Managing your forest land – Landowners Top-10 Frequently Asked Questions
US Forest Service, State and Private Forestry – Northeastern Area
Forest Stewardship Program

1.  How can I find a good forester or logger, and what should I expect from them?

A forester and a logger can help you accomplish more on your land than you might be able to do alone.  A good forester and logger have the technical abilities to do the job that needs to be done. As a forest owner you will need to work with the forester and logger to define what those jobs involve.

What is the difference between a forester and a logger?
A forester has been educated to understand how the different parts of a forest (the trees, wildlife, soils, water, etc.) interact.  Plus, the forester knows how to manipulate the forest (FAQ 5), especially the vegetation, to make the forest meet your needs.  A forester should be familiar with local laws, know where markets exist for different forest products, and be able to work with you to negotiate a contract for services such as timber harvesting, road construction, or boundary line surveys.  The forester might also be knowledgeable about tax implications (FAQ 9) from timber revenue and how to satisfy any local harvesting ordinances . 

A logger will be able to work with you and the forester to harvest the trees marked by the forester (FAQ 4) and haul those logs to a landing .  Loggers should have experience in directional felling, or dropping a tree to avoid damage to other trees.  Some states have courses and training programs that help foresters and loggers learn the latest techniques.  Anyone, of course, can select which trees to cut and which trees to leave, but not everyone can make that selection with your objectives as the foremost consideration.

Do I need a service forester or a private sector forester?
Most states have service foresters (state employees) that provide some services to forest owners.  You should start with a service forester because they provide unbiased advice, a list of private sector foresters, and perhaps a variety of other types of assistance. Most service foresters can provide information and develop forest stewardship plans , but service foresters are not usually involved in commercial timber sales. Therefore, you may need to work through a private sector forester, specifically a consulting forester or an industrial forester.  Consultants are paid by the forest owner, and the industrial forester is paid by a mill.  Both can provide you with useful services if you have completed a thorough evaluation of their services and talents.

How do I go about hiring a forester?
When selecting a forester, proceed as though you are hiring an employee, although the legal relationship will typically be contractual.  You should consult a number of sources to compile a list of potential foresters.  These sources include lists from service foresters, professional forester associations , and recommendations from local forest owner associations .  Then you should contact several foresters on the list to obtain resumes, names of recent clients, educational backgrounds, training courses, and pricing information.  Finally, interview several foresters and select one who meets your needs.

What can a forester do for me?
Once you have selected a forester, he or she can help you decide whether a harvest is appropriate.  The forester will be familiar with the qualities of local loggers and help you select one who has a good reputation for quality work, has equipment that is compatible with the topography and soils on your property, and who is available to work in the time frame that you set. Depending on the specifics of your harvest, a saw mill or pulp mill may buy the trees before the harvest and they will provide a logger to conduct the harvest. This will allow you to get your money before any harvesting occurs, which is typically the preferred option for forest owners. You and your forester can work with the mill to ensure the harvest meets your expectations. Your state forestry agency, state extension specialist, or forester will have a sample contract that you can review with your attorney to cover the details of the harvest.

Where can I find more information?
In your state, find information on:

 

Several articles listed below describe how you might hire and work with foresters and loggers.

Topic

Recommended Web link

Finding a service forester in your state

Working with foresters

Working with loggers

Forester associations

 

Sample harvesting contracts

Sample forester contracts