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NNNNoooorrrrtttthhhhwwwweeeesssstttt WWWWooooooooddddllllaaaannnnddddssssFALL 2017 • VOLUME 33 • NO. 4

A Publication of the Oregon Small Woodlands, Washington Farm Forestry, Idaho Forest Owners & Montana Forest Owners Associations

Northwest WoodlandsP.O. Box 1010Chehalis, WA98532

Non Profit OrgU.S. POSTAGE

PAIDPORTLAND, ORPERMITNO. 3142

This magazine is a benefit of membership inyour family forestry association. Contact theofficers listed on page 5 for membership details.

NEXT ISSUE . . .Integrated Pest Management

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2 . NORTHWEST WOODLANDS . FALL 2017

3 PRESIDENTS’ MESSAGES

7 DOWN ON THETREE FARM

28 TREESMARTS

29 THE UNDERSTORY

30 TREEMAN TIPS

TABLE OF CONTENTS DEPARTMENTS

FEATURES

Fall 2017

STAFF:ANNE C. MALONEY, EditorPO Box 1010Chehalis, WA [email protected]

MINTEN GRAPHICS, Graphic Design

Northwest Woodlands AdvisoryCommittee Members:Dick AlescioMike BarsottiAnne HanschuChuck HigginsJim JamesAnne MaloneyVic MusselmanTom NygrenElaine Oneil

Northwest Woodlands is publishedquarterly by the Washington FarmForestry Association for members ofthe Idaho Forest Owners Association,Montana Forest Owners Association,Oregon Small Woodlands Associationand Washington Farm ForestryAssociation.

Other than general editing, the articlesappearing in this publication have not beenpeer reviewed for technical accuracy. Theindividual authors are primarily responsible forthe content and opinions expressed herein.

“All registered marks, trademarks andservice marks belong to their respectiveowners.”

ON THE COVER:

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KNOW WHAT YOU HAVE, HOW IT’S GROWING ANDWHAT IT’S WORTHUnderstanding factors in your forest like tree species’ requirements, insectand disease activity and site potential leads to a more effective managementplan. Add some familiarity with available forest product markets thatcan provide revenue to accomplish your goals and you have the recipefor success.

BY PETER KOLB AND ANDY PERLEBERG

CHOOSING CONTRACTORS WHO CAN HELPExperience, contacts and commitment are important points when choosinga contractor or consultant. Consider these tips to build beneficial andlasting partnerships.

BY DICK HOPKINS

INCREASING FOREST RESILIENCE WITH FIREHow can you make your forest more fire resilient? The Nature Conservancyis monitoring the effectiveness of various stand treatments at the SycanMarsh Preserve, including harvests that aim to recreate a mosaic ofindividuals, clumps and openings (ICO) that were common in historicallydry, fire-dependent forests.

BY CRAIG BIENZ

CONTRACTS FOR WOODLAND OWNERSGive some thought to these pointers for writing a solid contract beforeselling logs or hiring a consultant or contractor. A good contract can protectall parties and clarify your agreement on responsibilities and expectations.

BY OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY EXTENSION

FORESTRY TECH TRENDS FOR LANDOWNERSHere are the latest technology trends that could be useful in your forestactivities. From time-saving data collection apps to enhanced equipment andimagery, your efforts could benefit from these new tools.

BY MAX NOVA

Consistent sharing among forest-land owners and managers makesthe community stronger, representedhere by Ron Munro teaching aboutstand management at Crystal LakeTree Farm in June 2017. Ronencouraged stewardship andcommitment toward sustainableforest management by sharing hisknowledge and experience for manyyears. Photo courtesy: Patti Playfair

s a forestry consultant andsmall woodland owner, thereare always things to learn and

more projects than I have time to do.As we go from season to season, I amalways on a tight timeline and pressedto get the next task completed. Let’slook at my annual tree farm projectschedule.

Fall. Site preparation is very impor-tant prior to planting season. There isa limited window of time when youcan use chemicals to successfully con-trol unwanted noxious weeds withoutdamaging your crop trees.

Fall/Winter. It can be challengingto find an opportunity to burn slashpiles when the fuels are wet enough tosafely burn, dry enough to meet theburning objectives and you’re able toget smoke clearance.

Winter. Planting season! It’s time tostart that new crop of trees. Also,check roads and culverts after storms.Timely correction of problems, suchas blocked culverts or ditches, canminimize negative environmentalimpacts and road damage, and will bemuch less expensive to fix.

Spring: Spring is the time to dovegetation control for grass and brushcompeting with your young seedlings.This is a critical step I learned thehard way. One year I did the site prepand planted seedlings, but whenspring came along I was busy workingon another property and didn’t get thegrass control done. I knew better andfaced the consequence of substantialmortality. I interplanted the site thenext winter and followed up with

another treatment of grass control. Ihave not repeated that error.

Summer. Timing for noxious weedcontrol is dependent on the targetspecies. If you miss a season or twothe problem can increase exponential-ly. This is also the time for road main-tenance, such as clearing ditches andculverts, which should be done in dryconditions. Make sure your roads areopen for access in case of fire. Late

summer or early fall is the time tocheck roads to make sure they are setup to withstand winter storms.

The above is a list of my annualchores, but it doesn’t include anystand management activities, such asharvesting or precommercial thinning.These also have time frames that mustbe worked in with the annual projects.

I thoroughly understand theimportance of completing projectswhile the time is right and, quitefrankly, I have always been driven bythat concept. That being said, as Istruggle each season to find time tocomplete my projects, I am exhaustedand find myself often forgoing a dayoff and missing family activities. It’sbecoming clearer to me each year howimportant it is to take a day off nowand then and enjoy life. There are somany things to enjoy and be thankfulfor on your tree farm. Take time toappreciate your many blessings—stopand smell the roses. ■

Timing is Critical—but Rememberto Stop and Smell the Roses

A

NORTHWEST WOODLANDS . FALL 2017 . 3

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

RICK BARNESOregon

Rosboro buys logs, standingtimber and timberlandOur manufacturing facilities utilize

Douglas-fir LogsWhitewood Logs

Rosboro log yard locationSpringfield, Oregon

Contact: Brian Tenbusch503-569-8740

[email protected]

www.rosboro.com

ur lives are too short to learnall the important landownerlessons the hard way—the

school of hard knocks. Fortunately,one may learn from others whoendured the pain of learning the hardway. Here are a few of those lessonsfor forestland owners.

1. Forests change continually, notjust every 20 or more years that ittakes for a tree to mature. Well-main-tained forests need weed maintenanceand frequent (yearly or so) removal offallen, diseased or other unhealthytrees to prevent spread of diseases orfuel buildup.

2. Forest ownership gives rise toduties. There is a moral duty to prac-tice forest management for the sake ofyour forest and the surrounding prop-erties. A legal duty may also exist

such as managing noxious weeds, pre-venting an attractive nuisance or oth-erwise maintaining property in such away that it is not a risk to the safetyof others.

3. Access to your property cannotbe taken for granted. The mere factthat a neighbor allows you to cross hisor her property to get to yours is noguarantee that this will continue.Recorded easements are the most reli-able means to assure access.

4. Access over your private landmay also be gained by others througheasements granted by prior owners.Also, third parties may become enti-tled to a prescriptive easement overyour property if they have traveledthrough it for a period of time (fiveyears in Montana).

5. You may not own what is

beneath your feet. Prior owners mayhave sold the mineral rights underyour property. Check for recordedtransfer(s) of mineral rights.

6. That beautiful water flowingthrough your creek, stream or rivermay be owned by others. You mayhave no right to use the water,depending on the water right in publicrecords. In Montana, most waterwaysare available to the public.

7. Do not assume you will findwater when you drill a well, even if awater witcher, or dowser, located thespot to drill. Also, consider that wellscan run dry, so it is wise to haveexpert advice on well productivity, interms of gallons per minute or othermeasure.

8. Not all forest owners think alike.Your neighbor may not care aboutnoxious weeds, fuel reduction or silvi-culture. In fact, your neighbor mayresent your forest management prac-tices.

9. Loans must be paid. Rememberthis if you are considering securing amortgage, lest you lose your forest oneday.

10. Adding any structure to yourforest property may result in increasedproperty taxes. In some states, forest-land owners enjoy significantlyreduced tax rates. Adding a structuremay change the tax nature of some ofthe land. If you are concerned, checkwith your department of revenue orproperty tax assessor before beginningconstruction.

Phew! This is the list of some of thelessons learned by me, either throughhard knocks or passed on by others. ■


MIKE CHRISTIANSON

Montana

Valuable Lessons forForestland Owners


O

LORENZFORESTRYCHUCK LORENZ, CF 1770

Forest Management Planning &Operations, Inventory, Valuation

for over 40 years

[email protected]

360-951-0117WE ARE A COMMUNITY OF PEOPLE WHO STAND FOR FUTURE FORESTS.

LINKING FUTURE FORESTSTO COMMUNITIESThere’s a simple way you can ensure healthy forests for generations to come while supporting the people and communities who depend on them.

Choose the Sustainable Forestry Initiative® (SFI) Standard for your working forest. The actions we take today determine the future of our forests.

Learn more at sfiprogram.org | wasfi.org

f you have belonged to your state’sforest owners’ association for verylong, you’ve heard of succession

planning for your forest. The conceptis simple enough: each generation offamily forest owners brings the nextgeneration into management of theforest to improve the probability thatlong-term ownership goals are met.Although the concept is simple, theexecution can be tricky even withcareful planning, open communica-tion and clear goals. Family dynamicscan derail even the most preparedfamilies.

Similarly, family forestland ownerassociations benefit from a little suc-cession planning by finding and nur-turing future leaders for the organiza-tion. In some ways, this can be easierthan family succession planning.There probably won’t be the messyfamily dynamics of, “Who getsGrandma’s yellow plate?” to quoteClint Bentz. But in other ways it canbe much harder. Most members arehappy to let someone else take care ofbusiness, so getting them involvedtakes some work.

Here’s a little story of getting itright. In 1980, WFFA member RonMunro and his wife, Miriam, built ahome at picturesque Crystal Lake,which is a homeowner communitywith the lake at its center. However,Ron soon discovered the communityalso owned 200 acres of forestland.Ron, an avid steward of the land, was

soon teaching his neighbors the tenetsof good forestry and active manage-ment. The Crystal Lake communityhas embraced sustainable forestry,leading them to sheer excellence; in2001, the Crystal Lake Tree Farm(CLTF) earned the Washington StateTree Farmer of the Year award.

