Future of timber (for timber owners and aficionados)

Heineken

If there is no market for wood or wood products, there will be no market for anything.

We're talking toilet paper. Can't get any more basic than that.
_________________
"Actually, humans died out long ago."
---Abused, abandoned hunting dog

"Things have entered a stage where the only change that is possible is for things to get worse."
---Me and my brother

bromius · Heavy Crude Joined: May 26, 2008 Posts: 143

bromius · Heavy Crude Joined: May 26, 2008 Posts: 143

Also, a major reason why major forest products companies are selling off their land holdings is because of the way the federal tax laws are now structured. Under the current setup traditional forest products companies have their profits taxed twice, their income from the sale of goods, and also their investors get taxed when they receive their share of the profit. However, there are organizations classified as TIMOs (timber investment management organizations) and REITs (real estate investment trusts) that are required by law to pass on at least 90% of their profits to investors. Traditional FPS companies offer a lower rate of return, so to honor their fiduciary responsibility ( I think) they have sold off their lands to these companies (which are sometimes spun off of the original FPS companies).

Heineken

Thanks for this reassuring info., friend Bromius.
_________________
"Actually, humans died out long ago."
---Abused, abandoned hunting dog

"Things have entered a stage where the only change that is possible is for things to get worse."
---Me and my brother

Revi · Fusion Joined: Apr 25, 2005 Posts: 3531 Location: Maine

We did a cruise to see how much carbon was on our woodlot recently. We're going to see if we can sell carbon credits. Who knows? It could help pay the taxes.

A friend is working out the whole system, and there may be a market for it in the future.
_________________
Deep in the mud and slime of things, even there, something sings.

Heineken

Revi, I contacted the Chicago Carbon Exchange recently and was informed that my total 75 acres of timber wasn't large enough to qualify for placement on the exchange. This was disappointing, to say the least.

Also, I think but am not sure that they are more interested in reforestation and aforestation land than they are in mature timber.

Possibly there are other avenues . . .
_________________
"Actually, humans died out long ago."
---Abused, abandoned hunting dog

"Things have entered a stage where the only change that is possible is for things to get worse."
---Me and my brother

careinke

We recently reclassified 22 acres into Forest Land, primarily for tax purposes. In Washington, in order to classify your land as forest land you either have to hire a forester to write you a plan, or attend a class and write your own plan, we chose the latter method.

The class was great; it took one night a week for 13 weeks. By the end of the class you were fairly well informed about small forest management and had a completed forest plan for your property ready to submit to the county. Ours was approved without any trouble.

We have also recently gone through the process of having our forest certified as a sustainable forest. Getting your forest certified as a sustainable forest has several advantages. It increases the market value of your timber because it is sold as a “Green” product giving you a premium price with the eco conscious consumer. The organization also finds niche markets for your forest products. Finally, the organization we belong to will start bundling small forests to sell carbon credits in the carbon sequestering market.

To sell carbon credits you basically get your forest surveyed to determine how much carbon is being sequestered per year. Then you sign a long term contract (30 years or longer) stating you will maintain the forest. Every five years or so, someone comes out and insures your forest is still there and in good shape.

Interestingly enough, you are encouraged to selectively harvest trees in your forest. This opens up the light, so the smaller trees have a chance to grow larger. Plus, the trees that are turned into boards keeps the carbon sequestered for a long time. Obviously mature forests sequester a lot more carbon than a newly planted forest. A mature conifer forest sequesters about 2.2 MT per acre per year. At the current prices you certainly are not going to get rich on your carbon credits, but it is nice to get paid for something you were going to do anyway.

We are planning on pulling out some mature Alder and Maples this year. Surprisingly Alder is now selling for twice the price of Doug Fir. Warehouser has spent millions trying to kill off the Alder in their forests, now it is worth twice the value of the Fir they were trying to grow.

Our land was logged in the 60’s they only took the Fir. Fortunately for us they left Maples, Alder, and Cedar, which were considered junk trees. Now those trees are the premium trees.

All in all our forestry efforts are turning out pretty well, reduced property taxes, we gained a lot of useful knowledge, and we may even pull in a little extra cash to pay for property maintenance.

