“I don’t want to do any timber cutting or logging because I want to preserve the real estate value of my property.”  This is a phrase that I hear time and time again.  But, is this premise true?

If the landowner has mountain land that might not be the most developable, then it stands to reason that logging the timber really won’t hurt him financially at all.  To start with, the landowner recoups a substantial amount of revenue from the timber sold.  While his land is now devalued, it lowers the price of the land which increases the number of interested buyers. Someone who is looking to invest in the next generation of forest products, or someone who simply wants cheap land to hunt on, can now better afford the property.  More people can afford to initially invest in land at $1,000 per acre, than $2,000.00 per acre.

This is something that forest products companies have been doing for years.  In most cases they come out better financially in the long run.  Why else would the do it?  The loss in land value is not proportional to the amount of timber revenue!

Other important aspects to keep in mind is that logging roads created throughout the property help facilitate better use of the property and increase outdoor recreation opportunities- particularly for hunters.  In addition, these bare areas can be reseeded with wildlife friendly grasses to attract and retain game.  The bottom line is that while the property is worth less there is more demand for it

What if the property has development opportunities or a unique landscape?  If this is the case, a consulting forester can implement a variety of selective harvesting techniques to retain the more aesthetically pleasing three dimensional forest.   In short, a limited amount of timber can be logged and sold while having very little impact, if any, on the value of the property.

To figure out what might be the best for your forestland investment goals, call us today!

Nathan R. Green                                                                                                                     Consulting Forester                                                                                                                         N. R. Green Resource Consulting, LLC                                                                      540-998-4712                                                                                                                            forestrypro556@gmail.com