The Forestry Forum

I am trying to figure out a set of specs to give to a consultant forester for an appraisal of merchantable timber on around a 35 arce block of land. I tried to ask a consultant forester but it was up to me on what the specs are.  All I need is a fair market value for the timber resources offered for a bid.  I'm not knowledge in timber sales and the process.

Is an inventory of 5% or 10% of the timber on the land sufficient for an appraisal for a fair market value or is that selling myself short?

Can anyone help?

All I need is a fair market value for the timber resources offered for a bid.  I'm not knowledge in timber sales and the process.

Hm, first things first.  Are  you bidding or offering the bid?  a 5 or 10% cruise will work in some circumsances, but, if your selling, your losing value.  A forester determines the type of cruise by the end use of the data.  If  your selling timber, 100% marking of sales is a cruise with weight.  If  your selling and it is a 5% cruise, you get what you pay for.

I talk to my clients trying to find out what they want from the cruise and decide after that what to do and what to charge.  That's my job.  You need a forester that you can talk to and get the information from him.  If he isn't willing to do that, find some one else.

Ditto! to what TR said.

It's the consulting foresters job to determine the proper cruise design to adequately meet your needs as appropriate for your land area and timber values.

A point sample cruise may be appropriate in some cases to meet your objectives or a 100% tree measurement in other cases such as for a lump sum timber sale.

It sounds like you may need to seek out another forester.

What Ron said... you need to find someone that knows what they are doing.  Having you come up with the specs indicates to me that the person you have talked is not the one to have do the appraisal.

Where are you located?