So you’ve decided that you are ready to sell timber. You’ve done your research and realize that retaining the services of a forestry consultant will get you the most money for your timber and your land will be better managed.
Now what?
Like in every profession, not every consulting forester is equal. While a lot of it comes down to who makes you feel the most comfortable, experience and method of business are equally important.
When I say experience, I don’t mean how long has that person been a “forester”. For example, some foresters have done nothing but work for government regulatory agencies and then after they retire, they move into the private sector. These folks, while otherwise fine individuals, have limited experience of how to accurately assess timber volumes and values. Bidders will always recognize this shortfall and their bids reflect it.
In many cases these folks may prescribe and prepare timber harvests that may be unrealistic and leave buyers and loggers unwilling to dedicate time, energy, and capital into the project.
When interviewing a consulting forester ask to see their most recent timber sale bid invitation.
Read it thoroughly!
One of the most important things in a bid invitation should be how the forester derived his/her tree volumes. This is important, as it is vital information to those who are bidding and helps inform the buyer as to what specs the forester used to gauge the timber.
Does the forester even list timber volumes? Believe it or not some don’t! This forces buyers to spend precious time wondering just how much timber is out there.
Does the forester provide accurate, comprehensive, and professional looking maps of the timber sale? A forester who puts together a hand drawn map that looks as if it was done by a child isn’t one who is likely to put a lot of effort into an important project.
Other factors include how much time will the forester spend, and how intensive will he be as it relates to his timber cruise and how much time will he/she spend monitoring the timber harvest?
These are just a few things to look for when considering a consulting forester.
If you are interested in involving us in the management of your forest resources, do not hesitate to contact us.
540-998-4712 greenresourceconsulting@gmail.com
Respectfully,
Nathan Green
Owner/Consulting Forester
N. R. Green Resource Consulting, LLC
N. R. Green Resource Consulting, LLC 