[AT] Off Topic, Logging property

[Mark Greer]

You need to create a "Timber Management Plan". This involves having a qualified forester advise/help you develop a plan for your woodlot's specific conditions and your specific intentions for it. You will inventory and value trees which have good potential and then develop a plan to help them reach that potential at a faster rate. This involves Timber Stand Improvement (TSI) work which may include selective thinning around crop trees, trimming/removing grape vines, selective harvesting for timber, etc., etc. It is an ongoing process but can be financially very much worth your while. Your local Ag Extension service would be one place to start looking for this information to get started. Pennsylvania DCNR is also a good place to start looking for information. 

http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/forestry/privatelands.aspx 

An active Timber Management plan is a must for land owned where you plan to sell timber some day. The tax ramifications of not having a documented working plan can make it not worth selling timber because you stand to lose so much of a sale to taxes. By inventorying and valuing the trees at the time of land purchase and then looking at the difference in value at the time of sale, you can count a sale as a capital gain and only owe the lower capital gains tax rate on the difference (the capital gain) vs. just selling timber and paying the higher income tax rate on the WHOLE sale. 
Mark 


----- Original Message -----


Yes, I think I'm going to contact an un-biased forester and create a logging 
plan. 

Hopefully we will follow the plan and there will be no surprises in the 
family. 

Thank you everybody for the information. 

Regards, 

Will 
SE PA