Recently, the entire WFFA familywas invited to visit CLTF to see oneof the most remarkable successionplans in action. In June 2017, the tourof CLTF introduced visitors to theforest council that handles the ongo-ing forest management of CLTF. Thisvery smart idea has become the foun-dation of the succession plan for thecommunity’s forest.

Sadly, very shortly after the CLTFtour, Ron Munro passed away; but,his succession plan was already inplace and he nurtured his successorswell. They are ready to continue theforest stewardship and successionplans that Ron taught, even thoughhe is no longer with them.

Ron’s example of good stewardshipis obviously an excellent basis, whichcan be duplicated for your succes-sion planning. It not only workedfor Crystal Lake Tree Farm, butinspires us all to seek out the nextleaders of our organizations andnurture their evolution, just as Rondid for family forest owners far andwide. ■

IFOAPRESIDENT: Sandra G. Murdock208-683-2105 • [email protected]

VICE PRESIDENT: Gordon L. Sanders208-682-9577 • [email protected]

SECRETARY: Allen L. Naugle208-664-7059 • [email protected]

TREASURER: Robert C. Reggear208-476-7364 • [email protected]

EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT: Marrion E. Newsam BanksPO Box 1257 • Coeur d’Alene, ID83816-1257 • 208-755-8168 • [email protected]

MFOAAll contacts: 406-586-6362 • [email protected]: Mike ChristiansonVICE PRESIDENT: Peter PociusSECRETARY: Mark BoardmanTREASURER: Jody Christianson

OSWAPRESIDENT: Rick Barnes541-673-1208 • [email protected]

PRESIDENT ELECT: Mike Barsotti503-859-2993 • [email protected] VICE PRESIDENT: Donna Heffernan541-786-2257 • [email protected]

2nd VICE PRESIDENT: Dick Courter503-297-1660 • [email protected]

2nd VICE PRESIDENT: David Schmidt541-979-7523 • [email protected]

2nd VICE PRESIDENT: Mike Barnes503-538-5344 • [email protected]: Dallas Boge503-357-7688 • [email protected] PRESIDENT: Scott Hanson503-313-3729 • [email protected] DIRECTOR: Jim James187 High Street NE, Suite 208 • Salem,OR 97301 • [email protected]

WFFAPRESIDENT: Patti Playfair509-936-3842 • [email protected] VICE PRESIDENT: Vic Musselman503-684-5727 • [email protected] VICE PRESIDENT: Duane Evans360-266-0506 • [email protected]

SECRETARY: Frank Shirley253-884-2283 • [email protected]

TREASURER: Bill Scheer, Jr.360-269-3850 • [email protected] PAST PRESIDENT: Boyd Wilson360-438-1166 • [email protected] DIRECTOR: Elaine OneilP.O. Box 1010 • Chehalis, WA 98532 360-388-8033 • [email protected]

S TAT E O F F I C ERS

A Poignant Lesson forAssociations: the Importance

of Succession Planning

I



PATTI PLAYFAIR

Washington

ix lessons that are key to privateforestland ownership:

1. Join, learn from, and staymembers of your state forestlandowners’ association. The people whorun these organizations are forestlandowners like you. We are all learning,applying and sharing knowledge. Weare also great groups to get to knowand find friends within. Pleaseremember, we are volunteers; we areworking hard to give you knowledgeand events, and to provide representa-tion to you and other land owners.Please continue your membership and

support to these non-profit, non-gov-ernment, local organizations.

2. You can get lots of help andtraining from your local universityExtension office. The University ofIdaho Extension has a Master ForestSteward program and classes that area wealth of knowledge and comrade-ship.

3. Your state department of lands(in my case Idaho Department ofLands) is also key to your success.Make sure you know who and wherethey are. You can get their help withyour forest plan, and you will need

their services if you do a harvest.They will help you understand thelaws for fire hazard reduction andstream protection that apply to you.

4. Weeds need to be managed!After you learn about all the noxiousweeds, and why they are noxious, it’smore stressful to walk your property.This is because you now know thatthe enemy is there and you can’t justwalk. Learn and plan the strategies toget rid of them. Ignorance is bliss, butit isn’t good for the native plants, andthe weeds are much easier to eradicateif you catch them in the act of theirfirst attack.

5. There is no such thing as ashade-loving tree! Read that again,and learn why this matters to you andyour overall forest health and diversi-ty. If you leave your forest to “be nat-ural” then the fast-growing and shade-tolerant trees will take over, and theyare also susceptible to bark beetlesand root rot. You need at least one ofthe following management plans: har-vest, thin and prune, or let it burn.Which one are you working on?

6. Tree farms need to comply withthe new shade rules, but animal farmsand agriculture farms don’t. What?That’s not fair! But, yep, for now it’strue. Do you know why? It has some-thing to do with pre-existing streamconditions, but it has more to do withbig representation in agriculture.Make sure you support your state for-est owners’ association. We are work-ing hard to pay attention and be rep-resented. If not, your rights might betaken away. ■


The Top Six Lessons

S


SANDRA MURDOCK

Idaho

AKS Engineering & Forestry

fax 503-563-615212965 SW Herman Rd., Suite 100

Tualatin, OR 97062email: [email protected]

website: www.aks-eng.com– Call Keith Jehnke or Alex Hurley –

u Surveyingu Engineeringu Logging Roadsu Timber Cruising

503-563-6151


NOVEMBER✓ Winterize and complete maintenance on your equipment.Clean off mud that can “freeze” moving parts, drain fire hosesand pumps, sharpen your hand tools and store them in a dryplace, and check your antifreeze levels. Good tool maintenancepays off!

✓ Check your culverts and evaluate your road drainage.Good ditches, waterbars and culverts can prevent washouts,costly repairs and degradation of water quality. Better waterquality and habitat mean better fishing!

✓ Pruning can reduce fuels, repair storm damage andimprove aesthetics, visibility and log quality. Be sure to leaveenough live crown to support the tree’s photosynthesis andcut just outside the branch collar to encourage “healing” ofthe cut.

✓ Consult with your accountant to plan your year-end taxmoves.

✓ Assess wildfire damage to your forestland and make plansfor restoration if necessary.

✓ Seed bare ground with native grasses to control erosionand invasive species.

✓ Burn your slash piles when conditions allow a clean burnwith no unintended spreading or smoke intrusion.

DECEMBER✓ Donate or sell your holiday greens, boughs, mistletoe,cones and trees.

✓ Hold a family meeting to review accomplishments andreaffirm your tree farm goals and objectives. Inspect yourforest with family and friends.Take a family photo on theproperty.Watch for evidence of wildlife to encourage yourheirs to continue the tradition of good forest management.

✓ Refresh your property boundaries and signage.

✓ Renew your association membership and plan to attend ororganize meetings, tours and classes.

✓ Check into membership and certification in the AmericanTree Farm System.

✓ Complete your record-keeping for 2017 and your financialplanning for the future.

JANUARY✓ Plan your 2018 projects, contact consultants, hire contrac-tors and file for necessary permits.

✓ If the ground freezes, it could be good timing for yourlogging operation to reduce soil compaction and risk of fire.

✓ Your management plan is a dynamic document. Spendsome time updating and refining it with input from yourfamily’s future forest managers.

✓ Tree planting can begin in January if snow or frozen soilaren’t present. Pay attention to soil moisture and temperature;seedling source (zone and elevation), quality and species;and proper handling/planting techniques.You’ll be glad youdid it right the first time!

✓ If your forest is accessible, this is a good time for cruising,road layout, marking property boundaries and establishingcontinuous inventory plots and photo points so you can seethe effect of your hard work over time.

✓ Watch for nesting activity so you can protect or improvethe habitat, and avoid disturbing the wildlife while they aresensitive.

✓ Update yourself with the latest forest and grasslandscience by reading the bi-monthly “Science You Can Use”bulletin online.

Down on the Tree Farm

Down on the Tree Farm is a compilation of all of the excellent tips contributed to this column by experienced volunteers over the last15 years. Suggestions are always welcome and may be sent to the editor at: [email protected].

FOR MORE INFORMATION...check out these favorite websites and publications:

• forestsandfish.com/environmental-protection/road-improvement

• cru.cahe.wsu.edu/CEPublications/eb1984/EB1984.pdf (conifer pruning)

• msuextension.org/forestry/Resources/pdf/FF_BurnSeverityAssessment_PK.pdf

• oregon.gov/ODF/Fire/Pages/AfterAFire.aspx

• cals.uidaho.edu/edcomm/pdf/pnw/pnw628.pdf (grass seeding)

• oregonwoodlandcooperative.com

• ntfpinfo.us (non-timber forest products)

• westernforestry.org/WoodlandFishAndWildlife

• treefarmsystem.org

• https://catalog.extension.oregonstate.edu/ec1187

• knowyourforest.org/learning-library/forest-management-planning

• catalog.extension.oregonstate.edu/topic/forestry-and-wood-processing/reforestation

• catalog.extension.oregonstate.edu/pnw630

• tinyurl.com/RMRSsciencebulletin (Science You Can Use Bulletin)

By PETER KOLB ANDANDY PERLEBERG

ou just boughtsome forestedland or have

owned some for yearsbut never had thetime to do anythingwith it and you’re notsure you should;where do you startand what do you do?Many forestlandowners face this chal-lenge and can be per-plexed by all theyhave heard and readabout deforestation,wildfire risk, wildlifehabitat, weeds and bad things peoplehave done to nature to make a profit.We like nature, things made fromwood, conservation and, in somemoment of weakness, will also admitthat we like money—or at least whatit can buy. Thus, regarding our forest-

ed land, how do we come to termswith doing the right thing, not goingbroke doing it and perhaps makingsome money in the process?

In most situations, conservationdoes require a monetary and laborinvestment. Over the past 30 years,various educational venues havehelped many landowners develop con-servation plans for their forests, yethaving a plan and implementing itcan have some real hang-ups. Revisitswith landowners often reveal changesor delays for various forest plans,which most often are due to mone-tary, labor or information shortfalls.Not too surprising, private landown-ers find themselves facing the sameproblems that federal agencies oftendo: plans based on ideals, withoutbeing aware of the financial realitiesfor the specific location, can be overlyexpensive in time and money toimplement. In addition, forestschange, sometimes very quickly, whichmight need a change in plan objec-tives. All forestland owners must dealwith costs and alternative forest sce-

narios that include insect outbreaks,wildfires, weather phenomenon, exoticspecies, wildlife and new informationor knowledge. There are several basicsteps anyone who owns forestlandmight consider to help them meet theneeds of their forest and ownershipobjectives.

