8: Marketing Timber
Activity In-Depth: The Marketing Timber Checklist
Use this checklist with your forester to ask questions to help make your forest timber sale successful.
Employer
Who does the forester work for?
Public agency
Private consultant
Wood consuming company
Logging business
Payment for Forester’s Services
How will the forester get paid:
Hourly
Percent of sale revenue
Market Conditions
Is it a good time to sell your products/trees in the current market(s)?
Yes
No
If no, what are the disadvantages to waiting for timber markets to improve?
Are there non-financial reasons, such as wildlife habitat, mortality, etc, that make harvesting now a priority?
Yes
No
Pre-Harvest Activities
Are there any pre-harvest activities you should do as the landowner?
Work with a forester or natural resource professional
Develop a forest management plan
Consider regeneration decisions
View Other Sites (see next section for more details)
Other: ___________________________________________
Other: ___________________________________________
Other: ___________________________________________
Viewing Other Sites
Can the forester take you to one or more tracts of timber that have been recently harvested by your prospective buyer?
When at the site(s), look for:
How the area looks (is it what you expected)
How the skid trails, haul roads and landings look (equipment ruts, erosion, reseeded)
Damage to remaining trees or land improvements (gates, fences, culverts, etc.)
Trash or petroleum spills
If the harvest is old enough, how is the regeneration?
Restrictions on Sale
Are there wood quarantines or other legal restrictions that may impact the sale of your trees?
(Example: Emerald ash borer quarantines can restrict the movement of wood products and thus impact their salability.)
Type of Sale
What type of sale does the forester recommend for your area and timber? Why?
Lump sum
Sale-by-unit
Advertising Sale
How does the forester usually advertise sales?
Bid/Offers Process
What process does the forester recommend for getting offers or bids?
Single offer
Oral auction
Sealed bid
Potential Buyers
What insight does the forester have about specific potential buyers?
Contract Review
Look specifically at the extent to which the items included within the Sample Timber Sale Contract are included. If they are missing, is that acceptable to you?
Foresters Role During the Sale
What does the forester do once the sale becomes active?
Will your forester scale the wood as harvesting progresses?
Yes (Frequency?)
No
How often will your forester check the site?
Foresters Role after the Sale
What can you expect from the forester once the wood is removed and the sale is closing?
Assistance applying for cost share monies
Help finding a reputable tree planter
Monitor tree planting activities
Assistance filing appropriate tax forms
Suggest next step(s) in the management of your woodland (activities and timing)
Forest Recovery Process
What will my forest look like immediately after the harvest ends? Five years later?
