Tmmoc

Just as savvy investors in the stock market often go against the crowds; buying when others are selling and selling when others are buying, savvy timberland owners should look for similar opportunities. When everyone else is “waiting on the market to get better”, may be the very best time to market your timber.

After we have sold your timber and the excitement of receiving a top-dollar price has subsided, it is time to conduct the harvest. Supervision of the implementation of Best Management Practices (BMP’s) during your timber harvest is a primary part of our work. Many private forestland owners may not even know what BMP’s are and, if they do, they probably haven’t given much consideration to how to implement them. However, they are critical to a successful harvest and the future productivity of the land.

In recent years, thousands of North Carolina timberland owners have experienced significant timber losses due to catastrophic events such as hurricanes, tornadoes, fire and pine beetle infestations. Hurricane Isabel is only the latest example, with estimated timber losses exceeding $565 million in North Carolina alone. Based on our experience, landowners with mature timber damaged by Hurricane Isabel will probably receive less than 50% of the market value of their timber before the storm hit.

Landowners sometimes ask, “What’s better – planting or natural regeneration?” Generally, we answer this with another question: “How do you define better?”
Both methods are viable options for regenerating a forest, but each has some advantages and trade-offs. Here’s a summary of some of the key considerations.

A timberland investment offers a great hedge against inflation as reported recently in a report by J P Morgan Investment Analytics & Consulting. J. P. Morgan was quoted as saying “Timberland correlates highly with inflation and is therefore an effective investment for preserving capital. It has outperformed other commodities in both high and low inflationary environments.” They went on to recommend that asset managers consider purchasing timberland

New research shows that the highest wildlife use of forestland-in terms of total numbers of wildlife, as well as species diversity-occurs in the cutover and seedling stage. A study conducted by Champion International and Stephen F. Austin State University examined wildlife use among cutover/seedling, sapling, pole and sawtimber successional stages.

There are four essential elements to any successful habitat:

Space – We often cannot do anything about the “space” available for wildlife. Our properties have boundaries and it is usually difficult or very expensive to increase the available space. Use of hunting leases is a useful way to increase space, while keeping costs down
Water – Over most of the south, water is plentiful and usually not a limiting factor, as it is in the west.
Food – Can increase quantity and quality through food plots, supplemental feeding and managing timber stands.
Cover – Nesting or bedding cover can be improved by any type of timber harvest that opens up the canopy and allows sunlight to reach the ground. This invites new growth beneficial to many species.
* Information condensed from “Improve Your Habitat” article written by Larry Weishuhn, wildlife biologist.

Below is a list of management recommendations to insure that you get the most from your new stand of Loblolly Pine Seedlings. Time frame will vary depending on the individual site conditions. Boundary lines and fire breaks should be maintained at all times. Seek professional forestry advice at the first sign of problems.

A landowner selling his land always wants the best price for his property. There are several issues to consider before marketing the land that can greatly increase the marketability and drive up the price. Many of these same issues also affect the marketability of the timber.