Know what trees you have, howthey grow and their age

Forests are dynamic and made ofthousands of organisms, many thatyou can’t even see. However, the maindrivers of a forest are the trees, andeach species has its own needs andquirks. There is the philosophy heldby some that each forest is a carefullyorganized harmony of species thatlive in balance with each other. Thereis the other philosophy that it is ajumble of species thrown together bythe happenstance of history and luck:some will live and some will die in thecruel struggle called nature. The moreyou know about your forest speciesand the natural history of your specif-ic forest, the more you can distinguishbetween examples on your land of


Know What You Have, How It’s Growingand What It’s Worth

YPeter Kolb

Andy Perleberg

A full serviceNatural Resourceconsulting firmsince 1984

HOME OFFICE (208) [email protected]

EASTERN WASHINGTON(509) 276-4699

[email protected]

(406) 442-7555 • [email protected]

➤ Reforestation➤ Log Marketing & Inventory➤ Harvest Administration➤ Forest Management Plans

www.consulting-foresters.com

➤ Estate Planning➤ Water Resources➤ Timber Appraisals➤ Fire/Fuels Management➤ GPS/GIS Services


each philosophy, because examples ofboth typically exist on every forestedparcel.

Trees all need light, water, nutri-ents, space and the right climate togrow bigger. When any of those criti-cal needs are not met, trees get weak,which makes them susceptible topests, pathogens and environmentalstressors associated with weather andclimate. Each site may have treespecies that play distinct roles duringthe natural cycle that affects allforests. During early stages of devel-opment, pioneer species may be essen-tial to mitigate too much sun and heatthat excludes other species. In thelater stages of a forest cycle, the moreshade-tolerant species might be bettersuited to deal with overcrowding andtoo much shade. How these speciesinteract and transition is part of asite’s ecology, and in many situationsa continuing focus of research. Forexample, ponderosa pine provides ashaded microsite for Douglas-firseedlings that then develop the abilityto steal essential soil water away fromthe pines, ultimately killing them andallowing the fir to dominate the site.However, the best-laid plans don’t

always work because Douglas-fir isless resilient to wildfire and has morevaluable wood, so either nature orhumans remove the Douglas-fir andleave the pine. Some species try to out-live the competition by simply havingdeep roots, extreme fire resilience andtaller growth, such as western larch; orby growing in dense, shaded standsthat keep all other species frombecoming established, such as westernredcedar. In Montana, larch and cedarare growing in groves estimated to beover 1,000 years old. Alternatively, itmight be hard to find grand fir olderthan 300 years. Even though theirshade tolerance should allow them tolive a lot longer, they have not evolvedadequate defenses against many dis-eases and insects. Foresters refer tothe genetic and growth characteristics

–Continued on next page–A typical wild forest with a mix of species, ages and conditions. As more trees die fromstress, cost-effective and ecologically appropriate management options decrease.

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of tree species, the soil productivityand the environmental influences asthe “site suitability.” This is a key con-cept for understanding how standsdevelop and change, and what youcan do to influence your forest’shealth and productivity.

Old trees (greater than 300 years ofage for this example) are a sign thatthose specific trees had what it takesto survive on that site under the con-ditions of the last 300 years. However,it does not necessarily mean thatthose trees will survive the next 100years. It depends on the species, thesite and the risks to individual specieson that site. To assess the risks to yourforest, as well as the potential, it isimportant to have a good understand-ing of what tree species you have, howmany there are, how dense, how dis-tributed across the landscape and howwell they are represented in each agegrouping. For example, a propertywith only trees more than 300 years-old can be considered old-growth andhave the characteristics many peoplecherish: cathedral canopies, specificwildlife and understory plants, largediameter trees and the sense ofgrandeur that comes with livingthings that last longer than we do. Ifyour property is the only one that has

these trees it may be a rare andimportant part of the surroundingecosystem. Alternatively, if your prop-erty is part of a large landscape whereall the trees are the same age andspecies, it might be akin to living in acity where nobody is younger than 60years of age: it is at risk of losing itsdiversity and viability. Such an assess-

ment can only be made by first know-ing what trees, species and age classesgrow on your land. Taking a walk inthe woods with a professional forestercan help you assess your forest treecomposition. Your state serviceforesters have the knowledge andtools, and will typically be happy topay you a site visit without fee.

Assess the condition of your treesThe leaves (needles) on the tree are

the energy production system. If thetree has a good crown and access toenough water and nutrients, growthand survival will be enhanced. Oftenthe percentage of live crown a tree hasreflects its condition: one-third to one-half of the overall tree height with livecrown indicates a healthy tree. Theamount of live crown can be mislead-ing, however, when the tree is withinan actively growing forest where treesare still getting taller. In such situa-tions, a forest can grow itself into anintensely competitive situation wheretrees have good crowns, but competi-tion for soil resources, such as water,has suddenly created a deficit of thisprecious resource; the group of treesin this situation runs out of water


A forest harvested at cost to remove dead and afflicted trees and reduce wildfire risk.Proactive management prior to the beetle outbreak, and finding the right markets orcost-share, would have allowed for a wider range of alternative treatments.

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early in the summer. Sudden watershortages create a scenario where pro-duced sugars cannot be transportedto the rest of the tree and accumulatein the upper tree stem.

Most insect pests, and even stemfungal diseases, feed on a tree’s sugar,not the wood. A drought-stressed treeis the ideal food source: an easysource of sugar that cannot defenditself because the main defense, pitch,cannot move to the site of attacks dueto lack of water pressure in the stem.Examining a tree’s past growth bymeasuring the thickness of the last 10years of stem growth near DBH(diameter at breast height, which is4.5 feet from the soil surface on theuphill side of the tree) will indicate ifthe tree has suddenly experiencedincreasing water stress by exhibitingfairly rapid reductions in annual ringgrowth. Most landowners (andforesters) prefer to use an incrementborer to extract a core of the tree’srecent years of growth versus cuttinga tree down to count rings on astump! Trees with quality crowns butrapidly diminishing annual ringgrowth are at a real risk of beingattacked by pests and pathogens.Trees with reduced growth and poorcrown ratios (less than 30 percent)also indicate stress, but produce lesssugar and thus are not quite as attrac-tive to pests as recently stressed fast-growing trees. There is also a pointwhere trees have grown too old or toodense to respond well to a reductionin surrounding tree density. Heightgrowth in very old trees is limited bytheir ability to transport water to theircrowns. When their crown has beenreduced by shading from competingtrees, thinning may decrease waterstress but also allow for greater windto affect the tree, causing wind-break-age or increased water loss. Similarly,younger trees growing for too long inan overly dense stand have developedsuch small crowns and associated rootsystems that thinning must be con-ducted very slowly over time or theywill break off, blow over or die fromsunscald when thinned to an optimal

spacing all at once; foresters refer tothis condition as “thinning shock.”

Know your markets for forestproducts

Treating a forested area to relievewater stress, competition for light, andreduction of fire hazard typically gen-erates a lot of woody debris. If treesare thinned and the woody debris isleft on the site you can create a breed-

ing ground for various bark beetlesand a high-fuel condition for a wild-fire. And scattered slash can just makethings difficult for getting around,both for some wildlife species and foryou! It is generally recommended thatthis material be treated by chipping,burning or removal. Across the West,such work can easily amount to costs


–Continued on next page–

of over $2000 per acre treated.Alternatively, if you can find a goodmarket for this material, it may payfor removal and treatment of excesswoody debris, and even generate amodest income. Every mill can haveunique needs for its products and thustree species, diameters, lengths andstem straightness will determine ifyour thinned material has any valueand how much. It is important to alsofactor in how much material yourforested property will generate. A postand pole operation may be fine withan acre’s-worth of raw material, whilea logger looking for saw logs typicallyneeds a minimum of five acres ofmaterial to make moving equipmentcost-effective. The more material youhave, the better the economics of har-vesting get; at some volume, the loggerwill not only cover their costs, but alsogenerate a profit that can result inincome for you. Finding markets takessome work on your part and somepatience. Depending on the currenteconomic situation, there may be highor low demand for certain wood prod-ucts and thus certain tree species andtree sizes. A post and pole yard mayhave just signed a harvesting contractwith a larger-acreage landowner andhave enough supply for six months,

but may be looking for more at a laterdate.

Firewood can be produced frommany tree species and tree sizes and isanother potential outlet for a foresttreatment. Markets for smaller materi-als, such as branches and tree tops,remain elusive because it is labor-intensive to handle and treat versusthe volume of material generated,though in some areas biomass, com-post and mulch markets exist for thismaterial. Knowing what your marketsare before you write your forest man-agement plan allows you to develop amore realistic scenario of what youcan afford to harvest, versus what youwant to harvest. It can also help youcome up with a realistic timeline ofwhen you can harvest.

Develop a realistic managementplan for your forest

All too often, a management planis written with a consultant, in aworkshop or on your own that reflectswhat you want to do on your proper-ty without being certain how you aregoing to carry out those goals.Although this is a perfect start, whatwe want and what we do are usuallytempered by what we can afford, andthe added experience and knowledgewe gain as we work on projects.

Sometimes there is cost-share avail-able through county, state or federalagencies; often there is not, and thebest written plans are non-functionalbecause the costs, revenue and enor-mity of the work are not practical oraffordable. In this situation, alandowner might need to wait andhope for log prices to improve. If theforest is in an overcrowded andstressed situation, some pest orpathogen might hit the forest withcatastrophic results before the workcan be done. Another problem canarise when the value of the timber isjust enough to cover the costs, andmost of the best trees to leave are alsothe ones that generate the incomeneeded to complete the rest of thework. Compromises that you can livewith, might need to be made in thosesituations and it is wise to developplans with the perspectives of perfect,doable and not doable. If you havedone your homework, your marketsare cooperative, you have theresources and some luck, the perfectplan can be achieved. If circum-stances do not line up, then thedoable plan might suffice.

No plan is complete withoutunderstanding the protection andenhancement practices needed toachieve your goals, and a logicalschedule for getting the work done isvery valuable. It is important to keeplooking for and monitoring existingand emerging markets, financial assis-tance opportunities and pending risks,such as insect infestations and wild-fire. Forest management is a long-term commitment and, like raisingchildren, we are often wisest after wehave completed the job, not before.

Get help!Consulting foresters can help

landowners because most have multi-ple clients and can pool the har-vestable resources across multipleproperties to leverage better pricesand, therefore, more economicaloptions for a landowner. In otherwords, they have studied all the eco-nomics, developed relationships and


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proven their value to the wood prod-ucts industry resulting in some negoti-ating influence—all on your behalf asthey work as YOUR employee. Vetyour consulting forester carefully: askthem for references and ask otherlandowners for input. Not everyonewill be able to meet your needs andexpectations. Some consultants spe-cialize in specific markets and otherswork with contractors that may ormay not have the equipment thatworks for your situation. Also, do notbe afraid to work with mill foresters.They may not have the diversity ofmarkets available to them that a con-sultant has, but if you have the rightresources in your forest that their millrequires, they can also meet yourneeds. Remember, it is your forest andyou have the ultimate say in whathappens there. Developing goodworking relationships with foresters—agency, consulting and industry—willbenefit you because they can help youassess what you have in your forest,then offer their experience and opin-ions of how to meet your objectives.

