What Do You Want From Your Woodlands?

The very first step towards management for forest landowners is to decide exactly what they want from their woodlands. This may include:  

 Maintaining scenic and environmental conditions       

Revenue from the sale of timber

Wildlife habitat improvement

Short and long term financial investment

 Improved forest health

Greater recreational opportunities

What Type of Forest Do You Own?

Once you decide what you want, then you need to look at your woodland to see if it is capable of accomplishing these goals.  Factors to be considered include:

Tree species

Tree size and timber
Soil, fertility and other site factors

 Tree quality and forest health conditions

Accessibility

Existing wildlife habitat

Where do you go from here?

Present conditions in your woodland will determine whether your goals are realistic and achievable. Often landowners will only have to make slight modifications in their goals to adapt them to present forest conditions.

Search for a timber buyer or a professional forester

Michigan Forest Facts

Tree species

Michigan Forest Facts
How to Measure Trees

Recommended By

The Timber Buyers Network would like to thank the Michigan Forest Resource Alliance
for their help, and for the many information resources they have provided.