Small Woodlot Management

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Selective cutting may be visually pleasing, but it is not the most convenient way to harvest.

After you know what you want to get out of your woodlot, find out what is already there. What trees, shrubs, plants, and animals are present? How big is your woodland? What soils types, moisture, and topography do you have? These things will all affect future possibilities.

The third step in the process is to gather information. There are many nature guides to help you identify the plants and animals present. Naturalists at your closest state or national park, or teachers at your local high school or college may be able to help you with identifications.

One source of information that I found to be very valuable was the state-run Stewardship Incentive Program (SIP), or Woodland Stewardship Plan. They have extensive information available for each state. This is important because our country sustains many different climates, each with its own set of flora and fauna, possibilities, and problems. I found out about the program by accident when the local SIP man stopped by looking for my neighbor so that he could draw up a Woodland Stewardship Plan for him. The sidebar starting on page 73 lists the agencies in each state that administer the program. They can supply you with a great deal of information that will help you draw up your plan, and, if you are comfortable accepting government funds, cost sharing may be available to cover up to 75% of the cost of implementing certain parts of your plan.

Other excellent sources of information are the State University Agriculture Extension Office in your county and any forestry associations in your area. See the sidebar bellow for a listing of national forestry related associations and periodicals.

Most sources recommend that you obtain the services of a professional forester. However, I would strongly urge you to study enough to become your own forester. Read extensively on the subject and you can learn the same things that a professional forester knows at a considerable savings.

Once you know what you have, where you want to go, and have gathered information on recommended ways to get there, it's time to write up your plan. This plan may be simple if you have a small homogenous acreage, or quite complex if your acreage is large with differing soil types and moisture situations.

Your management plan should at least address the what, when, and how of timber harvesting. The details will depend on where you live, what trees you have growing on your property, and the goals you have for your woodlot.

So You Need A Logger?

Most loggers are capable, honest, and efficient. However, the behavior of some has spoiled the reputation of all loggers. Some will leave a mess while only taking the best trees. Even worse, some compound the problem by not paying for the trees they cut. If you deal with a logger, here are a few common sense rules to follow:
1. Obtain bids and references from several loggers and check them carefully.
2. Get advice from a disinterested third party, such as your forester.
3. Get a written contract covering at least the following points. A) Terms of payment. B) Date by which work must be completed. C) Specifying that work will not be done when heavy machinery will cause damage to soil (during mud season, for instance). D) Specifying which trees should be cut. E) If area is not to be clear-cut, ensure that skidding activity is limited to the minimum number of trails needed for removal of the trees. F) Require that trees be felled and skidded in such a manner as to minimize damage to any remaining trees. Require winching and end-lining to make this happen. G) Specifying that logger must carry workmen's compensation and liability insurance. If you feel uncertain of your forestry expertise, work through a registered professional forester to make certain that you have a good, enforceable contract. Then you should watch the operation on a daily basis until you know that the logger knows how to handle your land.
If you have the time, inclination, and athletic ability to do the work yourself, you might consider doing your own logging. Not only will you avoid potential problems with a logger, but you will also get a better price for your logs. The value of Minnesota's 1990 timber harvest as paid to the landowner was $36,208,480. The value of that same harvest paid at the mill to the logger was $193,178,806. That's $5.34 to the logger for every $1 to the landowner. You figure the difference in your area and decide if it's worth it. No one else loves and respects your woods as much as you do. No one else will have to look at the end result of the logging operation as much as you will. Not many people will be more careful with your woods than you will be. And if you are not careful how you log your own woods, then you deserve to look at the mess.
Equipment for skidding the logs may be a problem for some. A small tractor with a front end loader may be used for skidding and loading if the logs are not too large. However, if you have access to a harness-broken horse, you could skid the logs out with the horse and save much wear and tear on your woods.

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