A final note on governmentlandowner-assistance foresters: theseforesters are employed by local, stateor federal agencies and can provide

landowners with basic managementadvice. They often can help landown-ers gain access to financial assistancefor completing land stewardship activ-ities that protect and enhanceresources deemed valuable and benefi-cial to the landowner and society.Reducing wildfire risk by thinningnon-commercial-sized trees is a goodexample of a practice that reallymakes a difference should a wildfireoccur. Financial assistance createspublic benefits, such as enhancedwildlife habitat, wildfire risk mitiga-tion, protection of streams and soils,and even aesthetic beauty that privateforests provide. A walk in the woodswith a stewardship forester is general-ly the best first step to understandingyour forestland and getting answers toyour specific questions. However,agency foresters cannot give the levelof attention that most landownersneed to plan and administer a timbersale, large-scale reforestation projector other treatment. Some practices,such as installing a culvert or otherfish passage structure, or buildingbridges, may need a combination ofbiologists, engineers and hydrologists.A visit with your state service foresteror Extension forester can usually save

you time and get you connected withright resources for carrying out yourmanagement needs.

Support your wood marketsWithout buyers for what your for-

est grows, you will have a harder timebeing able to afford to meet yourgoals. Working with the wood prod-ucts industry should be a mutualisticrelationship, as landowners offer theraw materials and the various busi-nesses provide the revenue to workwith your forest. Just as forestlandowners have long range plans for theirforests, wood products manufacturersneed a long term sustainable supplyto invest in their infrastructure. ■

PETER F. KOLB is the Montana StateUniversity Extension forestry special-ist and associate professor of forestecology and management. He hasworked in both applied forestry andresearch across the northern Rockiesand western plains for over 30 years,and was a Fulbright scholar toBavaria, Germany. Peter and his fami-ly live on their 20-acre tree farm northof Missoula, Montana. Peter can bereached at [email protected] PERLEBERG is Extensionforester and associate professor forWashington State University. He pro-vides organized educational opportuni-ties to forest owners and naturalresource professionals. Prior to hiscurrent position, Andy worked inindustry and government research anddevelopment by painting trees, cruisingtimber, fighting fire and even countingfish. Somewhere in the middle ofeverything, his wife dragged him, kick-ing and scratching, into the PeaceCorps, where he worked in agro-forestry. It was in the Ecuadorian jun-gle where Andy learned what helpshim wake up in the morning and go tosleep at night: helping others under-stand why forests are important. Heenjoys nature walks, bedtime stories,bonfires and baseball. Andy can bereached at 509-667-6540 or [email protected].


A private forest proactively treated at cost to enhance elk winter range, reduce wildfireand insect risk, grow bigger trees and provide increased recreational opportunities.

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By DICK HOPKINS

orestland own-ers may onlyneed contractors

and consultants (con-tractors) once in theirlifetime. That onepoint in your life mayinvolve dealing with several contrac-tors in a short span of time: a con-sultant to appraise your timber, aconsultant to write your forest prac-tice application, a contractor to man-age a harvest (could be the logger), acontractor to do the reforestation anda consultant to update your forestmanagement plan. Sometimes othercontractors are needed: land survey-ors, attorneys and tax accountants.These are examples of contractorsyou might work with. In forest ecolo-gy, it is called symbiosis. When choos-ing a contractor to work with, whatmight you consider?

ExperienceHow much experience does the

contractor have writing forest man-agement plans, forest practice applica-

tions, SEPA (State EnvironmentalPolicy Act) checklists and alternateplans? Forestland owners often havefish streams, channel migration zonesor an eagle’s nest on their property.How much experience does the con-tractor have in writing the requiredapplications and technical reports?

Can your potential contractorappraise your timber to give you avalue, and back out costs of logging,hauling, administration and taxes togive you a bottom line? Can your con-tractor design a new road with a fish-friendly bridge? How much experiencedoes the contractor have in harvestlayout relative to the stream bufferallowances for small forestland own-ers? How much experience does thecontractor have for selecting the rightlogging equipment and operationalplan for the landscape? Will thefalling lead keep the tops on yourproperty or not? How does your con-tractor propose dealing with laminat-ed root rot? Does your contractorknow how to determine if you shouldprecommercial thin at age 15 or com-mercial thin at age 25? How muchexperience does the contractor have in

site preparation following harvest?How many seedlings has the contrac-tor personally planted in his/her life-time?

Can your contractor keep track ofloads of logs? Does your contractoruse trip ticket books? What is the bestlog sort and what is the dollar differ-ence by sort and destination for a 3-saw Douglas-fir log? Can your con-tractor present you with a spreadsheetshowing where every load was deliv-ered, tare weight of each truck forweighed wood and your costs andprofit for the operation? Experience isearned, but not quickly.

ContactsIf your contractor does not have

direct experience, does he/she have thecontacts to get answers and action?How many log buyers, loggers, refor-estation contractors and herbicidecontractors can your contractor call?If there is a Category I wetland, or afish passage issue, or a funny-lookingnest on your property, does your con-tractor know who to call to get help?One complex issue is convertingforestland to non-forestland andworking with the county representa-tives (not a recommended experience);who is the person to visit? Talk can becheap, but answers and actions can beprofitable.

CommitmentA contractor, whether appraiser,

biologist, forester, logger, engineer,


Choosing Contractors Who Can Help

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• Management Plans • Reforestation• Timber inventory • Timber cruising

Over 40 years managing forests inOregon and Washington

[email protected]

accountant or attorney, must be com-mitted to your natural resources andyou. A contractor should help youmanage the biological resources, whileproviding economic and legal protec-tion to you through best managementpractices, experience and use of valu-able contacts. When the regulationsseem unworkable, the weather won’tcooperate or an individual won’tbudge on a detail, will your contractorfind a solution through commitment?

Experience, contacts and commit-ment are essential qualities of yourcontractor. What about dollars? Theadage “you get what you pay for” istrue in contracting and, unfortunately,money talks. I have appraised a prop-erty and laid out a management planfor a client, only to find that myadvice was second to the large cashoffer from another contractor for thetimber. No matter what he couldhave received on several operationsby following the plan, the landownercould not resist the immediate cashoffer. Now he has a stump farm andI’m watching to see if reforestationwill occur.

Remember you need to work withyour contractor. The right contractorwill teach you and give you experienceas you work together on your forest-land project. You will gain some inter-esting contacts, and your commitmentto your tree farm will be enhanced. ■

DICK HOPKINS is a partner at HopkinsForestry and a member of WashingtonFarm Forestry Association. He earnedan M.B.A. in engineering and technolo-gy management after receiving his B.S.

forest management. Dick’s backgroundincludes: wildfire suppression and slashburning; research on climatology, wateryield and laminated root rot; work insawmills as operations forester and logyard manager; operation of threeforestry consulting and contractingcompanies; forestry educator at GreenRiver Community College, LincolnTree Farm and Hancock ForestManagement. He is a Society ofAmerican Foresters certified forester,

Fellow and recipient of SAF’s CarlAlwin Schenk Award in 2005 andWashington State Forester of the Yearin 2008. He was also awarded theUniversity of Washington College ofForest Resources Alumni Association’sDistinguished Achievement Award andthe Green River Community CollegeDistinguished Faculty Award. Dickcan be reached at [email protected].


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503-936-5956

Small Forest Landowner and Certified Appraiser specializing in:

• Capital Gains • Estate • Gifting • Special Use IRS Appraisals

By CRAIG BIENZ

ou have beenthere before; allforestland own-

ers have. You’re look-ing at your stands oftrees and wondering,what else should I bedoing? Am I doing something wrong?How can I know that the trees I ammanaging today will be healthy andproductive in the future?

When my wife, Kristin, and Ibought our land with a dry pon-derosa pine forest we knew that ourmanagement actions would deter-mine the trajectory of those trees.Our neighbors and the previouslandowner, Max, who had retiredfrom work at Weyerhaeuser, weregenerous to share their knowledge ofthe land and past practices. Maxexplained that while some of the treeshad been harvested, two forest firesover about 60 years had the biggestimpact. These fires killed trees, butalso destroyed the house in the first

fire and the barn in the second.We were aware that interactions

between historical fire exclusion, landuse changes and a warming climatehave increased fuel loads and firehazard across millions of forestedacres. Fuel reduction treatments(whereby surface and canopy fuelsare removed through mechanicalthinning and/or prescribed fire) are astandard management tool to reducefire risk and restore the vegetativestructure of ecosystems that havebeen degraded by past managementand fire suppression.

We wanted to implement fuel treat-ments to moderate subsequent firebehavior, mitigate fire severity andincrease forest resilience to future dis-turbances. Work in the forest has beena learning process for my wife and me.We were anxious to see how ouractions affected the diversity ofspecies, as well as the structure andgrowth of the trees. We had a lingeringquestion about whether benefits wouldbe realized when an unplanned fireentered the previously treated area.

Forest management with fireThe time to protect your home and

property from wildfire is before theyignite. The question isn’t whether awildfire will come, but when.Unhealthy, overstocked forests withheavy fuel loads create an environ-ment that is at higher risk of severewildfire. Within stands, fuel treatmenteffects vary by actions taken and thetype, size and age of trees. Spatialarrangement and rate of implementa-tion can affect outcomes at the land-scape scale.

The history of wildfire and proper-ty damage, even loss of lives, is a sub-ject that affects many Americans.Roughly 120 million people, or abouta third of the U.S. population, live inwhat fire experts call the “wildland-urban interface” (WUI). Simply put,these are areas where nature andhousing or other developments meet.Many acres of WUI (about twice thesize of California) have been identi-fied as high risk for fires; many resi-dences and lands across the North-west fall in this category.

My wife and I wanted to prepareour forest to withstand wildfire andsurvive for many years. Because weknow that states spend a tremendousamount of money on fire suppres-sion, that fires create a potential lossof clean water from forests and thatforests affected by wildfire will absorbless carbon. After notifying theOregon Department of Forestry, we


Increasing Forest Resilience with Fire

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removed most of thejuniper and someyounger pines to reducethe basal area in squarefeet per acre (BA) tobetween 60 and 80. Then,we trimmed low hangingbranches up to six feetthat could be potentialladder fuels and placedthe branches in smallpiles. The followingJanuary, I burned thepiles and the duff layerunder the trees to thedripline, which was theedge of the snow. Thelayer of duff and litterwas a foot deep in someplaces.

