SULLIVAN FORESTRY CONSULTANTS, INC.

                                                                            THE FOREST MANAGEMENT PLAN

                                       What is a forest management plan? and Why do I need one?

The Forest Management Plan 

Planning a trip from Georgia to California would require more than merely jumping in a car and driving.  Time would be spent studying road maps or alternatives modes of travel.  Objectives would serve to guide your decision, things such as cost or time allowances.  There would be many routes that you  could possibly take to California,

but in the end the best route would be selected based on your objectives.

While most of us would consider it unwise to take such a trip without proper planning, forest landowners take this approach everyday in the way they manage their forest lands.  All too often, they know what they want from their forest resources, but they have no idea or plan of how to get there.

Forest Management Plan - What is it?

A Forest Management Plan is nothing more than a tool which evaluates a forest lands current state and provides a management process which, over time, these forestlands meet the landowners objectives.

A good Forest Management Plan includes:

       Introduction

       Goals Statement – What does the landowner want to achieve:  maximization of net income, hunting, recreation?  Each landowner is different, and as such their goals will vary.

       Problem Statement – a statement that briefly summarizes the problem that the management plan will address.

       Existing Physical Characteristics of the Property – location, ownership, soils, timber inventory, etc…

       Descriptions of Available Silvicultural Options – clear-cutting, seed tree, thinning, etc…

       Descriptions of Available Site Preparation and Regeneration – chemical site prep, mechanical site prep, hand planting, machine planting, etc…

       Descriptions of Timber Stand Improvements – fertilization, herbaceous weed control, burning, etc…

       Descriptions of Management Constraints – timber vs. wildlife management, taxes, environmental, etc...

       General Management Recommendations – lays out the management procedures needed to reach the landowners goals

       Schedule of Timber Activities – the how and when of implementing the General Management Recommendations including yearly revenue/cost details

       Appendix – including copies of deeds, maps, and other misc. information

Basically, a Forest Management Plan assesses the current state of a landowner's forest land, and with the objectives of the landowner in mind, focuses activities over time to meet these objectives.  A good Forest Management Plan looks for ways to minimize the total cost to a landowner, while maximizing the return from the property.                        

Why do I need a Forest Management Plan?

Every landowner has objectives for their property, but most have no real idea of how to achieve these objectives in a cost efficient manner.  A Forest Management Plan enables a landowner to meet their objectives through sound forest management decisions. 

What is the best method of site preparation for my property?  How will burning effect my deer population?  Does this nursery provide quality seedlings?  How can I increase the number of song birds nesting on my property?  When should I sell my timber?  How much should I pay for kudzu control?  Many questions arise when dealing with forest land management. 

If you want to efficiently meet your forestland objectives then a Forest Management Plan will put you on the road to success.

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