Cliff (Start a rEVOLution, grow a garden)

bromius · Heavy Crude Joined: May 26, 2008 Posts: 143

Heineken> Remembered you were trying to grow some loblolly pine. Heres a paper I stumbled upon while researching something else. Haven't had time to read it yet but figured it might be useful for you or any other landowners in the SE US for that matter.

http://www.treesearch.fs.fed.us/pubs/21920

Heineken

Bromius, my printer is grinding it out right now. I read technical articles like that with great interest and reasonable comprehension. Thanks!

My concern right now regarding the 7-acre field of loblolly seedlings isn't weeds so much as drought.

They had plenty of rain during most of their first three months, but in June the site has received only about 1.5 inches. The near-term weather outlook is dry and hot.

I've continued with my weedling (by hand with a sickle) and have made steady progress, row after row. It's satisfying freeing up seedlings from those nasty big weeds. I wield that sickle like a medieval warrior his sword!
_________________
"Actually, humans died out long ago."
---Abused, abandoned hunting dog

"Things have entered a stage where the only change that is possible is for things to get worse."
---Me and my brother

Quagmire · Tar Sands Joined: Jun 07, 2008 Posts: 93

.
I just read this book and thought of this wonderful thread.
Have you heard of it or read it? I am not a forester, but enjoyed it anyway and learned so much along the way.

The Trees in My Forest by Bernd Heinrich:

"Heinrich studies tree growth and how they spread their offspring around the land. Which trees are shade-tolerant and which need extensive sunlight? Which ones encourage certain insects or birds, and how. Which ones attract them and how? He describes the way trees draw water from the ground - a molecule at a time at the leaf end, not "pumped" from below. Consider the evolutionary steps that led a species of pine to retain its seeds until very special conditions ensue. The cone housing them pops open and disperses them only when the temperature reaches 60 degrees - heat that can only be generated by a forest fire.... "

http://www.amazon.com/review/product/0060929421/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1_cm_cr_acr_txt?%5Fencoding=UTF8&showViewpoints=1

Q.

Quagmire · Tar Sands Joined: Jun 07, 2008 Posts: 93

I live on 70 acres of young 40 yr old 'recovering' forest. The land had been logged and grazed and farmed. On the northern slopes, it has sugar maple, white oak, beech and (dying) hemlock. On the southern slopes, poplar, red oak, red maple, and white pine.
The poplar beams in the house are from this land.
The successional growth locust has died standing and has provided excellent firewood, probably a lifetime supply for us. The understory dogwood has died from the blight and is my favorite firewood, small enough to not require splitting!
I have spent most of my life here in the southern appalachian ecosystem, and have sadly watched the overall forest health decline over the years.
Even the poplars are showing signs of stress.

Anyway, here is an excellent site about trees and southern forests;
it has sections on invasives, diseases, and climate change among others:

http://www.forestthreats.org/

Q.

bromius · Heavy Crude Joined: May 26, 2008 Posts: 143

Quagmire>

Is the blight you speak about maybe dogwood anthracnose?
"An understanding of how environmental conditions affect dogwood anthracnose has helped researchers develop control practices. Sunlight and moisture are the most important influences. Anthracnose is more severe, and tree mortality is greater, on dogwoods in the shade. In full sun, symptoms are more severe in the lower branches than in the upper, exterior canopy, and infected trees often recover with proper maintenance."

If it is you could probably maintain the dogwoods in some of your forest by keeping a fairly open canopy to let in more light to dry things out as well as promote air circulation. Of course there are tradeoffs with doing such things. It all depends on what you want to see as the result of taking some action.

Quagmire · Tar Sands Joined: Jun 07, 2008 Posts: 93

Hi Bromius, and thank you for the link.
.
It was anthracnose that killed the dogwoods, but like you said, the ones on the margins that receive more sunlight are still okay.

I just watched an excellent old style animated film about forestry:

The Man Who Planted Trees

It is based on a true story of a man who planted a forest on war damaged land. The style is breathtakingly beautiful... done with colored pencil and shimmering with light and shadow.
.
Check it out if you get a chance.
Here's a snippet:

YouTube snippet

Revi · Fusion Joined: Apr 25, 2005 Posts: 3531 Location: Maine

The man who planted trees. Awesome!

I ended up watching the whole thing.

I think that's the way we have to think about peak oil. Just plant 100 acorns a day. Maybe 10 will grow, but we may end up seeding the community that follows.

Very inspiring!
_________________
Deep in the mud and slime of things, even there, something sings.