GFR Forestry

GFR Forestry is at the Farm Show this week at the Fairgrounds in Raleigh. Come out and visit and get your free pine seedlings!

Shown (L-R) Kent Fullbright, Celeste Burns, Henry Randolph, and Mike Ballinger

On Friday, December 16, Kent Fullbright of GFR Forestry Consultants met with Ms. Tobias’ kindergarten class at JY Joyner Elementary in Raleigh, North Carolina. They discussed the importance of trees, how we use trees and wood products, and every kindergartener was given a containerized longleaf seedling. It was an exciting day for the children to carry home a young tree to plant!

Here are our Longleaf Pine Seedling planting instructions:

1. Pick a sunny, well-drained spot to plant.

2. Using a shovel, sink the blade into the
ground and rock it back and forth several
times to open a planing slit. Hole does not
have to be deeper than the plug of the
seedling.

3. Place seedling in the slit, with 1/4 to 1/2″ of
the root plug exposed above the ground
level.

4. Sink the shovel blade into the ground about
4″ from the seedling, and rock it back and
forth to tighten and close the planting slit at
both the bottom and top of the hold.

5. Gently pack the soil around the seedling
with the ball of your foot. The bud at the
base of the needles should be above ground
level and free of any loose dirt.

6. Water seedling only during very dry times or if
needles begin to turn pale green or brown due
to drought stress.

7. Flag or otherwise mark your seedling to
protect it from lawn mowers and weed eaters.
The tree will resemble a clump of grass for the
first year (or even two), but will soon
thereafter begin rapid height growth.

Download PDF here for printing.

A Consulting Forester – What’s That?

We have all been there, the momentary pause in a conversation, when the topic turns to “What do you do?”  More often than not, when I tell someone what I do for a living, my answer is met with a blank stare – they have no idea of what a consulting forester does.  If you own forestland you will benefit from the services of a consulting forester.

Consultants provide services for private, corporate, and public landowners, banks and real estate appraisers. Like other professional service providers, consultants charge a fee for time and expenses for services rendered.  Consultants may also receive a percentage of the sale proceeds when transactions occur.  Regardless of the method of compensation, people find that the value gained by hiring a professional forester far exceeds the cost.

So why utilize the services of a consulting forester on your property?

A consulting forester will take time to understand your forest management goals and utilize appropriate forestry practices to achieve your forest land objectives. This attention to detail ensures that you get the results you desire.

As an expert in a highly specialized and technical field, a forester can advise you on reforestation, timber valuation for estate purposes, wildlife habitat improvement, tax issues relating to forest management and many other issues.

A consulting forester will represent YOU in any forestland transactions, with YOUR best interests in mind and without any ulterior motives or outside influences.  Timber sales are a good example.  A consulting forester not only has a broad understanding of the biological processes of a forest but also the market dynamics in which your forest exists.  A consultant provides an informed, unbiased estimate of your timber value.  Knowing the value of what you are selling may be the most important component of the timber sale process. Consultants seek to combine a well planned sale with an accurate estimate of value and exposure to multiple buyers – a process that consistently generates successful sale results.  Your consultant will also assist in creating an appropriate sale contract, guide you through sale closing and ensure that prompt and correct payment is made.

In addition to education and experience, consulting foresters take pride in their profession and stay abreast of their field by maintaining membership in professional organizations.    Membership in these organizations requires a commitment to continuing education as well as adherence to a code of ethics.   For a consulting forester, the Association of Consulting Foresters (ACF) is a designation that demonstrates the highest commitment to the profession.

A consulting forester offers a wide range of services and can handle most jobs from start to finish. An independent consultant works for the landowner, serving as advisor and agent in a variety of technical matters related to the management of your forest.  A consulting forester looks out for your best interests, strives to increase the productivity of your woodland and will advise you on how to achieve your goals.

Contact us today for more information at www.gfrforestry.com or call 888-610-TREE (8733)!

