Piedmont landowners most often calls us when they foresee major changes imminent for their forestland, especially a timber sale.  They wish to make good decisions and may seek favorable terms in trading with timber
companies.  Landowners want a forester who appreciates their forests the same way that they themselves do, but a landowner may not realize how much work that quality forest management requires.  UPON COMPLETION OF
TIMBER SALE PREPARATION, NORTH STATE FORESTRY HAS VIEWED EVERY
MERCHANTABLE TREE ON A PROPERTY, AND PROBABLY MEASURED AND MARKED IT AS
WELL. 

For an average landowner, completing a project (that begins with finding property lines and ends with tree planting) spans about a year.  Every effort is made towards accomplishing the landowner's goals of maintaining
the integrity of the land while also obtaining the best terms for timber sales.  Study after study has shown that AVERAGE consulting forestry services MORE than pay for themselves.  If average services can do that,
just imagine what topnotch consulting services can do. 

Although timber companies have trained foresters working for them, long odds and conflict of interest prevent them from working effectively for both you and for their timber company.  Although a timber company forester may offer you HIS best offer, odd are that he is far short of the offer you can obtain from one of dozens of other buyers.  I never
know who will need your wood the most on bid day, but I don't have to know.  I do have to know how to prepare your timber sale so that it will be as attractive as possible to timber companies, while clearly stating
the terms that protect the features of your forest that you wish to preserve. 

The best explanation for the value of private foresters' efforts, however, is this long list of crucial tasks which, if not done properly, threaten the landowner's resource and income potential.  Timber companies
cannot do all this work without charging you, one way or another, so you may as well hire the forester of your choosing.

A decision may involve a long list of related aspects that, together, must be addressed in order to make such an undertaking successful, such as:

1. -listening to the objectives and wishes of the landowner; asking the right questions; agreeing on terms.
2. -property line and access considerations, such as:
     a. location of property lines, using accurate survey information.
     b. notification of adjoining landowners.
     c. selection of logging roads, loading decks, and skid paths 
     d. arranging a contractor to prepare adequate access path.
3. -careful field observations, including the following:
     a. -description of timber volumes according to types of forest, species, size, growth rate, quality, etc....
     b. -description of soil features.
     c. -mapping the features of the forest.
     d. -appraising the value of the different timber types on the tract.
     e. -prescribing specific forestry activities over a period of many years.
     f. -applying appropriate laws governing water quality and stream protection, as well as other laws to consider.
4. -clearly marking the lines, based upon needs determined from field observations, such as:
     a. -lines that separate those areas withheld from harvesting, 
     b. -fence lines, 
     c. -lines that identify streamside protection buffers.
5. -clearly marking individual trees to be spared from a harvest, such as:
     a. -den trees, 
     b. -seed trees,
     c. -growing stock timber, etc....
6. -determining the appropriate machine configuration for harvesting.
7. -estimation of volume of timber included in a sale with a HIGH DEGREE OF ACCURACY, 
    and establishmen of a minimum acceptable offer.  Usually, this requires measurement of every tree.
8. -distribution of a detailed timber sale notice that provides timber buyers with as much pertinent information
    as possible, while excluding burdensome, excessive restrictions that repel reasonable buyers.
9. -conducting a sealed bid sale, wherein bids are revealed simultaneously while participants pay witness.
10. -assisting an attorney in preparing a deed or a contract, a closing statement, and other necessary items.
11. -familiarizing the logging company with the tract; monitoring the logging for adherence to the terms of sale.
12. -closing the harvesting operation; retiring the roads, stream crossings, skid trails, etc...
13. -presenting the state forest service with a reforestation plan for tree planting and cost share application.
14. -obtaining a site preparation contractor, if needed, and a tree-planting contractor, if necessary.

All of these tasks are typically our responsibility when handling forest
management for private landowners. 
 

OTHER DUTIES WE PERFORM INCLUDE:
-appraisals.
-management plans.
-boundary line marking.
-reforesting old agricultural fields.
-prescribed burning (for wildlife and/or silviculture purposes).
-thinning (weeding) young stands of juvenile timber.
-timber trespass cases.
-hunting and recreation lease administration.
-green certification assessment .