Woodlot Assessment & Management Planning
If you are currently a landowner of a forest or woodlot, chances are you have asked yourself the question “How is my woodlot doing?”. The majority of landowners do not know the answer to this question. Is your woodlot a young forest that needs 20 more years of growth? Or is it old and declining? Healthy or unhealthy? Valuable, not valuable? Is the current composition, (what species and age classes are present) and structure (density and spacing of the trees) adequate in order to meet your objectives? Do you as the woodlot owner know what your objectives are? Having the answers to these questions is extremely important to determine if you are on track or need forest management intervention in order to reach these objectives. At Tall Pines Forest Management, we can help you find the answer to all of these questions and identify harvest treatments that will modify the composition and/or the structure of your woodlot according to your plan. We will help you determine a timeline for said treatments and make sure you fully understand your forest. If you are in need of a woodlot assessment, contact us today.
Forest Management planning is essentially creating an official document that compiles information we gather about your woodlot. Once we have completed a thorough woodlot assessment alongside a timber appraisal, our team takes a deep dive into your goals and objectives and how these factors play into one another. From there we consider a myriad of other data points like soil analysis, wildlife habitat, and more and memorialize everything into a document. These forest plan documents can range from a couple of pages to a couple of hundred pages depending on the size of your woodlot and goals. If you own a woodlot and have not had a forest management plan done, contact Tall Pines Forest Management Today.
Related Services
Tax Program Enrollment and Renewal
Maintaining your forest as a productive woodland has its merits. In 1972, the government of Maine put forward the Tree Growth Tax Law to reward landowners who are committed to growing and harvesting commercial forest products to support the timber industry. It’s essentially a program offered by the government that lowers the amount of taxes you’ll have to pay on your property. However, it entails that you manage your property according to a forest management plan prepared by a licensed forester; this plan should reflect your objectives for the property. Hence, if you’re looking for enrollment into this program or require compliance if you’re already a part of it, then you’ll need proper management. Not only will it help you with the tax burden, but it also helps you realize the value of your timber.
Boundary Line Maintenance
Boundary Line Maintenance is a great way to ensure that you are always aware of your property line. Once you have had a land survey done it is important to take further measures that will help remind you of that boundary in the future. We utilize multiple techniques to properly mark your property line that is also safe for your land and trees. If you have recently had a land survey done, or need assistance in maintaining the boundary line, contact Tall Pines Forest Management today.
Mapping Services
Mapping is required for effective land management and future control. It gives you a clear indication of your boundaries and a picture of how you can effectively control your land.
We offer the following:
- GPS and GIS mapping services: These allow us to survey your land, giving you accurate spatial coordinates and elevation for your land.
- Boundary Line Maintenance
- In recent years, the need for accurate data on woodland resources has increased exponentially. It isn’t only important for regulatory bodies that govern forest resources, but you too can benefit from it. Mapping allows you to ascertain essential metrics of your forest and lets you make an inventory of the resources present in it. This information is necessary for determining the current value of your forest and gives you an idea of what direction you can take towards implementing a forest management plan.
- Technological advances have made it much more feasible to include forest mapping during the initial stages of your forest management planning process or harvest plans. It doesn’t require as much labor; instead, it relies on satellite imaging technology to give you a detailed layout of the terrain and stands present on your land.
Stewardship Plans
A lot goes into protecting forests. They provide immense benefits to the ecosystem and habitat such that the Maine government has intervened and is willing to help woodland owners sustain their lands.
The Forest Stewardship Program is one such policy that has helped more than 5000 landowners in Maine since 1991. The program offers to help Maine by helping pay part of the cost of conservation plans prepared by a Maine licensed forester. Giving you the guidance to help improve the health of your forest.
You may require plans for thinning or Timber stand improvement (TSI), the cost for which can reach exorbitant amounts. By taking advantage of this federally funded program, you can realize your plans and execute them flawlessly.
Further, for forest landowners in New Hampshire, a Stewardship plan can help those enrolled in Current Use to save even more on their property taxes.
If you’re interested in our expert opinion or require our help with any of the above services, contact us at service@tallpinesfm.com. Or visit our contact page.