Lots of logging near property I own, could this make a good oportunity?

Ginger Squirrel · August 30, 2022, 07:29:39 PM

I bought 40 acres a year ago and plan to develop a small part of it to build a cabin and other buildings, I want to do a long driveway and clear like maybe 1-2 acres. There's lot of logging going on nearby and I was thinking maybe I can talk to that company to see if they'd be willing to clear it, flatten it so it's decently ready to build on, and in exchange for that labour they get to keep the lumber. Do you think this would be a decent deal for them and for me? Or should I even try to see if they'd even pay me a bit for the lumber? Or is this something just not worth it for them to do even free? I'm not sure what the going rate is for this sort of work so just curious to hear from some of you who may actually do logging commercially.

Trees are mostly spruce, I'd say maybe like 1 foot diameter or so in range. I want to get a sawmill and mill my own boards too so I'm kind of on the fence about this as if I do it myself and keep the lumber then I can use it. But it is an option I am looking at as it would get me that much closer to a point where I can start building.

Log-it-up · August 30, 2022, 07:50:16 PM

Hard too say with out looking at the project but if there is a logger close to you might be worth taking the the time to introduce your self and tell them about what you want cut might be enough on it to get paid stumpage

WDH · August 30, 2022, 07:54:59 PM

You did not indicate where you are located. Since you mention spruce, you must be from the glaciated North. Here in Georgia where logging is a major business, you would not be able to get a logger to move over one million dollars of equipment to clear a long driveway and an acre or two then flatten it in exchange for the wood. Losing a day or two of production moving in to cut for a day or less and then tying up equipment to smooth things out for you would far exceed any value of the wood in most cases.

Because of the scale of the business here, there are no small loggers here anymore that move only a load or two a day, but things may be different in your area. If the timber was high value, that would certainly help, but 12" spruce trees do not fit that bill most likely.

Ginger Squirrel · August 30, 2022, 08:01:16 PM

Oh yeah forgot to mention I'm in northern Ontario.

But yeah good point about moving the equipment, I guess they bring it in on a flat bed and it works on site and work it's way further, but to actually move it to one other site and back would take a long time and effort.

Hard to tell size from just a pic but here's an idea of what they're harvesting:

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