Your Trees Don’t Know It’s a Recession…. Forest Management Decisions during Unfavorable Timber Markets

Recently the economy has had an historic downturn, leaving many people unsure about their financial future, and causing forest landowners to reassess their woodland management decisions. Economists remind us that the forest products market is historically cyclical and most experts are positive that the market will improve; the uncertainty remains in exactly when it will recover.  Even during a downturn in the market cycle, your trees are growing and increasing both your timber value and the overall value of your property. Here are some suggestions for retaining and improving value during these unfavorable market conditions:

1. Reforestation: Current market conditions should not necessarily prevent a decision to invest in proper reforestation following a final harvest.  In addition to the anticipated improvement of traditional markets, there is a burgeoning interest in alternative wood products and speculation of new wood consuming facilities being constructed in the US.  Markets for forest carbon credits, wood pellets as an alternative to coal, and fuel wood to energize electrical power plants are expected to increase the diversity of the wood products market in the next 10 to 15 years.  We believe the cost of reforestation is still a sound.

2. Forest health and value: Protecting forest health and growing value are key objectives for management of established timberland.  With market prices for higher valued sawtimber products at a low point, many landowners make the mistake of doing nothing until the market improves.

In actuality, forest management projects such as thinning or timber stand improvement are activities that should go on even during poor market conditions.  Thinning can offer a reduction in forest health risks (such as wildfire, insect damage, disease, or significant mortality due to its age or composition) and when done properly can significantly improve the future value of the timber.  If a thinning is done during a poor market, the perceived loss in value is usually offset by the value gained from increased tree growth and improvement in forest health. A GFR consulting forester can assist you in evaluating these options and also ensure that objectives are being met by monitoring the operation when it is active.

3. Property Maintenance: The old adage ‘an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure’ can be applied to the general maintenance of a landowner’s property.  Landowners may want to invest in a few activities to potentially save them additional costs in the future.  Maintaining access roads, drainage ditches, culvert crossings, and boundary lines can be relatively inexpensive when compared to restoration costs if these items are not properly maintained.  Maintained access roads that are gated or otherwise closed off prevent trespass illegal dumping, and can improve the attractiveness of your timberland to a prospective buyer.  Beaver activity can escalate quickly and cause damage by girdling or flooding timber.  Well marked boundary lines help prevent inadvertent timber trespass and possible future disputes regarding timber ownership.

A GFR consulting forester can offer guidance, help keep you focused on your long-range plans and accomplish the goals you set for your property.

During this time of uncertainty, consult with a GFR Forestry expert to gain peace of mind about your management, investment and harvest decisions.

Repurposed IP mill could boost forestry

IP spokeswoman Donna Wadsworth said Tuesday the company’s fluff pulp operation, which will be operational by mid-2012, could also mean a boost for businesses that serve the logging and trucking industries, including for maintenance and fuel.

“That money gets turned over several times,” Wadsworth said. “It creates a stimulus.”

International Paper on May 17 announced plans to spend $83 million to repurpose a portion of its shuttered mill, creating 213 jobs. The news came nearly one year after the paper mill closed, eliminating 1,100 jobs.

Wadsworth was not sure how many tons of pine would be needed to produce 270,000 metric tons of fluff pulp annually.

Southern yellow pine is expected to be used because of its unique fiber length and absorption properties for producing high-quality fluff pulp.

Although the market for pine is strong, the announcement will make the market for pine even stronger, said Terry Godwin, a forester with Gelbert, Fullbright, Edwards & Randolph Forestry Consultants.

“It’s pretty significant in terms of yellow pine usage,” Godwin said. “It’s definitely a step forward.”

If Franklin Pellets decides to use a portion of the mill and uses hardwood pulpwood in production, it could be a big boost for that market as well, he said.

A newly formed partnership between Multifuels and CMI in April announced plans to use a portion of the IP mill to make wood pellets.

The thinning of timber would be beneficial to the health of forests.

“It should be a boost to the environment,” Godwin said.

Harvey Darden, forester for Southampton County from the Virginia Department of Forestry, said the use of local timber would be good for landowners as the increased demand drives up prices.

“Timber values will go up,” Darden said.

A gap will remain in pine saw timber use, and the market for pulpwood will not be as strong because new plans will not replace production from the mill during its peak, but it’s still good news for the industry as a whole, he said.

“Every ounce of timber they use is good,” Darden said.