Value of lumber on 80 acres involved in a forest fire

[2StateTrigger]

Im looking at an 80 acre piece of property that is heavily wooded (aspen and pine).  In 2011 there was a fire which burned up quite a bit of the lot. 

My question is, is there a market for this type of lumber?  There are thousands of these trees still standing (mature, approx 30" trunk and at least 40' in height).  I can see that the bark on nearly all of these trees was damaged to the point of coming off the tree at some point.  From what I can tell in pics the trunk under the bark is still intact on approximately 70% of the remaining standing trees.

Just wonder if this lot might be worth looking at......80 acres for $250k

[mesquite buckeye]

That's over $3000/ac. Better be an awful lot of timber for that price. What are the chances you will get hit with fire again before you can get another crop? The lumber will be degraded where the bark is off.

[beenthere]

Welcome to the Forestry Forum.
That length of time since the fire has likely caused the trees to be past the stage of getting much usable lumber.
Usually need to get the timber off in the first couple years.
Unless you have good proof that there is still good wood, and you have a plan in place to remove it all within a year, then don't count on any timber value helping out with the high cost per acre.
There may be other redeeming perks in the 80 acres such as scenery or a lake that offsets the loss in timber.
Now could be wrong, and hope you can establish that the wood is good and will remain good for the duration of your harvesting period.

[2StateTrigger]

 

 



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[mesquite buckeye]

pretty place but don't count on any $$$.

[beenthere]

Maybe forum member @Rocky_Ranger could help you access the fire damaged timber, and what might be in store for you in the future... He is very knowledgeable.

Pretty place, for sure. And suspect it will be back to at least green in a short while.

[Magicman]

I am not a Forester but I personally do not see any value in the standing dead timber, except maybe firewood and harvesting it will be very labor intensive.

That land's recovery will be a slow process, and sadly recovering any of the standing dead will damage the young trees that have sprouted.  There will then be no natural source for reseeding.

[ely]

like has been stated already, you are looking at a very large case of "unless".
unless the land means something to you personally
unless you intend to do all the labor yourself
unless the property is valued that high
unless you are looking for a labor intensive and exhausting project....
its probably not worth the money they are asking.
but again location trumps everything.

[pine]

like has been stated already, you are looking at a very large case of "unless".
unless the land means something to you personally
unless you intend to do all the labor yourself
unless the property is valued that high
unless you are looking for a labor intensive and exhausting project....
its probably not worth the money they are asking.
but again location trumps everything.

X2
a very good summation of points by ely

Question you have to ask yourself is what is your intent and plan for the property.  In some areas that price for 80 acres is dirt cheap, in others it is very overpriced. 
If you are looking at it for timberland it is very high.  In that case you need to find out from forestry professionals in Colorado and that area specifically what the bare land value is for timber property.  Then you determine the value (if any) of the timber on the property and then the cost of getting it out/to market.  The bare land value plus the timber value, minus the cost of the harvest (all the costs) is the value of the property.  Now if the property has "development value" then that can be added into the bare timberland value.  If it is for your personal home away from the rat race you have the challenge of determining how much that aspect is worth to you and the cost of developing it (electrical, roads etc).

[Rocky_Ranger]

Thanks for the kind words there @beenthere; interestingly enough I was across the mountain from that locale all week.  In this/that part of the state if you have good access I'd say you'd be looking at $10,000/acre on the open market.  I am wondering why it is so cheap at $3,000    You are getting a new mill for house logs in Chama (just down the road), spruce is worth more dead than alive for houselogs, if you have three year old mortality you still are running ~70% good wood and Intermountan is buying all they can get of the Feds but only at base rates or so (~$5.00/CCF) - maybe more due to your location.  With the bark slipping you'll have significant checking so I'd go the houselog route.  If you have access and clear title, must be in or near the NF, it is worth a small fortune for the land.  Just my dos centavos from an old Forester.....

[terry f]

   Real Estate value is definitely local

[bucknwfl]

Maybe forum member @Rocky_Ranger could help you access the fire damaged timber, and what might be in store for you in the future... He is very knowledgeable.

Pretty place, for sure. And suspect it will be back to at least green in a short while.

I would not count on more trees in a short while either.  Trees don't recover in the west as fast as they do hear in the east.  I would consult a local forester

[Rocky_Ranger]

In that country maybe 70 years for a pole sized stand of conifers; the aspens will come in quick and be green if they haven't already sprouted.  The land itself is the value there.

[BradMarks]

Obviously not a Colorado guy, but I don't see from the pics the pole value. All I see is issues. Not sure about the local regs, but I would anticipate any removal of wood requires a reforestation effort, in which case there WILL be problems with seedling establishment.  The fire was in 2011, the soonest any work could be done, after removal, would be 2016-17. The brush will not go away on its own. The browsing animals will be back. Of course real estate values vary by region, but you can get a lot more potential for far less cost, if it comes down to starting over on a timber stand, in different locales.  That said, the green up photo is a nice view, but is it worth 250K before starting?

[SwampDonkey]

Amazing to see different forest regions. Around here a fire that long ago would have shrubs and weeds so thick and deep by now that the park view would be long forgotten. 

Pin cherry can grow 5 feet the first year and pretty much all the well drained forest land has pin cherry seeds too numerous to count that lie dormant for eons ready to take root.