Prescribed dripline burningreduced the heavy accumulation oflitter and duff (fuels that could sus-tain a wildfire). Removal of the duffallowed seeds to reach mineral soil.The response in understory vegeta-tion was dramatic: grasses and flow-ers flourished. Species appeared thatI had not seen previously, like Arnicanevadensis (see Fig. 1). In contrast,sites that weren’t burned had restrict-ed vertical seed movement in the duff:seeds were unable to reach mineralsoil in those areas lying beyond thecanopy dripline. Mid-winter burningeffectively removed fuels, preparedthe sites for regeneration and was safefrom unintended spreading; I havesince learned that this isn’t possibleevery winter, due to snowpack andmy time constraints.

Forest management by The NatureConservancy

In 1980, The Nature Conservancybought forestland and grassland insouth-central Oregon. The SycanMarsh Preserve is used as an ecosys-tem research facility for the marshand surrounding dry pine forest type.

In 2005, we treated 178 acres offorestland with mechanical harvest.Pre-treatment density of trees greaterthan 4 inches DBH was 108.8 squarefeet per acre. There were also 255

smaller trees per acre. Sixty-six per-cent of the trees were ponderosa pineand the stand structure was uneven-aged. Harvest yielded 1552 cubic feetper acre. This area was included in

prescribed burns in 2006and 2013.

In 2008, another 400acres were treated with pre-scribed fire only, including320 acres of forestland and80 acres of grassland.Forest structure in this areawas uneven-aged, withlodgepole pine being thepredominant tree (51 per-cent of trees). Average grossvolume per acre was 419board feet in lodgepole pineand 765 board feet in pon-derosa pine for a total BAof 335. The density was57.1 square feet per acrewith 103 trees greater thanfive inches diameter breast

high (DBH) per acre and 40 saplingsper acre (29 percent of trees).

Through our research, we discov-



Figure 1. Arnica nevadensis grew in the dripline burned areas and werenot seen before burning. Removing the 10-inch mat of pine needles andlitter provided an enhanced site for new conifers, and for flora andfauna previously not observed. If you look closely on the ray floret inthe 10 o’clock position, you will see a small brown spider.

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ered that, to increase resilience, treat-ments should seek to restore therange of spatial patterns (heterogene-ity) found in forests with intact dis-turbance regimes (not affected bylocal historic fire suppression). Wealso recognized that strict basal areaor spacing-based prescriptions do notachieve this goal. In frequent-fireforests, managers across the Westhave found that native forests werenot uniformly spaced, and that a spa-

tially complex pattern, sometimescalled “clumpy-gappy,” providedessential ecological or functionalroles. Variable spatial patterns affecta variety of functions, such as firebehavior, understory plant diversity,tree regeneration, insect spread, nutri-ent cycling and snow retention. So, in2010, I changed the treatment pre-scriptions to designate individuals,clumps and openings (ICO) to pro-vide a complex spatial pattern in theresidual forest.

With this new structure template,mechanical treatments on 150 acresof ponderosa pine forest began onDecember 12, 2011. Three hot sawsremoved trees from 4- to 16-inchesDBH. A designation-by-descriptionmark guided the harvest to establishheterogeneity, and protect white-headed woodpecker nesting and for-aging habitats. I found it necessary tomark leave trees to create the forestarchitecture needed post-harvest.

Designated skips—areas that wouldnot receive harvest—were identifiedprior to treatment and flagged. Skipsprovide connectivity between openmeadows and upland cover patches.Similar harvests continued on 326acres in 2014 and 187 acres in 2016.An additional 405 acres are plannedin 2017.

Effectiveness monitoringFuel reduction treatments are pri-

oritized on public lands to reducewildfire hazard and spread, whileimproving forest health, wildlife habi-tat and aesthetics. In 2014, NancyGrulke, Director of the WesternWildland Environmental ThreatAssessment Center, and I began aproject to evaluate the effectiveness ofthe fuel reduction treatments that Ihad initiated at Sycan Marsh. Thetreatments had all been finished: har-vest (Mech harv and ICO), harvestwith single prescribed fire (Rx fire)

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and harvest followed by repeated pre-scribed fire (Mech 2 Rx fires).

Health and vigor assessments wereconducted in 2014 and 2015 during adrought, which further challenged theresponse to the treatments. We’vecontinued this research into 2017,expanding the effort to include moretreatment types and sites.

Whole tree and canopy attributes(measured from the ground) are used

to assess the level of tree droughtstress and health in the current year.Tree condition is categorized as aboveaverage, average or below average.Within the treated stands the BAranged from 20 to 140, with the aver-age in the mechanical harvest onlytreatment being 58 in above average,66 in average and 69 in below averagecondition (see Fig. 2). Yet, in the har-vest area treated with two prescribed

fires, the BA was 80.8 in above aver-age and 77.9 in average condition.There were no trees in below averagecondition in the harvest area followedby two prescribed fires.

Average tree diameters were notsignificantly different between treat-ment types. In general, above averagetrees also averaged the largest diame-ters; the exception being the mechani-cal harvest with two prescribed fireswhere the above average trees had anaverage diameter of 40.3 centimeters(cm), and average condition trees hadan average diameter of 42.7 cm. Inthe control area, tree diameters aver-aged 48.6 cm for above average trees,36.9 cm for trees in average health,and 38.3 cm for trees in below aver-age health. We concluded that: 1) fuelreduction treatments not followed byprescribed fire had a greater propor-tion of trees in poor health thanunmanaged stands with the exceptionof later ICO treatments; 2) harvestfollowed by repeated prescribed fire



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Figure 2. Average BA in the five fuel reduction treatments in south-central Oregonexpressed as above average, average and below average tree health.

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Managing forthe Future

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Timber Appraisal

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eliminated all poor health trees; and3) harvest followed by two prescribedfires seven years apart resulted in 75percent of the population in aboveaverage condition (see Fig. 3).

Management recommendationsManagement in forests adapted to

low- and mixed-severity fire increasesour knowledge and understanding ofecology when we study the resultsfrom mechanical treatments, pre-scribed fire, wildfire and habitat con-servation. We have learned how goodscientific, ecological and social facetscan guide management direction.Using fire as a tool in forest restora-tion will significantly improve theresistance to wildfire and drought,and will increase carbon storage.

Our actions do have a lastingimpact on our property and the sur-rounding landscape. In my ownforests, I have seen more resilienttrees and regeneration of young pon-derosa pines. Removal of fuel and

creating more open space betweentrees have reduced the risk of high-severity wildfire. In addition, theBureau of Land Management, myneighbor to the south and west, hastreated the adjacent stands. While weare not anxious for the next wildfireignition, we have prepared our wild-land interface property for the event.

Continuing researchTNC’s current research to evaluate

individual tree health is continuing,with trees under different prescrip-tions and different environmentalconditions, both adjacent to wetlandsand in the uplands. To bring tree levelinformation to the stand level, aerialimagery was collected in 2014 duringthe first year of drought in near infra-red (850 nanometers) and red (650nanometers) wavelengths at 30-cmresolution. Individual trees were iden-tified spatially, using GPS, and evalu-ated for individual tree health todevelop a signature of health, declineand incipient mortality from thatimagery. We received imagery in 2016to apply the calibration developed in2014 between canopy attributes andspectral signature, to predict treehealth and stand response to treat-ments. We began testing these predic-tions in 2016. The predictions arebeing assessed at both the stand andlandscape level. We will continue toevaluate fire effects on tree health.

Healthy trees also show resilience

to disturbances like fire. So, in fall2017, we will evaluate fire behavioreffects within the individual treatmentareas. Using a physics-based model,Russ Parsons (research ecologist withUSDA Forest Service Fire SciencesLab) will evaluate changes in firebehavior attributed to forest structureand past treatments. Brian Gullett(Environmental Protection Agency)will be evaluating the smoke and par-ticulates associated with the pre-scribed fires. ■

CRAIG BIENZ works for The NatureConservancy in the RestoreAmerica’s Forests program. His areasof interest include spatial and tempo-ral landscape and ecological process-es, fire and hydrologic regimes, his-toric forest structure and speciescomposition, and climate adaptation.His research includes evaluating theeffectiveness of management actionsto restore riparian and floodplain sys-tems, and fuel reduction treatments infrequent fire forests. Craig has con-ducted research to evaluate the effectsof wildfire, prescribed fire and forestmanagement on cavity-nesting birds.He has worked in collaboration withthe Klamath-Lake Forest HealthPartnership, Lakeview StewardshipGroup and Fremont-WinemaNational Forest to implement multi-party monitoring. Craig can bereached at 541-273-0789 or [email protected].


Figure 3. A visual representation of the results of fuel reduction treatments conducted in the dry pine forest type. Fuel reductiontreatments followed by two prescribed fires seven years apart improved the proportion of above average trees by 60 percent. Harvestwith two fires had 1.4 times greater bole diameter growth than other treatments, and diameter growth in the control and harvest withno fire were similar. Managing forest structure by increasing spatial heterogeneity increases resilience in drought, with 62 percent ofthe trees in above average condition.

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Professional ForestryServices, Inc.

Mike Jackson, CF, ACF

360-943-1470Since 1960

100 Ruby St. S.E., Ste. BTumwater, WA 98501

Forest Appraisal • ManagementExpert Witness • Hazardous Trees

Fax 360-943-1471www.proforestry.com

ithout a properly writtencontract, owners of smallwoodlands may find them-

selves in situations resulting in costlyand time-consuming attempts at per-sonal negotiations and the possibilityof court battles. To help avoid thesecomplications, it’s important to learnand understand the basic require-ments of a well-written contractbefore becoming legally bound by awritten contract or oral agreement.

Four basic elements are required fora valid contract:

1. Agreement—an offer by oneparty (the offeror) and an acceptanceof the offer by the other party (theofferee)

2. Capacity—the legal competencyto be a party to a contract

3. Consideration—the giving up ofa legal right (the exchange of a prom-ise for a promise in a bilateral con-tract or the exchange of a promise foran act in a unilateral contract)

4. Legality of purpose—meetslocal, state, and federal laws

Other important contract terms.Any contract that contains the fourbasic elements—agreement, capacity,consideration, and legality—may be avalid, enforceable contract. But itmay not be a complete contract.Other important elements may beneeded for clarification to avoid mis-interpretation during a sale or service.

