You'll be more successful with your forest property if you manage it according to a clear plan. Whether you grow trees, tulips or turkeys, a management plan helps save time and money while increasing returns and enjoyment. Therefore, the clearer your destination (or objectives), the greater chance for success.
Plans Set Direction
Since forests take so long to grow, today's decisions can have long-term impacts and benefits. A plan analyzes and assesses options, allowing a landowner to select the best course of action and achieve desired objectives. A plan includes a time line or sequence to implement management activities.
Many non-timber goals can be planned simultaneously. Protecting water quality, wildlife habitat, aesthetics and other critical resources is possible with little expense if strategically planned before a harvest. Timber harvests create open areas and road access that can improve wildlife habitat, provide for recreation, and enhance natural beauty. Careful planning of management activities can even assure a periodic income stream.
Effective Plans Begin With You
The first step in planning is to understand land capabilities and meld these with future family goals. It is essential to evaluate the constraints, resources, and priorities of current owners and heirs. Defining objectives shouldn't be an exercise for its own sake, rather a way to focus activities on reaching desired outcomes.
Begin with a realistic appraisal of your skills, resources and time constraints. Consider interests, income needs, family situation, proximity to the property, and philosophy about land ownership, the environment, and other factors that will influence the decisions that are made.
The three following profiles illustrate some of the wide range of goals and interests that landowners have for their forests. Use these profiles to help define your situation and formulate primary management goals and objectives.
|
|
|
|
“Bob and Audrey” Age: Early 60’s Income Needs: Taxes and property upkeep, Living costs Tract size: 250 acres Distance to Property: resident Interests: Walking, gardening, visits from grandchildren Family: 3 adult children, 7 grandchildren Constraints: Not physically capable of conducting manual work. Need timber revenue to carry all management costs. Fixed retirement income. Goals (the Big Picture): “We want to leave the property better than when we received it. To harvest some timber now but leave a productive, valuable forest in place to enjoy.” Objectives: Improve the attractiveness of the forest edge visible from the residence by thinning large, poorly formed trees during next harvest. Thin one-half of large sawtimber in mature pine stand to generate approximately $1500 per acre for living expenses, taxes, and upkeep in Year 3. Improve recreational access by reseeding logging roads with clover and orchardgrass following the harvest. Mow annually to provide a clear walking path. |
“Lil and Mike” Age: Early 30s Income Needs: Upkeep of summer residence Tract size: 40 acres Distance to property: 140 miles Interests: Mountain biking, hiking, wildlife observation Family: Married, no children Constraints: Can do limited physical work (trails/firewood/wildlife operations). Could afford private contractors to operate equipment and improve the property. Goals (the Big Picture): We ‘d like to have the property look like a park, a place where wildlife can flourish without harm. We’d like to have the property reflect our love of the environment.” Objectives: Build a ½-mile exercise and nature trail in Year 1. Plant three dozen dogwoods and native shrubs on field edge for spring blossoms and to attract songbirds in fall of Year 2. Establish three ½-acre clover patches for rabbits and quail in lower field by Year 3. Annually mark and remove one-half acre of undesirable, poorly formed trees for firewood in front hardwood stand. |
“Sam and Joanne” Age: Early 40s Income Needs: College, tuition for kids, retirement Tract size: 125 acres Distance to Property: 7 miles Interests: Farming, hunting Family: Married; 2 teen-aged boys, 1 college freshman girl Constraints: Have the equipment and manpower to make wildlife/ timber and other resource improvements. Would like to subsidize most operations with revenues from timber operations. Goals (the Big Picture): “We view our family forest as a revenue and recreation producer, where hunting takes place and farming income is supplemented with timber production.” Objectives: Establish 75-feet-wide field borders with kobe lespedeza in spring of Year 1 to control soil erosion and benefit deer. Harvest 30-acre block of mature pine timber by sealed bid sale through a forestry consultant in Year 2. Replant with genetically improved loblolly pine seedlings at 10-feet by 10-feet spacing with farm help in winter of Year 3. Control burn remaining 30-acre mature pine stand to reduce hardwood brush and increase deer browse in winter of years 4, 7, and 11. |
Goals
Goals are statements of desired outcomes or future conditions. In the following
profiles, landowners describe the "big picture"
vision for the property, then refine them into several working objectives. Goals are
typically broad and open ended. They must reflect true desires and be achievable. In all
cases they must be compatible with the resources available and the potential of the property.
Goals reflect the long-term view of forest
management. For instance, a typical landowner goal may be: To manage mature hardwoods for high-quality
sawtimber and for squirrel and turkey habitat.
Presently the landowner's hardwoods are only 35 years old, therefore reaching that goal will entail
a minimum of two decades. After goals are written, the next step is to
draft objectives.
Objectives
Objectives are written to accomplish concrete
steps toward each goal. Objectives refine goals into
workable tasks. Each objective is specifically written to state
what is to be accomplished, when it will be done, and at
what cost. It is important to set realistic, achievable
objectives, especially when beginning to manage a
property. Start off slow and build upon initial successes.
For instance, if a goal is to produce pine sawtimber for
future sale and presently the trees are 16 years old,
reasonable objectives might be:
YEAR 2: To commercially thin pine stand to
remove one-third of the tree volume as pulpwood. Sale to
be made by contract through a consulting forester.
YEAR 4: Prescribe burn thinned pine stand in
winter months to reduce fuel load, control
hardwood sprouts, improve access for foot travel, and
stimulate legumes for wildlife. Cost per acre $10- $12.
YEAR 9: Thin pine stand to remove one-quarter volume as small sawtimber and chip-'n-saw
material. Contract sale to be handled by
consulting forester.
Tips For Successful Objectives
When drafting objectives, be sure that they:
| The Management Plan
Plans can change, and management plans should be flexible to accommodate changes in priorities and needs. A questionnaire follows that will help you develop goals and objectives for your forest property. Once you have your ideas and priorities established, begin writing a management plan with a goal, or “the big picture.” Follow with three or four realistic objectives. Refer to the examples in the landowner profiles in this guide for help. | |
|
Don’t plan alone! Seek the advice of natural resource professionals with experience in the
resources you are hoping to manage. Talk with foresters, wildlife biologists, Extension agents,
private consultants, or members of the state forest service. Discuss ideas with them and learn
from their experiences. What has worked? What has not? Professionals deal in resource management daily and are familiar with local conditions. Many times, they can arrange for an on-site visit of your property. They can also verify that your goals and objectives are compatible with soil capabilities, markets, and ownership acreage. If compatible, a management plan can be developed. If not compatible, you should reevaluate your goals and objectives. |
Establishing Priorities For Your Forest Plan
Establish priorities and develop objectives for managing your land by printing out this handy worksheet.
|
On Your Way
Congratulations. By starting to set your priorities, you’ve taken the first step toward natural resource planning. Planning is not a single activity but a series of continuous steps leading to a desired outcome. Successful plans must meet your needs and comfort level. They can be detailed with recommendations for the next two years or general enough to encompass activities for the next decade. The important part is to set goals and objectives on paper and to revisit them periodically. They can be revised and modified as priorities and conditions change. Finally, seek the advice and recommendations of knowledgeable professionals who can help you implement and refine your plan to accomplish your objectives with the least cost and effort. |
|
Additional Resources for Forest Resource Planning
These publications are available free of charge from your local North Carolina Cooperative Extension Center.