Managing a Successful, Sustainable Timber Harvest

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You may be surprised to learn that harvesting timber is one of the best ways to preserve the health of your woods.  After all, cutting down trees doesn’t sound like a good way to protect them.

But a carefully managed, sustainable timber harvest isn’t just about cutting down trees and cashing in on their commercial value. It’s about implementing a plan that encourages regeneration and the long-term well-being of your woods.

By keeping your stands open and healthy, building wildlife habitat, and creating the conditions for new growth, a sustainable timber harvest can protect everything you value about your woods, all while providing you with income at the same time. In fact, many woodland owners use this income from timber harvesting for projects that further improve the ecology of their woods.

This section will show you the sustainable way to go about harvesting your timber. We’ll go over:

• reasons why you may want to sell your timber
• how to sell your timber if you choose to
• best practices for protecting your forest and yourself during the timber sale process
• why it’s important to find the right professional help for your harvest
• what you need to know about harvest contracts and a sample contract to look at
• planning your harvest
• things to watch out for when harvesting
• why you should call before you cut and where else you can find more information

If done right, harvests are a win-win for you and your woods. Once you’ve learned why to sell, how to sell, and what to expect along the way, you’ll be ready for a smart, sustainable harvest.

Find out More

• The Visual Guide to Sustainable Timber Harvesting, a learning module from the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University College of Natural Resources, clearly shows the difference between simple commercial harvesting and sustainable harvesting, which improves the health of the woods. Using a Virgina woodlot as an example, this website shows the visual impact of different kinds of harvesting practices.