Getting the Most Return From Your Timber Sale

Unless you choose to harvest your own timber, you will sell your trees to a buyer (usually a logger) who will be responsible for harvesting the trees, manufacturing the products, and then transporting those products. This type of timber sale is referred to as selling stumpage. How the trees are marked, how potential buyers are notified of your sale, how the buyer and sales price are determined (single offer, oral bid or negotiation, written sealed bids), and how payment is made (lump-sum vs. sale-by-scale or pay-as-you-cut) depends on the character of the individual sale. A professional forester's knowledge of your property, potential timber buyers, timber markets, and potential buyers' past performance is critical to selecting the appropriate timber sale method and buyer to maximize your income while protecting and enhancing the nontimber resources of your woodland.

Professional Foresters Protect the Landowner and the Forest by Negotiating a Timber Sales Contract That:

• Identifies the responsibilities
  of all parties.
• Specifies financial and other agreements.
• Addresses issues of special concern.
• Protects the interests of all parties to the contract.

Monitor the Harvest

The final step of a successful timber sale is to monitor the harvest.  Frequent visits should be made to ensure that the harvest is proceeding properly, according to the terms of the contract, and to discuss questions that might arise.  Again, because many of the activities associated with timber harvesting are unfamiliar to most woodland owners, monitoring the harvest is often best done with the assistance of a professional forester.  Aspects of a timber harvest routinely monitored include property access, cutting of unmarked trees, damage to residual (unmarked) trees, road and landing locations, construction, and rehabilitation, and the use of best management practices (BMPs) to protect soil and water resources.