Working with a Forester to Steward your Land
Part II. of MANAGING YOUR FAMILY FOREST Blog Series
Researched and written by Sandy Lower and Corey Wrinn
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| Photo credit: Mass Audubon |
Professional foresters have a college level education and experience in a broad range of topics including forest and wildlife ecology, legal issues, climate change, economics and the growing and harvesting of forest products. In Massachusetts, foresters are required to hold a state license based on experience, training, and ongoing continuing education.
Foresters can help landowners develop goals and understand available options, outlining alternatives based on the landowner’s goals for their property.
A landowner’s first contact with a forester may be to call a Public Service Forester. They can visit your land and can provide you with basic information on your forest, its potential for various benefits and products, and specific information on programs that affect forest property taxation, all for no fee. Many landowners need more detailed information and assistance, and will seek the advice of a private professional forester.
Private professional foresters can help build on the preliminary plan discussed with the public service forester. A forester can work with you and for you, helping you to understand alternatives, supplying information to help you make informed decisions and providing the following services:
Forest Management Plan
Our Changing Climate
Sale of Timber
Retaining a professional forester who can provide advice on current price information, markets, and environmental regulations will help a woodland owner to navigate the somewhat complicated process of harvesting and selling timber. Foresters can help identify which trees should be harvested to help achieve a landowner’s objectives. They can also draft a contract and supervise the harvest to protect the landowner’s interests especially when multiple parties are involved in the harvest (Table 2).
Forest Inventory and Appraisal
A woodlot owner or prospective buyer of forestland may need to know the quantity and value of the timber on the land. The forester can prepare a forest inventory
with a site analysis to assess the type of habitat, health and potential challenges a forest may face post cut (such as invasive insects or diseases).
Timber Stand Improvement
TSI can include a combination of forest care activities designed to improve growth and quality of your chosen timber species. While thinning constitutes most of the TSI work conducted in Massachusetts and the rest of New England forests, it may also include invasive plant management, planting of key habitat species and weeding out unwanted species from your timber stand.
Finding and Working with a Forester
• Contact your public service forester:
• Select a private forester: Shop around, get a second opinion, ask for references of satisfied clients, visit a prior job site.
• Inquire as to payment: Ask to have payment method stated in the service contract
• Find a forester you can effectively communicate with and who understands your needs.
A forest management plan allows a woodland owner to define and organize land-use and stewardship objectives. Foresters will assist the landowner about the management plans of Chapter 61, 61A and 61B. The plan provides a description of the natural resources of the woodland and defines a schedule of activities for a specified period of time. Timber harvesting, climate resiliency, fostering wildlife, clearing of invasive plants, protection of water quality, recreational use, and scenic beauty are all potential components of a forest management plan.
Woodlot planning often extends well beyond the life span of the current owner. Land values can result in taxes so high that, in the absence of advance estate planning, there is a risk that the land itself may need to be sold to pay the taxes. Most foresters are familiar with the important elements of estate planning and can suggest sources of additional information.
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| Table 1: Carbon Terminology (USDA Forest Service) |
Our forests are an ever-changing landscape and their structure and health is changing right before our eyes. From drought, flooding, extreme weather events, and invasive species infestations; your forester will incorporate one or more of these attributes into your final forest stewardship strategy. Your forester can help provide actions to allow your forest and its wildlife to adapt to these changes by reducing stressors, building resilience and proactively managing for the future. Mitigation strategies can help your forest be more productive in the long term and increase the landscape's ability to absorb and store carbon (Table 1).
Sale of Timber
Retaining a professional forester who can provide advice on current price information, markets, and environmental regulations will help a woodland owner to navigate the somewhat complicated process of harvesting and selling timber. Foresters can help identify which trees should be harvested to help achieve a landowner’s objectives. They can also draft a contract and supervise the harvest to protect the landowner’s interests especially when multiple parties are involved in the harvest (Table 2).
Forest Inventory and Appraisal
A woodlot owner or prospective buyer of forestland may need to know the quantity and value of the timber on the land. The forester can prepare a forest inventory
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| Table 2: Options for Selling Timber Diagram (MassWoods) |
Timber Stand Improvement
TSI can include a combination of forest care activities designed to improve growth and quality of your chosen timber species. While thinning constitutes most of the TSI work conducted in Massachusetts and the rest of New England forests, it may also include invasive plant management, planting of key habitat species and weeding out unwanted species from your timber stand.
Finding and Working with a Forester
• Contact your public service forester:
• Select a private forester: Shop around, get a second opinion, ask for references of satisfied clients, visit a prior job site.
• Inquire as to payment: Ask to have payment method stated in the service contract
• Find a forester you can effectively communicate with and who understands your needs.
Tune in next week for our next edition: Part III Land Owner Expectations
