Specializing in Forestry, Standing Grade Hardwoods, Land and Large Parcel Management
MI
United States
ph: (989) 390-0705
alt: (989) 473-3791
info
As a concerned landowner, you have questions. These have been the most frequently asked questions regarding a Timber Harvest!
The landowner of a woodlot will benefit from a timber harvest in several ways!
The health of the residual stand of timber will be improved: The crowns of the much older trees prevent the sunlight from reaching through the remainder of the forest, thus hindering growth and in most cases causing die out. Once these crowns are removed, sunlight is let in and the residual stand can then grow properly. Seedling regeneration is promoted as well.
In addition, by removing less desirable trees, the preferred species does not have to compete for sunlight and nutrition, allowing these preferred species to flourish and become more proficient and dominate within the woodlot.
If your forest is overcrowded, a timber harvest will reduce the density, again improving the overall health.
Your standing Timber is of value and can bring you an income, both present, and future: Not only is your woodlot a place of enjoyment but if managed properly an income producing commodity.
Do not allow your trees to stand so long that they lose their value! A tree has a lifespan and will start to die from the inside out. There is no marketable value in a tree that has been left to decompose from the inside out. Many times property owners are unaware that a tree is dying because the tree will continue to leaf out and appears healthy. Only qualified and well-trained individuals can identify such a tree, without seeing the inside. Many woodlot owners have made this mistake only to find out that their once valuable standing tree is now of no value.
Improved wildlife habitat: In woodlots that are thick, with little sunlight, or even-aged, there will be a very limited amount of forage for the wildlife. A Timber Harvest will result in new forest floor growth, thus providing cover and food for many of our wildlife, here in Michigan. This can improve herd and flock numbers, providing good hunting grounds.
A Timber Harvest helps with the safety of your woodlot: During the Timber Harvest, weaker trees are removed. These trees are dangerous because they can become hung up or break under winds, posing a hazard to the property owner.
There are several factors that determine the value of your standing timber. The value of standing timber is always determined by species, grade, size, health, soil type, ground conditions and of course, supply and demand, which in turn, sets the current market prices.
We typically perform harvest on parcels of 20 acres or more, however, In some rare cases, a woodlot consisting of as little as 10 acres could have enough volume and quality to warrant a timber harvest.
A timber harvest is not a one-time event. Timber is a renewable resource and If properly managed, a woodlot could possibly be harvestable approximately every ten years. Of course the variances such as species, growing conditions and weather will play a major role. We are currently in some of our client's woods for the third time!
With our selective practices of harvest, the aesthetics are actually improved in a timbered parcel. If the woodlot did not contain trails, trails will be added as a direct result of the harvest. This is always a bonus! If trails and roadways existed prior, then we maintain the roadways during the harvest and once the harvest is complete the roads are put back to, as good as or better, then they were prior to the harvest.
The equipment used in the Timber Harvest process is rubber-tired articulated machinery, consisting of an Iron Mule, Tree Length Skidder and depending on the particular harvest, a Processor.
A "T.S.I." is known as a "Timber Stand Improvement".
A Timber Stand Improvement is a thorough thinning of the most mature and overly mature standing trees as well as removal of multi-stemmed and undesirable species.
This relieves over crowdedness and allows sunlight to reach into the woods to promote new growth and to enhance the growth of the trees left standing.
This results of a Timber Stand Improvement is a healthier, more productive forest!
Seed Trees are trees, purposely chosen, to remain during the process of a timber harvest.
These trees provide natural reseeding or regeneration of a particular species. Since they provide the gene source, the trees chosen for Seed Trees should be of the desired species, be of good form, and prolific in flowering and seeding.
These Seed Trees will provide new crops and eventually new timber; as well, Seed Trees provide food for the many wildlife that is found in Michigan's Forests and woodlots, such as acorns for Oak and Beechnut from Beech.
The income may be treated as ordinary income or capital gains. This is determined by the structure of ownership, either business or investment as well as other variables.
The National Timber Tax Website was developed to be used by timberland owners, as well as a reference for accountants, attorneys, consulting foresters and other professionals who work with timberland owners regarding the tax treatment of timber related activities. You may visit their website here.
If so, we would be happy to answer them for you! Contact us today!
MI
United States
ph: (989) 390-0705
alt: (989) 473-3791
info