TIMBER SALES

Selling timber is quite often an infrequent opportunity for most landowners. Since timber sales are the measuring stick by which successful timber management is often evaluated, one should make the most of these opportunities. Forest management planning, which timber sales play a vital part, when correctly implemented can substantially increase long term revenue streams for timberland owners.

That’s where we can help you the most!

We are the professionals with years of experience handling, monitoring and dealing with, on a daily basis:

• • timber sales,
  • timber markets,
  • timber buyers,
  • timber purchase agreements,
  • logging operations.

Our knowledge, experience, and integrity represent YOU, the landowner and YOU ONLY. WE WORK FOR YOU!  This eliminates the possibility of any conflict of interest in the selling and harvesting process.

Most of our sales are implemented through a bidding process assuring you competitive prices.  We assist in drafting a Timber Sales Contract that protects you and your property before, during, and after harvest.  We supervise the harvesting operations to ensure that all aspects of the Timber Sales Contract are adhered to.

TIMBER INVENTORIES & APPRAISALS

No matter the resource, you have to know what you have to properly manage it.    We assess timber resources by conducting an inventory, or cruising timber, and appraising the resource.   For new forest landowners, whether purchasing timberland property, inheriting it or receiving it by gift, this is vitally important.  An inventory and appraisal determines a basis in the timber and determines the depletion rate for future timber sales.  When timber is later sold timber prices at the time of the sale is important, but isn’t how much you net, or get to keep in the end even more important?  Having an established basis in the timber sold is a must.

PRESCRIBED BURNING

Prescribed or controlled burning is a common, practical forest management tool.  Fire is a natural part of the forest ecosystem.  The native plant and animal species of East Texas are adapted to and have evolved because of the role of fire in the environment over the eons of time.  Proper, controlled application of fire in a managed forest has a variety of benefits including:

• • the enhancement of wildlife habitat,
  • a reduction in hazardous fuel levels,
  • a control of undesirable plant species,
  • a release of nutrients and water for the residual plant species,
  • aesthetic appearance improvement.

Prescribed or controlled burning is also cost-effective method for site clean-up.

PROPERTY TAX & COST-SHARE APPLICATIONS

In Texas property taxes are the primary source of funds for public schools, county governments and local agencies.  Property taxes are calculated on the appraised value of a property.  There are however special-use appraisal rules in place for properties where agriculture, timber production or wildlife management is the primary use.  These special-use appraisals reduce the appraised value significantly thereby reducing the tax burden considerably.  Taking advantage of these rules is up to the landowner.  Taxing entities, in general, do not voluntarily offer up these savings.  YOU must seek these out and apply.  Let our experienced staff go to work for you and put these rules to use.

Governmental agencies and private associations may also offer funds to assist or even pay for many forest management activities through grant and cost reimbursement programs.  We’ve assisted many clients with these programs and we’re ready to help you with the same!

SILVICULTURAL ACTIVITIES

Silviculture or Forest Management Activities, include such things as:

• • herbicide applications,
  • site preparation treatments to ready an area for tree planting,
  • tree planting,
  • fertilization,
  • prescribed burning,
  • timber harvests.

These activities or treatments are quite often an infrequent event for most landowners.  Prescribing and implementing a silvicultural activity can easily define the next 30 to 50 years in a forest setting.  Making sure the proper treatment is prescribed, that it’s implemented properly and that it is at a cost that is fair and reasonable for the task is our priority.  WE work for YOU.

MANAGEMENT PLANS

Whether its twenty acres or ten thousand acres you own, Forest management planning, knowing when, where and what to do on a property can quite often be a daunting task. Our staff is here and ready to set up a comprehensive Management Plan tailored to the goals and objectives you have for your property.

GPS/GIS MAPPING

At Lone Star Forestry, LLC we have the latest Geographic Information System (GIS) software and in the field Global Positioning System (GPS) tools at the ready to put together “smart” and accurate maps of your property for any of your land management needs.

CARBON SEQUESTRATION

The Carbon Market is real and forest landowners are getting paid to grow trees! There are a variety of carbon programs available. Programs which include such terms as carbon sequestration, carbon offset, carbon credits and harvest deferral units.

Forest landowners should use caution when contemplating enrolling their property into one of these programs as many of them can place adverse, long-term restrictions on a property.

However, when the proper program is chosen, and administered into the overall forest management and plan on a property it can assist in a much more successful and profitable forest management program.

It is therefore vitally important that forest landowners consult with a professional consulting forester to weigh their options before enrolling and committing their timber resource.

We’ve studied these carbon programs and are ready to guide you through these important decisions. Give us a call to discuss options and your fit into this new and blossoming market.

BOUNDARY LINE DELINEATION

Robert Frost said, “Good fences make good neighbors” and we couldn’t agree more.  It’s amazing how many issues could be avoided if property lines had been clearly defined.  Trespass and timber theft are issues that could quite often be avoided had property lines been clearly marked.  In a forest setting an economically easy way to clearly define a property line is by periodically blazing and painting trees along a boundary.   In Texas the use of purple paint for delineating these lines also serves as a “Posted” or “No Trespassing” sign.   By blazing and painting property lines in this manner it not only marks the property line it also adds a greater benefit of liability protection for the landowner.

LAND MANAGEMENT SERVICES

Many of our clients at Lone Star Forestry LLC look to us for more than their Forest Management needs.  We often refer to ourselves as a “Land Management Company”.  We assist our landowner client base with a variety of other activities such as:

• • easement negotiations and oversight,
  • fencing,
  • roadwork,
  • oil & gas leasing,
  • hunting & grazing lease management,
  • wildlife management services, and
  • a host of other activities.

We are sure we’ll have the answer to your land management needs or objectives. If we do not have that answer, chances are we have a contact that does and are pleased to guide you in the proper direction.