What Should You Ask A Consulting Forester?

This is Huntin’ Land, the podcast for landowners and land hunters. If you like to stay up to date on hunting tactics, land management, land values, and land market dynamics, this is the podcast for you. Hiring a consulting forester is arguably the first thing you should do as a timberland owner. Foresters are an integral part of your land management team, but one size does not fit all properties. In this show, Joe and Clint look into the questions you need to consider asking before hiring a consulting forester and the best way to maximize their specialized skills.

 

 

As a landowner, it is important to know what your land is worth. You may find yourself asking the questions like,  “how much is my land worth today,” “how much is my land worth per acre,” “how much is timberland worth,” “what is my farmland worth,” “how much is agricultural land worth,” and other such questions. Many factors go in to determining the value of land and seeking out the wisdom of experts is a great place to find the answers to your questions.

Each week, on the Huntin’ Land Podcast, we will bring in various experts to help provide answers to the important questions landowners have. This week, Jonathan Smith with TimberMart-South delivers the latest Timber Market Update for North Carolina.

 

What Should You Ask A Consulting Forester?

What is a True Consulting Forester?

• the difference between being independent and being obligated to a particular company
• limitations of procurement foresters
• limitations of public service foresters
• What qualifications should a consultant forester have?

Why Should you Hire a Consultant Forester? Done well, the value that consultant foresters bring during

• the timber cruise
• the timber sale
• the timber harvest (harvesting a wet weather tract at the right time)
• the ongoing timber management

Questions to Ask during the Hiring process

• Experience –
  • How many clients do you have?
  • How many acres do you manage?
  • Help determine skill level and/or trust of other land owners.
  • How many people/foresters work with you to help you manage property for your clients?
  • Do you have any references?
  • If possible, can I look at any past work/property you’ve managed?
  • Are you involved in the local timber market.
    • If not, they don’t have the contacts or relationships to know about the major swings in prices that can really set your returns apart from others (wet weather markets etc), know which loggers to use / not use, dozer operators, chemical crews, burn crews, knows usda cost share programs to use, etc etc

Timber Cruise

• What Method will you use to help me establish my basis?
• Do you have experience managing my type of timber? Hardwood vs pine, upland vs bottomland.

Landowner Goals

• Ideally, your forester should be asking you about your goals. Make sure your forester understands your goals and is honest about if they are feasible. You want an advisor, no a yes man.

Timber Sale /Harvest

• What method will you use?
• How will the timber be marked? Who will oversee the loggers and sorting of timber?
• Who is liable for merchandising loss?
• How often will you check on the operation?
• Are you going to make sure that the loggers etc are insured?

Contract / Agreement

• How do consultants charge fees, what is the range, why does the range vary?
  • Don’t get hung up on what they charge or don’t charge. Focus on value. Focus on somebody that understands your “why” and can achieve that. Saving pennies to lose dollars or not achieve your vision will be detrimental long term.
  • Do you have a management contract with your fee structure?

The Best Way to Find a Consulting Forester

• Methods outside of a google search for “consulting foresters near me”

 

This week’s show has been brought to you by Joe Baya and Clint Flowers, members of the top producing team at National Land Realty, the fastest growing and most innovative land brokerage in the nation. With hunting season right around the corner and interest rates at historic lows, now is a great time to be buying or selling land. If you want to learn more, shoot us an email at pros@landhuntin.com or call us at 855-NLR-LAND.

Show Sponsors:

First South Farm Credit

Alabama Farmers Cooperative

MB Ranch King

Photonis

Pryamyd Air

SunSouth

Brush Clearing Services

Buck’s Island Marina

Southern Seed And Feed

The Hunting Exchange

Tune in each week as we bring in various experts to help provide answers to important land owner questions like, “how much is my land worth today,” “how much is my land worth per acre,” “how much is timberland worth,” “what is my farmland market worth,” “how much is agricultural land worth,” and other such questions. Many factors go in to determining the value of land and seeking out the wisdom of experts is a great place to find the answers to your questions.

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