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A marked White Oak being cut

One of the key components of proper timber management is the periodic thinning of mature and/or overstocked trees. Forest Stand Improvement is a viable non-commercial method of thinning. The more traditional method is to conduct a logging operation. In Missouri, timber has traditionally been sold on shares with a logger. We present a different method, which is a Marked Timber Sale. In our timber sales, an experienced forester will mark, measure and record every tree, along with a GPS location for each tree, that a logger will be allowed to cut, before any trees are actually removed. Loggers are then invited to bid in lump-sum amounts on the marked trees, ensuring a competitive price to the landowner.

Advantages of a Marked Timber Sale

  • Experienced Foresters marking the sale, with the overall health and quality of the forest in mind
  • Very good estimate of number, quality, and volume of trees to be sold achieved prior to any cutting
  • Bid process ensures competitive price
  • We require payment in full prior to any cutting
  • Landowner has opportunity oversee all steps prior to any cutting
  • We mark quality trees only when they are mature. In addition, we mark many undesireable, poorly formed, and defective trees; therefore we feel that we improve the overall quality and health of the timber with every sale

Potential Problems with Logging on Shares

  • Loggers, likely without formal education in forestry, responsible for the long-term health of the forest
  • Many times loggers, trying to maximize their profit on a sale, will cut trees that could have been worth many times more by the next timber sale
  • Landowner won't know exactly how much money to expect until after all trees are cut and sold