the road and approximately 3,500' of frontage along the Class IV section (not maintained during winter months). A portion of the southern end of the property is accessed from Showacre Road, where a legal right-of-way from this road enters the property.

Electric power and phone service are provided along the Chase Road frontage. Power at the land's southern end is roughly 1,000' from the property.

Boundaries are generally marked and monumented; however, maintenance in the form of boundary painting will likely be needed within the next five years.

Site Description

The property is positioned along the eastern slope of Chase Mountain, a locally prominent peak over 2,000' in elevation. Two shoulders associated with Chase Mountain fall on the property, creating the highest points at 1,859' and 1,790' in elevation. These shoulders define the eastern bowl of Chase Mountain, a scenic, secluded area with the headwaters of Chase Brook. Much of the terrain slopes gently, with rolling hills on primarily southern, northern, and eastern aspects. Moderate to steep terrain exists in areas leading to the ridges. Along some of the road frontage and internal trails, the terrain is mostly gentle.

There is a 5-acre meadow at the land's southern end where the right-of-way enters the property.

The property includes a former caretaker's house near the end of Chase Road. The house and its 2.0 acres have been formally subdivided from the larger, easement-encumbered forest. The house is in need of repairs and is being sold as is with no warranty as to its structural condition, septic, or water systems, although water and septic systems are currently installed. (Alternative septic sites have also been approved as part of the subdivision). This site offers an ideal location for a sugarhouse or home, whether by repairing the existing structure or tear-down and new construction. The structure has existing power and telephone hookups, as well as outbuildings, which are currently used to store hay and other implements. Whether by repairing or rebuilding the existing structure, this house and the associated house site represent an attractive addition to the property.

Conservation Easement

The conservation easement on the property is held by the Vermont Land Trust (Vlt), a Vermont-based organization and one of the most respected conservation organizations in the nation. A working forest partnership with VLT offers the new owner predictability and cooperation, given the long history and solid reputation this land trust has established regarding the easement lands under its jurisdiction.

A principal objective of the easement's commercial acreage is to maintain, grow and harvest forest resources and products on a sustainable basis. The terms of the easement prevent subdivision and future development of any kind; however, forestry and sugarbush operations, and construction of associated support infrastructure, are permitted, including construction of a visitor's center.

Easement highlights include:

-Most sustainable and traditional forestry and sugarbush activities are permitted to support the long-term stewardship of the protected property.

-The entire property is open to non-vehicular public recreation and hunting.

-Silvicultural activities are limited to sustainable levels, with target crop tree diameters set per species group.

-SWPZs (Surface Water Protection Zones) are present in the forest. No forest management activities are permitted within 50' of easement mapped brooks and wetland areas (such areas have been removed from the timber inventory).

-Harvest levels are reduced within 250' of easement-mapped brooks and riparian areas as part of the Swpzs.

-One camp structure of 800 ft square is permitted and has been constructed on the property.

-The maps provided in the report designate the Surface Water Protection Zones (Swpz). Copies of the easement and baseline documentation are available upon request.

Timber

Timber information provided in this report is based on a May/June 2024 timber inventory using random point sampling with 139 BAF 15 factor points taken (1 plot/7.0 acres). Sampling statistics are favorable, with 8.6% for all products combined and 11.2% for sawlogs at the 95% confidence level, figures within industry standards. The timber cruise grid was one plot every 564' X 564'. Volumes are current with this growing season and can be considered an accurate and complete inventory of the timber value in the forest at this time.

The timber data reveals an overall timber value of $1,584,300. Sawlogs, both hardwood and softwood, account for $1,288,100 of the value, which is comprised of 64% hardwood and 36% softwood.

Species Composition:

A species composition dominated by hardwoods prevails, with hardwoods at 73% and softwoods at 27% of total volume. Species composition is led by red maple (23%), followed by sugar maple (22%), hemlock (17%) and white ash (9%). The sawlog volume breakdown consists largely of maples (49%) and hemlock (13%). The diverse species composition is the result of past agricultural land use, which covered nearly all of the gently sloping terrain. The historic fields have naturally reverted to forest over the last 150 years. In these areas, white birch and pine prevail. Within the areas that have not seen agricultural uses over the last 150-200 years, northern hardwoods, such as sugar maple, yellow birch, ash, and beech dominate. The species composition is typical of forests that have experienced past agricultural use, where early-successional species dominate, as well as areas in the far reaches of the property where older, less disturbed forests dominate.

Stocking and Stem Quality:

Forest stocking is generally overstocked or well-stocked on most of the acreage. The average Basal Area (Ba) is well over 120 ft2 on 238 stems/acre. Acceptable growing stock BA is nearly 87 ft2, a level which can nearly fully occupy the growing space upon thinning of the lower-quality stems.

Sawlog Value/ Thinning History:

Sawlog value is largely dominated by sugar maple (44%), with the balance equally split by the other individual species and species groups, such as white ash, birches, and maples.

Since the tenure of the current ownership, which began in 2010, no silvicultural activity has been conducted, and no harvesting has occurred since 1993. Based on current stocking levels, thinning activity can occur at any time, and a good portion of the property is scheduled for harvesting in this forest management planning period.

Diameter Distribution:

Average diameter for all products combined is 10, while the average sawlog diameter is nearly 15. Younger stands (about 30-60 years of age) exist on the gently sloping terrain. Older stands (average age of about 100 years) occupy the mid-slope and ridgetops. There is a 5-6-Acre red pine plantation along West Hill Road.

The property contains a diverse mix of age classes and species compositions. While the bulk of the timber value is found in high-quality, mature sugar maple stands, the forest also contains areas dominated by pine and spruce, as well as younger stands that were harvested around 30-60 years ago. In these areas, saplings and small poletimber consisting of hardwood species make up the bulk of the stocking, and represent an excellent future value potential.

The two major species are sugar maple and red maple, which show strong average diameters and stocking.

Sugarbush Opportunity

The property offers an exceptional potential sugarbush opportunity, given the level of maple stocking, slope factor, access, and proximity to electric power. A recent May/June 2024 timber inventory designed to determine tap data indicates a potential tap count of 44,864 taps, split roughly even between red maple and sugar maple. Trees 9 and greater were considered, providing an average of 58 taps/acre across the forest., with around 18,000 potential future taps in smaller size classes.

The tappable area is divided into two distinct tapping areas, separated by large hills that would lead to two collection points. The northern area is the largest at 541 acres and sports a total of 28,673 taps (53 taps per acre). The southern area is smaller, and taps would drain south toward Showacre Road. This area contains 16,191 taps and 63 taps per acre. Portions of the property, namely in the central regions, are young overall or contain elevated softwood stocking, therefore would offer less tapping potential. A map of prime sugaring areas is included in the property report.