A Cut Above - The loggers rely on precisely tuned chain saws and teams of massive Suffolk draft horses. A team can quickly and nimbly remove lengths of timber from the woods.
Survey Says - Nathan Mullins evaluates the commercial potential of a fallen tree before the horses transport it to a hauler waiting at the roadside.
In the Clear - Logger Ian Anderson, decked in full safety gear, fires up a big chain saw as part of the clearing process.
Careful Calculation - Horse wrangler Chad Miano (second from right above) works out the safest and most efficient transportation route with the loggers before hitching his team to the trunk. At right,
Ian Snider of Mountain Works Sustainable Development, Inc.
Learning the Ropes - Appalachian State University student Danielle Moore is training to work draft horse teams for a career in forestry.
On the Job - Horse loggers say their animals are more reliable than heavy machinery, and easier on fragile forest soils.