The elements of a contract willvary depending upon the nature ofthe sales transaction or the providedservice. Some elements listed belowwill not apply to specific contracts;other elements not listed may beessential. This is not a comprehensivelist of all elements that may be, orneed to be, included in an enforceablecontract.

Experienced woodland owners andforestry consultants strongly recom-mend that parties forming a contractchoose a lawyer or lawyers experi-

enced in issues associated with the for-est products industry to write a con-tract for the sale and purchase of for-est products or for the hire of services.

The cost of a well-written contractwill vary depending on the complexi-ty of the sale or service. Hiring alawyer who already has the expertiseto write a clear, concise contract maysave you time, money, and a greatamount of frustration.

The importance of written contractsIn many, but not all, cases, con-

tracts must be in writing to beenforceable. A written contract maybe enforceable even if it does not con-tain all terms intended by the parties.If enough basic terms were writtendown and the party against whom itis being enforced signed it, the otherparty can enforce the contract in acourt. Enforcement of an oral con-tract usually requires legal proceed-ings, which can be costly and timeconsuming.

Among contracts that must be inwriting to be enforceable, three kindsapply to forestry transactions:

1. Contracts for the sale of real

property or an interest in real proper-ty. Real property includes bare landand land along with property perma-nently fixed to the land, such asbuildings. An interest in real propertyincludes leases for land or buildingsfor more than a year, and easements.

2. Contracts that can’t be per-formed within 1 year from the date ofmaking the contract (not from thedate of beginning of performance).

3. Contracts for the sale of goodsfor a total contract price of $500 ormore (for example, logs sold for a con-tract price of $500 or more). In moststates, including Oregon, standing tim-ber to be cut by the buyer is classifiedas goods (not real property) in a tim-ber sale contract without the land.

How to develop a satisfactorycontract

Hire an experienced adviser. If youare not experienced in writing con-tracts, you may need to hire an expe-rienced consulting forester or legaladvisor. Absentee woodland owners,in particular, should consider hiringexperienced local consulting forestersto represent their interests in prepar-ing an effective contract and supervis-ing the operation to ensure fulfillment


Contracts for Woodland Owners

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503-695-6419Forester/Broker


of contract terms.Consulting foresters often have

sample contracts that have workedwell in similar situations for otherwoodland owners. An experiencedconsulting forester can also recom-mend lawyers who have experiencewriting forestry contracts for ownersof small woodlands. You should havea lawyer review sample contractsfrom a consulting forester.

After selecting a lawyer, you cantake several steps to reduce legal costsand still develop a good contract:

1. Before consulting your lawyer,list your desired objectives of theupcoming timber sale or service.

2. Next, list the key elements need-ed to accomplish each objective.

3. Review the list carefully withyour lawyer. Add, subtract, or amenditems as necessary.

4. After your lawyer finalizes thecontract, review it carefully. Comparethe contract with individual objec-tives and key elements, includingthose listed below. Note any omittedor unclear points in the contract, andreview these points with your lawyer.

5. Send the unsigned contract tothe prospective buyer or contractor.After the other party returns it (per-haps with suggestions), review anysuggestions with your lawyer and pre-pare the final document. Sign thecontract and send it to the buyer orcontractor for signature.

If you are performing repeatedsales of timber or contracting for the

same services on different occasions,a previous contract may be satisfacto-ry. However, applicable laws as wellas individual needs and objectives canchange. Always review the objectivesof the new sale or service and ensurethe contract meets those needs.

Elements that may be needed in asales or service contract for awoodland operation

Location. Include a legal landdescription for the sale of standingtrees (stumpage) and road easements.

Include a portion of a map outlin-ing sale areas or road locations, fol-lowing natural or survey boundaries.Mark these clearly and tag them onthe area proposed for harvest. Includethe method of marking the bound-aries in the contract. Be sure toinclude all maps, sketches, or anythingreferenced in the body of the contract.

A licensed surveyor must performany land surveys and legal descrip-tions, but have your attorney incor-porate the information into the con-tract to avoid any ambiguity.

Term of the contract. State clearlythe beginning and ending dates forthe agreement. Provide a means forgranting extensions, if unseasonableweather makes it too difficult to logor if logging would harm the proper-ty. This is a very important clause.

Include a statement that each ofthe parties has had the opportunityto be represented, to the extentdesired, by legal counsel of its choice

in respect to the transaction.Operation. Include a clause to

either suspend or terminate the oper-ation when the seller alone deter-mines that there is a failure to followthe terms of the contract. This isanother important clause.

Equipment. Limit the kind ofequipment used on the propertyaccording to the economic and envi-ronmental conditions that affect theoperations (e.g., slope, soil moisture).

Integrating modification. The cur-rent agreement constitutes the entireagreement of the parties with respectto matters described and supersedesall prior written agreements.

Compliance with law. Parties shallcomply with all applicable federal,state, and local statutes, ordinances,rules, laws, regulations, orders,requirements, and standards in effector which arise in connection withparties’ performance under the agree-ment and shall defend, indemnify,and hold harmless the other partyfrom any and all claims, includingattorney fees from the violation ofsuch applicable laws.

Forest Practices Act and rules.Require adherence to the directives ofthe Oregon Forest Practices Act andAdministrative Rules.

In Oregon, the logging operator isresponsible for meeting state forest fireregulations. However, the landownermay require additional measures.

The contract should assign respon-sibility for payment of firefightingcosts and damages from fires causedby logging.

Residual stand protection. Empha-size the importance of caring for“leave” trees, either in falling or inskidding. For a thinning or other silvi-cultural treatment requiring “leave”trees, establish a quantitative methodof measurement and penalties for cut-ting unmarked trees.

Describe how trees are marked—for cutting, for the residual stand, orfor the boundaries of a clearcut.

Slash disposal. Include specifica-tions for slash disposal from timberharvest.

Roads, landings, bridges, culverts.Specify location, construction stan-dards, and maintenance of roads,landings, bridges, and culverts.Prepare these specifications in termsof future as well as present manage-ment objectives.

Buyer or lessee should be requiredto repair damage to existing fences,bridges, and roads—or pay damages.

Easements. Establish whether thebuyer or seller is responsible forobtaining and paying for road accessagreements and road maintenanceand repair. Consider including a“Right to Relocate” clause.

Make certain that the buyer of for-est products or lessor of forestlandhas the right to enter and work onthe property, including the right toremove forest products sold undercontract.

Include pertinent items of usagesuch as obeying speed limits, lock-ing/unlocking gates, no permitting ofdrugs or alcohol, reporting threat-ened or endangered species, and pro-viding fire protection.

Once all parties sign the easement,record the document as soon as pos-sible to avoid any ambiguity in theterms of the agreement.

Insurance. List the types andamounts of required insurance.Insurance typically needed includes:

• General liability and motor vehi-cle

• Loggers’ excess property damage• Workers’ compensationRequire proof of insurance and

endorsements that require priornotice of any change or cancellationof the insurance. It is recommendedto include seller or leaser as “addi-tional named insured” on the con-tractor’s policy.

Severance Tax and Forest ProductsHarvest Tax. Under Oregon law, theowner of the forest product at thetime of harvest pays these taxes.However, responsibility for payingthese can be shifted to another partyin the contract. If that party fails topay the tax, responsibility for the tax

reverts to the owner of the forestproduct at harvest.

State and federal payroll, income,and other taxes. State that the buyeragrees to pay all taxes associated withhis or her operation on the saleexcept those specifically exempted bythe contract.

Method of payment. State how andwhen the buyer will pay for thestumpage, logs, or other forest prod-ucts or services provided.

Provide a system for checking thevolume and estimation of logsremoved or delivered.

Describe quality control factors orassessment of services provided andaccording payment structure in rela-tion to the successful completion ofsuch services.

Resolution of disputes. Provide forarbitration of disputes if you don’twant court action. (Arbitration isusually cheaper and faster than atrial, and you can select an expert asthe arbitrator.)

Provide for payment of reasonablearbitration fees to the prevailingparty. Arbitration usually but notalways is final.

Mutual attorneys’ fees. Whether ornot there’s an arbitration clause, pro-vide for payment of reasonable attor-neys’ fees to the party prevailing inany suit or action for breach of con-tract.

Waiver of breaches. Include a clausethat states that if the seller waives onebreach or default of the contract, thewaiver is not to be interpreted as giv-ing permission for continued or futurebreach of the contract.

Liabilities. Require the buyer tokeep all products harvested or timberpurchased free from liens or attach-ments.

Severability. Include a clause thatprovides that if one or more provi-sions in the contract are illegal, therest of the contract still is enforceable.

Notice. Provide for notice ofbreach of contract, and state hownotice will be delivered.

Signatures. Place the seller’s andbuyer’s names, legal addresses, andsignatures at the end of the contract.If you have an agent, show theagent’s name and address. Include thedate and place where the agreementwas agreed upon and signed. ■

The information in this article is pub-lished in Oregon State UniversityExtension publication EC 1192 (SteveBowers, July 2014) and is available fordownload at: catalog.extension.oregon-state.edu/ec1192. The 38-page publica-tion includes example contracts fortimber sales, logging, easements, roadconstruction and improvement, treeplanting, spraying and pre-commercialthinning.


503-684-81681-800-783-6818

11825 SW Greenburg Road, Suite 200 Tigard, OR 97223

www.nwforestryservices.com

❑ Professional Forest Management ❑ Appraisals

❑ Timber Inventories and Cruising ❑ Mapping and GIS

TREE MANAGEMENT PLUS, INC.Working with family forest owners managing their woodlands since 1977Professional Forester, Accredited Logger, Cut-to-Length Logging, Seedling Sales & Reforestation Services

CONTACT Tom Fox at 360-978-4305 • 422 Tucker Rd., Toledo, WA 98591

By MAX NOVA

he last decadehas seen anincredible num-

ber of technologicalinnovations that aretransforming the waylandowners relate totheir forests. From satellites anddrones to smartphones and cloudcomputing, new technology isempowering landowners to monitorand manage their properties like neverbefore. In many cases, privatelandowners now have access to toolsthat are just as powerful (and some-times more so!) as those used by largeinstitutional landowners.

At the same time, this explosion ofnew technologies can be a bit over-whelming. In this article, we’ll coverseveral of the main technologies andtools that you can start using today tomonitor and manage your forest.

