Best Terms of Payment to Private Forester for a Harvest

[OrangeAgain]

We will soon be entering into our first contract with our forester for the harvest of our best sugar bush stand to adhere to our Forest Management Plan and in preparation of pipeline install for the 2015 season.

I have to decide whether I want to pay the forester a % of the wood sales or by the hour.

I would appreciate thoughts of which method may be best for us.

[jmayerl]

I'm not sure why you would ever pay a forester by percentage. That would encourage them to take only prime, and not mark properly.

[BreezyHill]

I would get prices from at least two foresters for the work to be done. Get an estimate of the charges. We have only payed by the hour and not on a percentage. Neighbor did by the percentage and the forester made out really well until he market about 15 trees on our side of a stone wall. That cost him $2900. Cost us a lot more in the long run as half were nice 28-34 inch maple stumps. Rest was straight oak in a valley.

get recommendations on whom ever gets the job.

Best wishes!
Ben

[PerryFamily]

Maybe you could get a state forester that may even not charge anything?

[Thompson's Tree Farm]

I'm confused, are you hiring a forester or a logger?

[Loch Muller]

I guess it depends on how much your harvest is worth, but you may end up paying the same either way. Most foresters around me charge at least $50/hour and start the clock when they leave their house, which can add up if they have to drive an hour or more. A quick check in With the logger and the progress of your harvest can end up costing you a couple hundred if you go by the hour. The advantage of the percentage is that it is what it is regardless of how much time the forester has to spend on the job. If I were you I'd make sure and remind the forester about the importance of minimizing damage to the roots and lower stems of your residual trees as this will directly affect the productivity of your sugarbush. Releasing the crowns of the maples won't do much good if you cut up the roots and scrape the bark off of the main trunks during a harvest. Not sure what it's like in Vermont, but if you call your DNR they should be able to point you in the right direction. Good luck.

[adk1]

I replied to your post on another site. To add to it, get some references and ask around. Most foresters are trustworthy. It's your land and they are your trees. Ask questions about his work if you are unsure

[nicholastzito]

I'm a forester down in ct. Currently I work for a water company, but I used to be a procurement forester. I do consulting on the side now.

I would personally suggest payment by the hour. A percentage deal tends to screw you. Down here you end up paying 20-35% of your total sales to the forester, who may not necessarily take all veneer or higher grade, but is more likely to do so. Assuming your forester is relatively local (<1hr away) you will end up earning more if paid by the hour. This is especially true if the lot is less than 75 acres or so.

If paying by the hour you are more likely to have a more silviculturally sound harvest done- with more focus on eliminating the Undesirable growing stock (UGS) and retention of your AGS (acceptable growing stock).

Going rates down here run $50-75/hr, so be prepared for that. Obviously get the opinion of multiple foresters, or even run what they propose by me, I'd be happy to look it over for you.

Try and find as much about your forest as possible. Gather the details on trees/acre, basal area per acre, stocking percentage, etc. these will help you make an informed decision. Your forester shouldn't be afraid to show you the science behind what he/she is recommending if they are trustworthy