Forestry

Why do I need a forest management plan and who can I contact?

Most of our conservation easements require a Forest Management Plan before you harvest timber on your property. The terms of the conservation easement most likely require a Timber Harvest Plan before any trees are removed. This is an important step in long term planning and management of your property.

A Forest Management Plan is written by a certified forester who will work with you to determine a plan for harvesting timber on your property. Even if this is not required by the terms of your conservation easement, it could be very beneficial to the health of your forest and long term forest management.

If you are unsure whether or not this is required, please review your conservation easement or call and talk to Yarrow.

Who are some foresters in the area I can contact for a forest management plan?

The Conservancy keeps a list of area foresters we have worked with in the past on our conservation easement property. We do not require you to use the foresters on this list. It is only meant to be a resource for you. Below is a link to this list. If you are a forester and would like to be on this list, or if you know of someone we should add to this list, please call the office and talk to Yarrow.

Forester List (2013)

What is a forest management plan?

A forest management plan guides the forestry practices on your property and outlines the different types of forests you have, what species could be harvested and when. I usually prescribes various management practices (thinning, removing dead/dying species, etc) and defines a timeline for when they could occur. It is not a timber harvest plan, which is written when it is time to actually conduct forestry practices on the ground. The plan will include maps and information about the soils on your property.

This is your plan and it is up to you whether or not you wish to conduct a timber harvest. If you decide to follow the plan, your forester will work with you to develop a timber harvest plan which will outline where the activity will take place, what trees will be harvested and for what purpose (saw timber, etc), and where any logging or skid roads will be. Most conservation easements have a provision that requires the Conservancy to approve both the Forest Management Plan and the Timber Harvest Plan. Once the plan is written and approved, the forester will mark the trees and then ask for bids from the logging companies.