Owning a large forested property is quite literally the only investment where money grows on trees. That’s why it’s important to protect that investment with a forest management plan. Keep your forest healthy and thriving so that you can continue to profit from your woodlot later down the line.
What is a Forest Management Plan?
A forest management plan (FMP) is a roadmap for how your forested land will be managed over a given period of time. It outlines your goals, objectives, and any specific actions needed to achieve sustainable forest management.
Forest management plans are about more than just your trees—they also take into consideration all of your property’s resources like wildlife, soil, water sources, recreational sites, and more. Your FMP is meant to help you identify the natural resource opportunities available on your property and stay on top of management activities.
Forest Management Plans Often Include:
A description of your short- and long-term goals. Create a vision for your property and think through the measurable ways you can attain your goals. For example, you may want to protect your forest’s health (goal) by doing frequent checks for invasive plants, diseases, or harmful insects (objective).
Assessment of current woodlot condition & inventory. Create a detailed description of your forest and all its resources. You will want to include:
- The written legal description
- The tax parcel number
- The USDA Service Center number or farm number (if available)
- Property maps
- Soils map
- Stand map (if available)
- Topographic map
- Ownership records
- Current and expired hunting leases
- Expired liens/easements
- A description of all previous forest management activities
A plan of action to achieve your forest management goals. Create a detailed description of the prescribed management activities you plan to execute and when. These activities might include selective timber harvesting, herbicide application, installing fire breaks, fertilization, timber stand improvement, etc.
Maintaining & Maximizing Timber Yield with Sustainable Forestry
Proper forest management planning makes sure you meet your goals with your property while preserving the health and regeneration of your forested land for the future.
Selective harvesting techniques play a key role in this. By carefully choosing which trees to harvest and which to leave standing, we can maintain the overall integrity and diversity of the forest ecosystem while still meeting our timber requirements and your goals.
At Buskirk Lumber, we’ll help you develop a plan that’s best for you, whether you wish to harvest again in the future, make improvements for hunting, or open your canopy for tree and undergrowth regeneration.
Harvesting & Selling Standing Timber
Did you know you can make a significant profit while accomplishing your land management goals? Harvesting and selling your standing timber directly to a sawmill like Buskirk Lumber yields one of the most profitable and preferable outcomes for your woodlot. See how.
Forest Management Planning for Maximum Returns
Proper forest management keeps your forest healthy and thriving so that you can continue to profit from your standing timber for years to come. Sustain your property’s integrity and wildlife while leaving room for younger trees to grow and produce higher levels of oxygen.
Get help creating a forest management plan that’s customized for your woodlot.
Buskirk Lumber, Your Partners in Sustainable Forestry
We are cash buyers of standing timber in Michigan, harvesting hardwood timber such as cherry, walnut, oak, maple, and other valuable hardwood species.
As professional licensed and bonded timber buyers with over 100 years in the industry, Buskirk Lumber has what you need to maintain your woodlot in a way that is not only good for your forest’s growth, but profitable to you as a landowner. We seek to build lifelong relationships and partnerships to reach your goals. You can trust us to be professional, transparent, and treat your property as if it were our own.
We operate a sawmill, timber procurement and harvesting crew, and a timber/lumber hauling trucking division in Freeport, MI. We travel throughout Michigan, Indiana, and Ohio to buy standing timber. Reach out to us for an appraisal and find out how much your standing timber is worth!
