The Bristol Lot Timber Sale is located in Wrentham, MA within the F. Gilbert Hills State Forest. The proposed area is an even-aged stand mainly comprised of Northern red oak and mixed oak forest types on abandoned agricultural land. The dominate tree species are northern red oak, white oak, black oak, and red maple. Hickory, eastern white pine, American beech, and black birch are also present to a lesser degree. The understory consists of low amounts of white pine, red maple, and hickory. The project area ranges in age from approximately 85 to 100 years old. On average, overstory trees are sawtimber in size with medium to high densities.
Many trees in the proposed project area were inundated with gypsy moths this past spring. Recent drought conditions have limited the effectiveness of a soil borne fungus, Entomophaga maimaiga, which has helped keep gypsy moth populations in check since the last large outbreak during the 1980s. As oak is their preferred host, this stand is highly susceptible to heavy defoliation, a decrease in growth, and an increase in mortality.