Sell or Manage Timber
Managing forest land for timber means actively overseeing the growth, health, and harvesting of trees to produce wood products in a sustainable way. When done responsibly, timber harvesting is not only a source of income but also an important tool for maintaining healthy forests, improving the overall health of the forest, allowing younger trees to grow, increasing biodiversity, and preventing overcrowding.
Timber is one of the planet’s only truly renewable resources—provided the forest is managed wisely. Sustainable management practices ensure that the forest continues to thrive and produce timber for future generations. It’s about balancing ecological health with economic benefit, making responsible timber harvesting a key part of forest stewardship.
Managing for timber often includes development of a Forest Management Plan.
Forest Management Plan
Forest Management Plans are developed for professional foresters to help forest landowners achieve their management goals - in this case, eventually harvesting timber.
1. Goals & Objectives: The forester and landowner work together to determine the owner's goals for the property
2. Forest Inventory & Assessment: This involves a professional forester or landowner surveying the forested property to understand what is growing, including tree density, species, age, size, and health.
3. Forest Management Plan: Professional foresters develop a long-term management plan with specific steps and management practices to achieve the landowner's management objectives. These specific steps are key since active management produces higher quality timber.
Ready to take the first step?
Reach out to a private industry consulting forester or your local Division of Forestry area forester.
Ready to Sell Timber?
Congratulations - you successfully managed a forest through its many stages and are now ready to harvest. What's next?
At TDF, we are not allowed to provide some sale-related services, such as sale marking, so we recommend getting in touch with a consulting forester to help you navigate the full sale process. However, we are happy to help you learn about the sale process and point you in the right direction.