The Rural Voice, 1998-11, Page 42RIME
Your Woodiot
Making money from your back 33
By Andrew Grindlay
Here's a happy story. Pete (not his
real name) farms a cash crop
operation in Southwestern Ontario
and decided that, after many years of
neglect, his 33 -acre woodlot should
be looked at. Not knowing much
about trees, Pete
called a forestry
consultant, one
of those
formerly
employed by
Ontario's
Ministry of
Natural
Resources.
The forester
walked through
the woodlot
with Pete,
pointing out
that there were
many trees that
were overmature and were likely
beginning to rot in the middle. They
You can
get money,
and a better
woodlot too
Christmas
Is
Coating!
Don't forget the
deadline for the
December issue
should be harvested, he said, while
they are still of interest to loggers as
sawlogs. Pete agreed.
The forester then proceeded to
mark a total of 217 trees that he
thought should come out, either
because they were overmature or
because they were crowding other
better trees that needed room. "The
best way to make a tree grow faster",
said the forester, "is to remove the
tree next to it."
The trees marked were 141 hard
maples, 22 beech, 13 black cherry, 17
white ash and one each of hickory,
hemlock and butternut.
Next, the forester sent the list of
trees to several log buyers whom he
knew to be reliable people and
invited them to quote a price on the
lot.
Some did. Others, after examining
the trees, declined. There were six
bids received with prices varying
from $11,000 to $28,182.
Pete signed a contract with the top
DAVID E. GREIN
LOGGING
Buyer of Standing
& Felled Hardwood Timber
& Bush Lots
• Competitive Pricing
• Quality Workmanship
• 20 Years Experience
R.R.#1 Neustadt (519) 799-5997
9
�• GP
tooLA ND SPS
Marvin L. Smith
B.Sc.F. (Forestry), R.P.F.
Farm Woodland Specialist
765 John St. West
Listowel, Ontario N4W 1B6
Telephone: (519) 291-2236
Providing advice and assistance with:
• impartial advice/assistance in selling timber,
including selection of trees and marking
• reforestation of erodible or idle land
• follow-up tending of young plantations
• windbreak planning and establishment
• woodlot management planning
• diagnosis of insect and disease problems
• conducting educational programs In woodlot
management
• any other woodland or tree concerns
38 THE RURAL VOICE
bidder and received a cheque for 15
per cent of the price. The balance will
be paid before the logger starts
cutting. Pete is now busy clearing
trails through the woodlot to let the
logger access the trees without
damaging the remaining crop trees.
Pete will get from his tree harvest
approximately $130 per tree, or $854
per acre, and at the same time will
have improved the quality of his
woodlot by removing overmature
trees and those that were crowding
better trees.
Here are some lessons that can be
learned from Pete's experience:
1. Profit can be made from the
farm woodlot without damaging it,
and indeed, harvesting can improve
it.
2. Trees to be cut should be
marked before cutting begins.
3. A deposit should be paid on
signing the contract, with the balance
due before cutting begins.
4. The woodlot owner should clear
trails through the woodlot to enable
the logger to get at the trees while
doing minimum damage to the
remaining trees.
5. The woodlot owner who has
little experience in marking and
selling trees, is well advised to hire a
professional, at least for the first time
through the process.
There seems to be a widespread
view that lumber prices are depressed
these days but, as Pete will tell you,
the sawmills are still operating, they
still need logs and they are willing to
pay a good price for them.0
Andrew Grindlay lives in London
and owns a woodlot in Huron
County.
c
STOPPERS
1 -800 -222 -TIPS