Quality Forest Plan Management
Quality Forest Plan Management
(517) 403-3005Timber Harvesting
Owners can achieve their desired objective for their woodland through proper timber harvesting. Goals may be to harvest trees on to produce revenue from timber. Other desired outcomes may be to create wildlife habitat, facilitate a fire-resilient forest, or manage for older forest structure. Our forestry experts will help identify the things you can consider for your land and forest goals.
A Forest Management Plan
Consider your woodlot goals. Identify the aspects most important to you for your land. This involves a good forest management plan. Create a forest management plan to match your goals and the characteristics of your woodlot. More information to help create a plan can be found at this link: "Know Your Forest" learning library.
A good land management plan for your timber harvest can result in a healthy forest, habitat creation, recreational opportunities, and income. It can be helpful to create a list of your primary goals for the land. There may be areas of your forest better suited for timber production. Other areas may be better suited for wildlife habitat. Our buyers can assist you maximize timber harvest profitability by identifying the total volume of wood that can be removed, transport to the mill, the going timber prices, and the log quality.
Harvesting Techniques
Thinnings: Can improve the existing stand, regulate growth, and generate revenue.
Clear-cutting: This involves removing all trees in an area. This imitates the results of a natural disaster. This method is most effective on tree species that require full sunlight, such as cedar, pine, eucalyptus and paper birch.
Regeneration cuttings: The removal of older trees to create favorable conditions for regenerating of young trees. Regeneration after harvesting can create a new forest stand of the same age. Selective harvesting of individual trees or groups of trees over time can create multiple generations of trees with different age classes.
Shelterwood
This timber harvesting method involves the removal of mature trees for several collections within 10-15 years. This creates shelter for shade-tolerant seedlings like red spruce and food sources for wildlife. Shelterwood can be best suited for plantings from predominantly mature trees.
Seed Tree
This method involves foresters leaving more than five trees on the cut area remotely from each other. This provides seeds for natural reforestation, and can serve as a wildlife habitat. Harvesting timber this way is most suitable for plants with high growth rates, sowing capacity, and wind resistance.
Group Selection
This timber harvesting method consists of small-scale clear-cutting when a stand is cut down over 40-50 years by groups of trees. A cut area depends on a grown plant type. Openings of less than one-quarter of an acre are suitable for shade-tolerant trees, and larger spaces are cut trees needing high sun exposure. Selective logging is a way to harvest timber is used to gather high-quality logs.
Single Tree Selection
This is an intensive timber harvesting approach. It involves removing individual mature, low-quality, or competing trees. The advantage is constant wood production. This method to harvest timber avoids damaging the remaining plants. It can benefit small areas with shade-tolerant species.
Log buyers: People with the skills to determine the proper plan. They assist you in estimating the value of your logs, and in factoring the costs for harvesting and transporting to the mill.
After estimating log value: Prices can be higher in winter and early spring when wet-weather restrictions create a shortage of logs. You can take advantage of those higher prices if you have paved roads or are located in an area where winter hauling is possible. If roads need to be improved to haul logs in wet weather, a portion of the revenue from harvest may be needed to offset the cost of road improvements.
Maintaining Forest Health
Landowners may consider taking additional steps on their woodlot to benefit from fire resilience or forest health. This type of work may require special equipment such as a stash buster or mulcher. These machines can be costly. But this can be offset by the value of the timber harvest.
Preparing for Harvest
Make sure all property boundaries are clear and that the trees you plan to harvest are within your property line. If there are any uncertainties, a licensed surveyor can provide a legally valid assessment in case of a dispute. If you are planning a regeneration cut, you should consider plans for reforestation including placing a seedling order. Replanting may be required when most of the trees in one area are removed. Seedlings usually have a one to two year waiting period, so seedlings should be ordered when you schedule your logging contractor.
We can help the landowner to comply with rules, regulations and Best Management Practices.
Your woodlot will look different after the harvesting. Our logging experts can help you know what to expect. Timber harvest can be a complex process. There should be enough time to prepare and plan. It can take some time for landowners to get from early planning to harvest completion.