Thoughts on Conservation Easement?

[smstonypoint]

One of the big things I took away from the meeting was that if you have a recent management plan you are good to go for a decade or two. It would be wise to update your paper work and show you are following the plan over that time but it was not likely they Revenuers were going to be a calling to ask to see your trees. They were too nicely dressed to be walking around Tick Land. :laughing:

I forgot to mention something in my last post. I brought it up in the meeting to make sure other people knew. NC used to have a phone number you could call to find out the values of timber sales in your region during the last quarter. I think they still have this number. They also have a website link that does the same thing. I think this was on the NC Forestry website. The foresters mentioned Timber Mart-South Market News Quarterly but it looks like they are selling the information. NC state had the prices for free. Maybe Timbermart gives out recent prices and not prices from last quarter.

In any case when it is time to sell contact the Forestry guys and/or the extension office for the correct links. They were also good sources of information about timber taxes.

Dan,

When my plan came up for renewal, one of the "revenuers" in my county (Iredell) mentioned that he had looked at an aerial photo of my farm.

In my experience, stumpage prices vary widely according to location, ease of access, etc. I think the regional prices give good info about trends, but may not reflect what an individual may receive.

I've always used a consulting forester for my timber sales. It's worth it to me to have him draw up the contracts, monitor the logging operations, calculate my capital gains, etc.

If you are not already a member, I would like to put in a plug for the Forest Landowners Association. They publish an interesting magazine six times a year and serve as an advocacy group for private forest landowners. The membership fees depend on your acreage, but are reasonable IMO.

Forest Landowners Association

Steve