In April 2005 North Quabbin Woods in Orange collaborated with Mahar Regional High School to help students explore the link between woodworking, sustainable resource management, and the local economy. 

Students in John Kelley’s woodshops classes are creating a variety of wood projects from puzzle-looking “intarsias” and routed signs to carved spoon and small furniture. “The Woods in our Woodshop” program provided 20 of these 9-12^th grade students with a chance to learn where the wood they use comes from.

The students visited a timber harvest in Orange where forester Si Balch from the New England Forestry Foundation discussed tree growth, locally available species and forest management, and the students had a chance to view a cut-to-length harvester in action. The group then visited Heyes Forest Products in Orange where Fred Heyes gave a tour of the sawmill, dry kilns and the mill’s end products.

On a second trip students visited the woodshops of Michael Humphries Woodworking and Cadwell Joinery in Warwick, MA where they learned about locally made windows, furniture, and millwork as well as the equipment and skills needed to produce them.

North Quabbin Woods staff also visited students in the classroom to learn about their projects and to explain how North Quabbin Woods can help them pursue any future interest in wood products careers. Student projects include

Feedback for the program from students and high school staff has been very positive and a number of participants have visited the North Quabbin Woods showroom and expressed interest in getting involved. North Quabbin Woods will continue to provide opportunities for these up and coming woodworkers.

North Quabbin Woods is a project of the New England Forestry Foundation, which aims to enhance the local economy by promoting sustainable forest management, locally made wood products, and recreation. This program was made possible through support from the Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts and the Mass Environmental Trust.