Approach by logging company

[brokenknee]

I was recently contacted by a logging company interested in buying my standing red pine, I am guessing it may be 15 acres of the forty I own. The other 35 is mostly poplar and willow.

For those of you that have either sold timber or purchase timber I was wondering what I could expect; as far as compensation and damage to the land. they did say they would "thin it out" not clear cut.

Those of you that have sold your timber would you do it again? Any advice on negotiating a contract?

The wife called them today and they are going to be coming out next Monday to estimate what it would be worth.

Thanks for any and all input.

 

[Sprinklerman]

Call 3 more outfits , have them bid against each other , dont mention names , they probably know each other

 

[daugen]

brokenknee,
the back twelve acres of my property/woods was logged out about 15-20 years ago by the former owner of my home.
I've only been here five months but I have found that parts of my back woods are impassable due to huge mounds of sawdust that were now grown over and part of the landscape. Now all the local log trucks, and I am in a serious pine logging area, all take the logs somewhere else for processing. My guess is yours would too, but ask.
I have a pond back there hidden in the woods and I found this giant messy area trying to plot the best route back to the pond. At first I thought they were giant earth mounds but no...much too soft. I'm sure over time it will all rot and subside but if you ever want to use these woods for other purposes, like paths, etc, important the loggers leave a nice clean site for you.

Secondly, remember your woods won't look like they do now, and not just of course the large trees taken. The woods will reforest itself usually much more thickly with second growth. parts of my woods are like a jungle it's so thick in there.
Will they plant any new trees as part of their deal? That's what shopping around might find you, some incentives...

 

[brokenknee]

I should change the name of the title it was a timber buyer for potlacth corperation.

 

[Gary Fowler]

Personally I wouldn't want them in my place especially if I wanted to use the property for an pasture or other activity. The loggers cut the trees too high to bush hog over them in most cases and the limbs are left everywhere. The small limbs will rot pretty fast if scattered where the tree is cut, but leaving them in huge piles where they delimb the might be an issue especially if you cant burn.

If it is wet at all, the skidders and cutters will rut up so bad that it will take a dozer to smooth them out.
You then have to rent or contract a stump grinder to rid the stumps. All this will eat up any profit that you may get from the timber.

 

[dave1949]

I would hire a consulting forester and get their advice before signing any contracts. Part of it is you have to know what you want, what your goals are for the land, what your timber is worth. There's no rush, a year isn't going to make a big difference generally.

Loggers look for red pine around here to cut for utility poles.

 

[TnAndy]

Call 3 more outfits , have them bid against each other , dont mention names , they probably know each other

THIS ^^^^^^^ !

Old man I bought my property from called me once and said same thing....some loggers offered him $15,000 for about a 20ac patch of woods he owned, and what did I think ? I said the same thing.....get several bids. If they all come in around the same price, that is probably what the timber is worth.

He called me back a few weeks later, and said "You know what that timber brought ? "

Nope....I had not seen it.

$85,000 !

I went down and looked at it later. Timber was gone, but there were oak stumps 5-6' across.

 

[DFB]

Certain woodland is grown to be harvested....its an ongoing cycle. I have logged and had logged quite a bit of white pine. You should be able to learn the going rate per board ft on the stump from the mill or local forester. Fifeteen acres is a bit of land to cover. I say get a written detail how the slash, work landings, along with cutoff debris and any erosion issues will be dealt with. Who's responsible and how, for what. Logging can be efficient and benificial, but a lot stuff carelessly left behind can make your woods a mess for years.

 

[Ted Summey]

I would hire a consulting forester and get their advice.

+ 1 on a consulting forester. They can assist with as little as much as you want.

 

[motownbrowne]

+ 1 on a consulting forester. They can assist with as little as much as you want.

Plus 2