Smartphone appsOne of the biggest changes in the

past few years has been the wide-spread adoption of smartphones.These devices are packed with sensorsthat are especially useful for landown-ers. The built-in GPS and compass inyour smartphone can be used formapping and for navigating to sampleplot locations within your stand. Youcan use the integrated camera to doc-ument stand conditions and someapps can even use the camera todetermine tree species. And, ofcourse, the touchscreen is great for

data entry.Smartphone apps are also a great

way to get a younger generation offuture landowners engaged with theforest. Here are a few of the apps thatcan turn your smartphone (and yourgrandchild!) into a forest data collec-tion machine:

• Avenza Maps is a very popularfree mapping app for iOS, Androidand Microsoft mobile devices. You canload in your own georeferenced PDFsand geotiffs, or purchase data layersfrom Avenza’s in-app store. You canalso save and export placemarks asyou navigate through your property.

• iNaturalist is a project of theCalifornia Academy of Sciences thathelps you identify plant and animalspecies in your forest. When you takea picture with the app, it records yourGPS location and uploads your pic-ture to the iNaturalist website. Then,a community of experts helps identifyyour critter—for free! You’re also act-ing as a “citizen scientist” and your

species sighting information is con-tributed to a global biodiversity data-base.

• Plot Hound is a free timber cruis-ing app created by SilviaTerra thatruns on your smartphone or tablet. Ithelps you navigate to each sampleplot, lets you record the trees in theplot and then sends your data back toyour account on the Canopy website


Forestry Tech Trends for Landowners

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Get expert species identification with theiNaturalist app.

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You can use Plot Hound to navigate to each of your sample plots.

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Connecting Forest Landowners withSeedlings, Services and Contractors

DISCOVER Our Interactive Websitewww.forestseedlingnetwork.com

BUY/SELL SEEDLINGS • FIND VENDOR SERVICES & CONTRACTORS • VALUABLE RESOURCES

for reporting.If you don’t already have a smart-

phone or tablet, we’d recommend thatyou get an iPad mini. There’s muchmore screen real estate on the tabletthan on a phone, so you’ve got moreroom to work with navigation ordata-entry apps. Most forestry appscan work offline, so you don’t need toworry about buying a data plan orhaving a signal out in the woods.

ExtrasBattery Extender. If your phone’s

screen is set to maximum brightnessand the GPS is running all the time,your phone battery probably isn’tgoing to make it through the wholeday. Luckily, there are a ton of bat-tery extender solutions. We’ve hadgood luck with external battery exten-ders like the Jackery Bolt, but you caneven buy cases for your phone thathave built-in battery extenders.

External Bluetooth GPS. If youneed high-accuracy GPS measure-ments, you should consider getting anexternal bluetooth GPS. Your smart-phone’s built-in GPS can usually getyou down to about 30 feet of accura-cy, but an external GPS can get downto 5-10 feet, even under the treecanopy. Running a GPS antenna con-sumes a lot of power, so you’ll alsoget a big boost in your battery life ifyou offload that work to an externalGPS unit. We’ve had good success

with the Dual X150 GPS and it’s only$82 on Amazon.

ImageryPopular free tools like Google

Maps and Google Earth are empow-ering landowners to visualize theirproperties easily and instantly. InGoogle Earth, you can even drag a

timeline slider back and forth to viewhistoric imagery of your propertygoing back decades. This is a greatway to tell a story about how yourforests have developed over time andto share your forest management deci-sion-making process with a new gen-eration.

You can also use remotely sensedimagery to inform your forest manage-ment decisions. One big win you canachieve with imagery is to re-delineateyour stand boundaries to make surethat similar forest types are groupedtogether. This will significantly reduceyour cost of obtaining a forest inven-tory by reducing the amount of vari-ability within each stand. Imagery canalso be valuable for operational plan-ning as you map out potential skidtrails and landing sites.

If you want to go beyond the capa-bilities of Google Earth, you can getaccess to most of the underlyingimagery for free. Google Earth prima-


SilviaTerra’s Plot Hound app makes it easy to record tree measurements.

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rily draws from a U.S. GeologicalSurvey (USGS) satellite mission calledLandsat. You can search for anddownload these images for free fromthe USGS Earth Explorer website at:earthexplorer.usgs.gov. However, theLandsat imagery is only available at30-meter resolution. If you want high-er-resolution imagery, you can checkout the U.S. Department ofAgriculture’s National AgricultureImagery Program (NAIP) which has1-meter resolution imagery that isoften less than three years old. TheNAIP imagery is packaged at thecounty level and is compressed withthe not-particularly-user-friendlyMrSID format. If you’re feelingadventurous, you can find tutorialsonline for how to decompress NAIPimagery and view it.

And no discussion of imagerywould be complete without a mention

of drone technology. The last few yearshave seen a significant drop in the costand training needed to acquire andoperate a drone. The DJI Phantom 4now retails for $999. This drone can beoperated from an iPad and the soft-ware has taken much of the complexi-ty out of stitching drone imagerytogether. Federal regulations are nowpermitting more and more droneflights, so many landowners are won-dering if it makes sense to purchase adrone for their own use. While they’recertainly fun and the images are beau-tiful, in our experience at SilviaTerra,we have yet to see anyone making for-est management decisions based ondrone imagery that they couldn’t havemade with less time, expense and has-sle using a satellite or NAIP image.

The world of satellite imaging iscurrently being shaken up by theemergence of several other newimagery platforms. There are newcompanies like Planet Labs that areoperating massive fleets of hundredsof tiny “microsatellites” that are tak-ing pictures of every place in the U.S.nearly every day. The resolution ofthese images isn’t quite down to onemeter, but that’s just a matter of time.These new microsatellite vendorsoffer a simple and low-cost way to getrecent, high resolution images ofyour property.

But there are many steps betweengetting an image of your property andhaving a statistically sound forestinventory. Several regional consultingfirms are now using SilviaTerra’s

CruiseBoost service to lower the costof conducting a forest inventory. Bypairing field measurements with thefreely available satellite and aerialimagery we’ve discussed in this article,CruiseBoost fills in the gaps betweenyour sample plots and enables you toget a more accurate forest inventorywith fewer plots. Soon, we’ll be rollingout a nationwide forest inventory datalayer that landowners can access to getan instant forest inventory. Stay tuned!

GISOnce you’ve collected these field

A grayscale one-meter resolution imagefrom the National Agricultural ImageryProgram.

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Remote sensing can help “fill in the gaps”between your sample plots. This is a“heatmap” of timber volume across aproperty.

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measurements and acquired imageryof your property, how do you begin toanalyze it? This is generally a job for apiece of software called a “GeographicInformation System” or GIS forshort. By far and away, the most pop-ular industrial-grade GIS system isArcGIS built by ESRI. Unfortunately,a license for ArcGIS can run into thethousands or tens of thousands ofdollars. Luckily, there is a free alterna-tive that can do just about anythingthat you’d want to do. QGIS (qgis.org)is a free and open-source GIS systemthat runs on Windows, Mac andLinux. Using QGIS you can:

• import a satellite image as a baselayer;

• pan and zoom to your property;• draw a boundary around each of

your stands;• calculate the acreage of each

stand; and• export your stand boundaries in

a shapefile that you can share withconsulting foresters, loggers and oth-ers.

And that’s just scratching the sur-face. There are plenty of YouTubetutorials online for how to doadvanced geospatial analysis of yourproperty using QGIS. The site qgis-tutorials.com is a great place to start.

The cloudA final piece of the technological

puzzle is the emergence of full-fea-tured web applications in “the cloud.”

Most of us have used web apps likeFacebook or Gmail that allow you tocheck your messages from any devicewith an internet connection. There’s aton of engineering going on behindthe scenes to make this possible, butthe result is that we’re able to accessincredibly powerful software toolsrunning online without installing any-

thing but a web browser like GoogleChrome, Firefox, Safari or InternetExplorer.

This is particularly useful for forestowners because many of the softwaretools used in forestry are complicatedto set up and require a lot of process-ing power. There is now a new genera-tion of web applications that integratethe software and data you need forforest management and make it avail-able through a website.

A great example of this is FVSOnline (forest.moscowfsl.wsu.edu/FVSOnline/), which is supported bythe forestry school at WashingtonState University. It’s a user-friendlyway to access the U.S. Forest Service’spowerful Forest Vegetation Simulatorthat you can use to estimate the futuregrowth of your forest. You just needto go to the website and then FVSOnline will walk you through thesteps; there’s nothing to install.


The free QGIS software can help you perform advanced geospatial mapping and analy-sis. In this screenshot, we see stand boundaries overlaid on a free digital elevation map(DEM) from the USDA.

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ALDER WANTEDAlso Maple & Ash; Saw Logs, Pulp Logs,

& Timber Deeds

Contact Our Resource Group at These Locations:

Coos Bay, OR Ed G. (541) 404-3701

Eugene, OR Dick W. (541) 206-4105Tim T. (541) 231-4758

Garibaldi, OR Lee A. (541) 290-9892

Longview, WA John A. (360) 269-2500

Centralia, WA Jeremy M. (360) 520-5565Bill B. (360) 520-2287

Mt. Vernon, WA Joe M. (425) 210-5880Mark F. (360) 202-9141

–Continued on page 31–


TreeSmarts: Forest Research YouCan Use appears in every other issueof Northwest Woodlands. Columneditor Ed Styskel reviews researchbeing conducted from a host ofsources, sorts through the items ofinterest to family forest owners, andprovides a short summary of the perti-nent results in understandable lan-guage. If you have a suggestion toshare with Ed, please contact himdirectly at [email protected].

An Ever-Changing EcologicalBattlefield: Marijuana Cultivationand Toxicant Use in Western Forests.Authored by C.M. Thompson, M.W.Gabriel, and K.L. Purcell. 2017. TheWildlife Professional, Vol. 11, No. 3,pgs. 42-46.

A widespread and gruesomescourge of wildlife poisoning is hap-pening on public, tribal, state and pri-vate lands across the United States,and the source is illegal marijuanacultivation. Illegal marijuana growersuse and leave behind a wide varietyof legal and illegal toxicants to pro-tect their crop from rodents that chewirrigation lines and omnivores thatraid food supplies.

Scientists regularly find the car-casses of mule deer, gray fox, Steller’sjay, raven and coyote that are victimsof primary poisoning (direct con-sumption of a pesticide) and/or sec-ondary poisoning (consumption of apoison-contaminated animal) at growsites. Poisoned rodents may survive

several days, often exhibiting erraticbehavior and moving outside theirown territory. Predators may taketheir prey back to a nest or den tofeed dependent offspring, or intro-duce the poison via nursing to theirsuckled young.

Small mammal predators, such asthe fisher, marten and ringtail, or rap-tors, including the northern spottedowl and northern goshawk, may beat risk of accumulating toxicants atsub-lethal doses. Doses too low tocause direct mortality may still haveindividual- and population-level con-sequences through reduced immuneresponse, decreased reproductivepotential and increased susceptibilityto predation. Some amphibians—including the California red-leggedfrog or mountain yellow-leggedfrog—are particularly vulnerable dueto the synergistic effects of insecticideexposure and predation stress.

