What does a typical forester charge ?

[SwampDonkey]

Sorry, but I can't think of nut'n else. .

Getting back to rates, I have a few for my area. Something to think about in your situation.

First off, if I'm in charge of a woodlot for an owner I charge a flat rate based on the harvest, which generally is $10/cord. I don't nickle and dime the owner, I integrate all the work. I've gave it alot of thought over the years and I don't feel the owner gets good value by charging by the hour. ($45/hour is quite excessive in most instances). If the owner can see what you've accomplished he doesn't have to watch the clock this way.

My rates are listed under 'Service Details' on my website

Larry I know a small handful of large forest owners that take prey on old folks that must sell land to pay their way in the home. They don't get anywhere near market value. In those cases they probably don't care because procedes goes to government, but the family members get a bit perturbed. I think I posted here earlier about this old gentlemen that got peanuts for 300 acres, which was being bought by a lumber company. That same company wouldn't even pay $300/acre for 7 year old thinning in mixed softwood ground (285 acres), fully stocked. We offered $60,000 for a woodlot (285 acres), but the owner wants $90,000 as his bottom price. If we were a forest company with a sawmill it would be a steal for $90,000. A company doesn't have to purchase timber always with the harvest now attitude, they have to plan for the future to. I know one local company that has land all around this lot.  I know the lot like the back of my hand because I did alot of the management work there,including the plan.  Its been listed for several months. It has access on both ends of the lot and there is a large brook in the middle. It's realy too far away for me to keep an eye on with all the local timber theives around. Some of these companies don't get rich by being above board.

[Phorester]

I'm an Area forester with the Virginia Dept. of Forestry, located in northwestern VA.  

Good advice and discussion from everybody here.  Contact your local VDOF office.  They are in the government pages in your phone book.  Or go to our website, www.vdof.org They should give you a list of consulting foresters that cover the county where the timber is located.

But I'd first have to go with the poster who asked, why are you wanting to cut timber in the first place?  This is sorta putting the cart before the horse.  Get a forest management plan done first, and then see if any of the trees need harvesting to meet the landowners' goals. Trees should be cut in order to improve the forest for whatever the landowner is looking for, not just to make money. If making money is the overriding objective, then a professional forester can help insure that the right trees are left for the future forest. I expect your local VDOF forester will do a management plan, or he may recommend a consulting forester that will.  

Then if trees need to be removed, use a consulting forester to determine which trees need to be cut, and let him handle the sale.  In my end of the state, this is considered a small size sale, and they will charge around 15-20 %commission for a sale of this size. In my area, they invariably get the landowner 200% to 300% more than if the landowner sells it himself, and a better forest left for the future to boot.

[verb]

I am a consulting forester with 23 years forestry experience and a Masters Degree in Forest Economics from Virginia Tech.

I have supervised 3 timber sales in the Williamsburg area this year.  I would be glad to show the landowner the results of these three sales.

I would be willing to visit the tract and meet with the landowner to discuss objectives.  My fee would be $40 per hour for inital visit.  Fee would be waived if landowner has me administer timber sale. My fee for marked timber sales is usually 10% for small sales.  You can reach me at psv42@yahoo.com.

[SwampDonkey]

HI Verb

Welcome to the forum.

If your looking for a possible management job, I have a contact email for a job in your area. A friend of mine who works at Vtech gave me the email address of someone looking to have 650 acres managed. I can give you his name and email if you wish to enquire about the job. Its a professor type and you may know him. Just IM me for info.

Don't forget us at the forum.

[verb]

That sounds great.  I don't know how to IM.  Can you email me?