Question
I have about 144 acres of white and red oak combined with some pine. Most of the oak trees have their first limb at 30 to 50 feet and the pine at 60 to 70 feet. I have had numerous loggers wanting to timber, but I am reluctant because of the condition they leave the forest once they have completed logging. Any suggestions?
Forum Responses
(Sawing and Drying Forum)
From contributor S:
If you don't know how to cruise your timber, contact a Timber Consultant or your Service Forester to have your timber cut marked. If your timber was never cut before, you will need to address the best logging trails to minimize soil erosion and ensure minimal damage to the trees to be left (expect some limbing and scuffing). Sounds like some nice timber and would seriously think about having a bidding process. Your Forester or Consultant will explain this to you.
Don't take a logger's advice as to the worth of your timber and make sure everything is in writing, including cleaning up of tops and leveling and reseeding of logging roads. You are in charge through the whole process.
The trees do not know that they are slated for logging now or in three years. That gives you time to get your knowledge and intention organized. If you have a short term cash crunch, a consulting forester can go a long way toward limiting negative outcomes.
I know good men that are loggers. They are still loggers. The job of logging is producing value and volume. I would not expect even the good loggers to stray far from that course. It is "industry in the forest" and not a maid service. If you want it to look like a park, budget for a follow-up crew.
It is a superb honor to own and care for a productive piece of our planet. Enjoy your process and create an outcome you can be proud of.
Is there a pressing need to get this job done pronto? If not, logging this land could be stretched over years. Slowing the pace of the logging allows for better decisions and higher profits... giving you a perpetual annual, biannual, triannual, etc. income.
Contributor K is right about the follow-up crew. This could start with firewood and end with woodlot improvement. As said in the other posts, get yourself a good forester.
