The Forestry Forum

Yesterday was a day to put frosting on the cake.  About five years ago my partner and I decided to give up logging and go our own ways.  Since then I have been seen sawing lumber, cutting firewood, cutting scrap metal, doing cleanup for others and when I get desperate, working construction. At one of my new scrap pickups, a former employer hailed me to come by the office to talk.  Now I am not much of a logger when it comes to speed and clearcuts.  And this was to be the topic. They had found a parcel of timber that thay thought I might be interested in logging for them.  This is about 20 acres of 30 to 40 year old fir with some hardwood mixed in.  They had already  cruised this ground and decided that there was about 10 to12 thousand feet per acre.  My suggestion was for them to thin to about a 100 stems per acre, leaving the smaller diameter stuff and hardwood.  This being smaller stuff also.   About  a 100 thousand feet total harvest with a thinning.  I thought for awhile that they were going to go for it and buy the tract.  When I left they were going to see what they could work out and wanted me to figure a percentage to clearcut.  I laughed and they did too, since they know a clearcut will be logged by someone other than me. I am just not into that type of logging enough to even take the job at 40% on saw logs and a three mile haul and $27,00 for pulp, logging and hauling.[33 miles]

The point I didn't get in print above, was how good it made me feel to have them come get me  for a free estimate, even when they probably are not going to thin.  At least they remember my work.