What is the benefit of managing my timber stand?

You can improve the timber stand by taking away unwanted species (shades the ground and not worth anything, hollow trees, impede growth of more attractive trees, etc.) to have a better crop of timber in the future, and to optimize target species growth.  This means you can improve the overall condition and health of the timber stand currently and for future growth; you can also make money now and improve future returns.  Letting trees grow old and die without proper management can lead to speceis depletion, decrease in timber value, increased probability of forest fires, and other problems.  An excellent source of information on this topic is the “Illinois Statewide Forest Resource Assessments and Strategies” PDF document prepared by IDNR.  Starting on page 32, the “Statewide Forest Resource Strategy” talks about the challenges facing Illinois forestry and ways to meet these challenges.  Another helpful link is the Illinois Forestry Website by University of Illinois Extension.

Via Illinois’ Conservation Stewardship Prorgam, you can get property tax benefits in Illinois by putting in place a forest management plan. It’s a straightforward form you can fill out yourself and submit, or you can contact an Illinois Forester or contact us for assistance.  Land accepted into the program will be valued at 5% of market value for property tax purposes.  All the information is available here:

• Instructions: at this IDNR link, you can get instructions, link to complete rules and laws, and the online application.
• Link directly to online form.

How much am I going to make?

This depends on the quality of the timber, as well as current timber prices. An assessment the timber is necessary.

Will your logging damage the environment on my timber stand?

We move timber in an environmentally safe manner. We’re Certified Master Loggers. You can get information about our specific practices and find out if I have any negative reports.
As mentioned in the paragraph above about the benefits of managing your timber stand, a good forest management plan and the assistance of responsible loggers can provide huge benefits to the environment of your timber stand.

What is timber stand improvement?

“The purpose of timber stand improvement, or TSI, is to free desirable trees from competition, thin the trees to desirable numbers and remove the poorest trees. This improves the overall condition of the stand and concentrates wood growth on a number of selected trees. TSI also can improve wildlife food and habitat, appearance and health of a woodlot.” –Missouri Department of Conservation

Related Links:

Forestry Impact on Illinois

More questions?

Please contact us.