How much wood could i harvest off this property

wilcox_11 · December 01, 2014, 01:36:49 PM

a 200 acre piece of property that i have been looking at buying. To use for personal use but would also like to make a little off of it too. By selling firewood and selling to the wood mill. How would i figure out how much harvest-able wood is on this property. Thanks for any advice.

wilcox_11 · December 01, 2014, 01:41:08 PM

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LittleJohn · December 01, 2014, 02:17:17 PM

My dad has a 40, with at least 10 acres under water; so about 30 acres of some what decent/mature trees. Typically we only pulled out the junky, scrubby and other wise troublesome trees and he used all the wood to heat his home. Which was about 10 pulp wood cords a year.

We have never professionally logged or sold firewood of this property, we just "cleaned up" the dead and dying to help the standing trees. He has a few times bought wood, but genereally only when he has short on time himself.

...I know not the 100% answer you are looking for, but hope it at least gives you a starting point. So about 1/4 to 1/3 cord per acre per year and there is no signficant loss of canopy or trees from property

beenthere · December 01, 2014, 02:25:04 PM

wilcox
You can do a "cruise" of the forested area, for example run some lines and measure all the trees in a plot every so many feet along that line such that the plot areas are close to 10% of the total area. Just an example of how a forester would estimate the volume on your property.

Or just hire a forester to get it done, then you would know for sure.

Appears the two attachments (which should be .jpg format and put in your pic gallery for the FF) are the same outline of the property. Or is there some difference in the two? And is just the forested area outlined in red?

Ron Wenrich · December 01, 2014, 02:44:06 PM

You need a timber inventory and appraisal. That can be done by any decent consulting forester. Get bids from several to get the best price.

What the timber inventory will do is tell you how much volume you have and in which species. You can't tell by looking at a photo. The good quality timber may have been cut out and you are left with whatever they didn't want.

The appraisal will give you an idea of what the bare land value is that you are getting. You have to figure the land less the timber. The appraisal will also help you out when you need to have any timber harvesting, as it gives a basis in figuring income tax.

mad murdock · December 01, 2014, 02:48:24 PM

Wilcox, it would be beneficial for anyone trying to assist you with info if you updated your location. species and timber values vary quite bit region ot region in N America. If it is land you are going to purchase, see if there has been a timber stand assesment and/or management plan done on the property in the last 5-10 years,the current owner should know. If not, then a forester is your best bet for real numbers.

treeslayer2003 · December 01, 2014, 04:37:12 PM

almost impossible for us to give you any idea from here.

snowstorm · December 01, 2014, 05:04:24 PM

from the picture it looks like it may have been cut not too long ago. you can see the trails. is it all sp fir? or some hw also? there isnt a sp fir pulp market up that way is there? so it would have to make studwood. so a 4 or 5" top and no rotten wood. whats the price of the land?

beenthere · December 01, 2014, 05:25:32 PM

New member wilcox has two threads running, the other being under "ask a forester".

snowstorm · December 01, 2014, 05:29:58 PM

maybe he should have swamp donkey come over and look at it. its not far from him

Jhenderson · December 01, 2014, 08:22:30 PM

The days of making a substantial dent in the payment on the land with the available timber are long gone

36 coupe · December 06, 2014, 06:21:24 AM

The real estate taxes will hit every year.Check the amount of tax now, it will increase when the lot is sold.

pwrwagontom · December 06, 2014, 06:10:17 PM

Hire a consulting forester...they will work for you to determine the answer to all of those questions, and administer the sale and harvest of forest products, looking out for your best interests.

-T

Phorester · December 06, 2014, 08:38:20 PM

Yep, hire a consulting forester for a timber cruise. Be sure he is working for you, not for a company wanting to buy timber. He has to be loyal to his employer. If that employer is you, he will give you a fair market value in favor of you. If he is working for a company buying timber, he will give you a value in favor of that company, because his job is to buy timber as low as possible. Yes, he will charge a fee. But if there is a timber value there he will make you money far above his fee if you decide to buy the property. Or he might let you know that the commercial timber value is not worth the cost of the land. Either way, he is worth his fee.

I'd suggest you proceed this way; hire a consultant for the cruise before you buy. If you decide to buy the property, I'd then get a forest management plan done before selling timber to determine the best way to proceed with any timber sales and other ideas you have for the property; hunting, recreation, investment, etc.