Timber Sales Management


Timber Sales
	Do you know how many board feet of timber are on your land? Do you know what it would sell for on the open market? Do you know what buyers need timber badly and will pay the most for yours? How can you control the harvesting operations on your land so that the contractor adheres to proper techniques and standards and does not violate environmental regulations? Do you know what these standards and regulations are? Can you trust a buyer to harvest your forest in a sustainable yield fashion and keep your goals and best interest as top priority? These are daunting questions that alleviated by hiring a consulting forester to conduct your timber sale. Timber markets are volatile. The local sawmills may not be willing to stretch themselves to buy yours. I sometimes sell timber to buyers 200 miles away that the local mills did not want. By knowing what your timber volume is and the level of quality, I know what you should be able to get for it under the current market conditions. It is an unequivocal fact that a consulting forester can obtain more money from your timber sale, including commissions than you can get yourself, often a lot more. Consultants get from 20% to 100% more for your timber than the landowner can get on his own.
	This area was heavily harvested in 1969 without the advice of a forester. There is no merchantable timber or wildlife forage 30 years later.
		This landing and skid trail have been properly retired and planted with native grasses to prevent erosion and provide for wildlife.
	As your forester, I will make sure harvesting is done according to silvicultural techniques that best fit your objectives, whether your are interested in the most cash possible, aesthetics, better wildlife habitat or future timber value. More importantly, your property must be protected from abuse by loggers and mill foresters. Without oversight, your land will get trashed. Logging is hard, low paying work and a logger is not motivated to take care of your ground and residual trees. Mill foresters are motivated by getting volume into the mill. They know they will not be back to your property in their lifetime. Why should they care about your land or whether you will have marketable timber in the future? Someone needs to be looking out for your best interest. I know what level of workmanship is possible and reasonable. I make sure the harvest is done according to the industry standard Best Management Practices as well as obeying all current environmental laws. I will supervise the cleanup or "closing" of the job. If a logging crew will not follow my instructions, they are removed from the property. Many sawmills do not buy from consultants. If they can't buy timber low, they don't want it. Who could blame them? They are in the business to make a profit. It is not dishonest to want to make big profits on a timber purchase. Don't expose yourself to mill foresters and loggers and the unscrupulous characters that try to pass themselves off as foresters. Hire a qualified forestry consultant to look out for your best interest!