At one site in Oregon, researchersrecently found 66 pounds of a widearray of toxicants, all within habitatused by fishers and northern spottedowls, both legally protected species.

Some invertebrates can accumulaterodenticide compounds in their tissuewithout negative effects and movebeyond the grow site boundaries,thereby facilitating secondary poison-ing at outlying sites.

Scores of dead insects are oftenscattered around poisoned animals,the result of eating a decaying car-cass. Carbofuran, an insecticidebanned in the U.S. but increasinglyfound at grow sites, is often the cause.In fact, the presence of dead insectson or around a carcass is an earlyindicator of poisoning via concen-trated pesticides. Both carbofuranand malathion are so toxic thatinsects landing on the carcass diewithin minutes of contact.

Over the years, the kind of toxi-cants found at some sites has changed.It used to be common to see dozens ofsmall D-Con packets widely distrib-

uted around a trespass grow site. Suchbait stations may now have beenreplaced by the use of larger quanti-ties—5- to 20-pound buckets—ofolder, but still readily available, antico-agulant rodenticides such as warfarin,diphacinone, cholecalciferol (whichcalcifies the internal organs of an ani-mal that consumes it), or the neuro-toxin bromethalin. Dogs have diedafter eating bait left around grow sites.

Human hazardsTrespass grow sites often contain

concentrated pesticides in unmarkedcontainers that pose a severe dangerto human visitors. Growers oftenstore the bubble-gum-pink-coloredconcentrate of carbofuran in sodaand Gatorade bottles. Just a drop isenough to kill an adult human.Bottles with the toxicant may lie onthe ground for years until animalbites puncture them. The simple actof picking up the bottle withoutgloves to properly dispose of it maybe enough to expose a person to thepoison. If a child would pick up abottle and sniff it or lick their fingers,the effects would be immediate.

Other avenues for human exposureexist as well. In one case, a bleachbottle used to reconstitute zinc phos-phide insecticide was found lying in asunny meadow. Heat caused the bot-tle to build up internal pressure, andwhen a scientist touched the bottle itexploded spraying phosphine gas.

Toxic site cleanup & restorationNot only are the logistics of clean-

ing and restoring remote locationsdifficult and expensive, the increaseduse of concentrated toxicants posessignificant human health hazards andrequires the presence of trained per-sonnel. Some land managers use pri-vate, hazmat-trained contractors.Without reclamation, the toxicantsassociated with these sites will gradu-ally disperse across the landscape viawater and wildlife. ■

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LUSIGNAN FORESTRY, INC.Shelton, WA

360-426-1140

Forestry consultants servingtimberland owners small and large,

private and public since 1972.

Forest Management, Timber Cruising,Inventories and Valuations, Timber Harvest

Administration and Lump Sum Sales

E-MAIL: [email protected]

❖ ❖ ❖ ❖ ❖ ❖ ❖ ❖


The UnderstoryThe 2017 wildfire season ranks as one of the worst in the nation

in terms of number of acres burned. The National Interagency FireCenter (nifc.gov) statistics for the year as of September 17 show49,588 fires on 8,464,280 acres. The annual averages over the previ-ous 10 years are 52,332 fires on 5,753,532 acres.

Given the severity of the 2017 fire season, it’s morethan likely that some of us have forestland that wasaffected by wildfire this year. It’s important to knowthat there are helpful resources available to assist withevaluation and restoration.

One of the most thorough publications for assessingdamage and planning recovery is “After the Burn—Assessing and Managing Your Forestland After aWildfire” by Yvonne C. Barkley. This Idaho Forest, Wildlifeand Range Experiment Station and University of IdahoExtension publication (Station Bulletin No. 76, May 2011)is available to view online at: extension.oregonstate.edu/sites/default/files/community_pgs/wildfire_after_the_burn_2011.pdf

The publication begins with descriptions of foresttypes found in the inland Northwest. Some of these areconsidered “fire-based ecosystems. ”The author givesdescriptions of the mechanics and behavior of wildfire,and how wildfire affects vegetation, wildlife, soil, water-sheds and aquatic environments. This information pro-vides a basis for you to evaluate the extent of damageto your trees and site conditions so you can prioritizetreatments based on your objectives.

You may find that you have some emer-gency treatments that need to be donebefore heavy rain in the fall, so the authorrecommends completing the evaluation ofyour forest as soon as possible after the firehas cooled. A form is provided for thisassessment, with tools to predict tree mortal-ity by species, and erosion potential basedon your soil survey. There is also valuableinstruction on salvage logging, deteriorationby insects and diseases, reforestation, inva-sive weeds, management of fuels and ero-sion control.

The Natural Resource ConservationService (NRCS) and Farm Service Agency(FSA) offer technical and financial assistancefor rehabilitation after wildfires. Links toeach state’s USDA Service Center are found

here: offices.sc.egov.usda.gov/locator/app

You will also find valuable experience and support among yourfellow family forestland owners. Speaking to someone who hasalready been through the recovery process could be the best placeto begin.

In many areas, Extension foresters are available for consultation and educa-tion about the condition and expectations for your property. There are alsomany helpful Extension publications that are available.

In Idaho: uidaho.edu/extension/forestry/topic/fire or 208-885-7718.

In Montana: msuextension.org/forestry/ or 406-243-2773

In Oregon: extensionweb.forestry.oregonstate.edu/directory or 541-737-1727

In Washington: forestry.wsu.edu/staff/ or 425-357-6017

Your state forestry or natural resource agency representatives are also avail-able for technical assistance and may be able to help you evaluate conditionson your forest after the fire.

In Idaho: idl.idaho.gov/forestry/service/index.html or 208-769-1525

In Montana: dnrc.mt.gov/divisions/forestry/forestry-assistance or 406-542-4300

In Oregon: oregon.gov/ODF/Fire/Pages/AfterAFire.aspx or 503-945-7200

In Washington: dnr.wa.gov/programs-and-services/forest-practices/small-forest-landowners/forest-stewardship-program or 360-902-1849

DEAR TREEMAN, I’ve been seeingincredible numbers of hazelnutsbeing planted around the valley. ThenI got to thinking about theWillamette Valley ponderosa pineand the KMX thing and the hybridpoplar craze. Is this hazelnut thinganother flash-in-the-pan deal or isthis something different? —Skeptic

DEAR SKEPTIC, I appreciate andrespect your skepticism, but there arecircumstances that differentiate thefore-mentioned topics from the cur-rent filbert frenzy. On the positiveside, we have Oregon hazelnut farm-ers who have conducted successfuloperations for decades. Far-and-awaythe greatest difference in the currentinfatuation with filberts involves mar-kets: there is an active, worldwidedemand for them. Individuals experi-enced in the management and pro-cessing of hazelnuts may well be onthe road to economic prosperity.

My concern lies in the novice: theguy who reads some research paperor predicates their decision onextrapolating the results of some sortof model. Models are for magazinesor department store windows: theymay be enticing, but do not exist inreal life. You may not look fat if youheed their suggestions, but there’s astrong chance stupid may rear itshead.

From a forestry perspective (hazel-nuts lie somewhere between ag andforestry, with full-scale productionoccurring after a 10-year cycle), mygreatest concern involves location: it’snot just real estate, folks. If you don’tplant the proper tree in the properlocation, you are doomed to failure.Some of the greatest concentrationsof acreages are in the mid-to-south-ern Willamette Valley.

This region has been called theryegrass capital of the world for goodreason. But you should ask yourselfwhy? Why, you say? Because many ofthe soils have high concentrations ofclay and lack proper drainage. Duringthe depression era, my grandfatherraised oats for the War Department.

Each year theywould inspect thefields and oneyear the inspectorasked Gramp toidentify the weedthat was growing in the oats. He saidit was “that damn rye,” and com-plained that you could not eradicatethe stuff.

The Feds were looking for a covercrop to aid in erosion and flood con-trol along the Mississippi River. Itneeded a species that could toleratehigh water tables, required little culti-vation and was inexpensive. Grampand the inspector agreed to a con-tract to grow rye instead of oats. Iremember Gramp telling me thatstory over-and-over again when Iwould cross the road to see him afterI got home from working in thewoods. He chuckled recalling when,after the meeting with the inspector,he came home and told Grandma,“Mamma, we’re gonna get rich grow-ing a weed!”

Pardon the regression, but yougotta admit, a pretty cool piece ofhistory. Let’s give the prospective fil-bert farmers the benefit of the doubton the economic viability of theirimpending operations. Travelingaround the area, I see substantialacreages of filberts being planted ingrass seed fields: areas currentlygrowing grass seed because the siteis not suitable for anything else!These locations, like many forestrysettings, can sustain tree growth forupwards of 3,4,5, even 10 years ormore. But eventually, the roots worktheir way to the subsoil and persist-ent high-water table, unable to devel-op a root structure capable of sus-taining the tree, and it begins to die.Typically, about the time everyone isgetting all excited about the eco-nomic future of their exploits. As theysay in forestry: wrong tree, wrongplace.

The way we see it, there will belarge investments in hazelnut pro-duction that will be viable enterprisesfor years to come, as there will be

large acreages of hazelnuts that willshow a glimmer of hope, only to fadeaway. You can’t make a silk purse outof a sow’s ear and you can’t grow afilbert tree in a flood plain. —Treeman

DEAR TREEMAN, I am about to inherit20 acres of forestland that is land-locked. I do not have an easement tothe property, but I have heard peoplesay you cannot be denied access.What is the best way to get started?—Brandon

DEAR BRANDON, We have investigat-ed your dilemma, and you do indeedhave a dilemma. The previous ownerwas allowed access to the property,passing through multiple landown-ers. Some may call this a “gentlemen’sagreement,” but it is more an exam-ple of adjacent neighbors sharingaccess for many years without anyform of verbal or written agreementfinalizing the process.

You will need a written agree-ment, recorded with the respectivecounty, from each landowner. Somemight submit your situation warrantsaccess via a prescriptive easement: alegal remedy granting you accessthrough adjacent landowners due totheir neglect to place some sort ofphysical barrier, restraining you fromusing their property or road. Thisremedy would be pursued under theassumption they did not, or do not,want you on their property.

The prescriptive easement is a lastline-of-defense: use it when all elsefails. Because you have multiple own-ers along your access, I do not seethis strategy culminating in a suc-cessful conclusion, both in financialterms for you and future, personalrelations with your prospectiveneighbors.

Put on your big-boy pants, meetwith your neighbors and see if youcan reach some sort of agreement.You have several hurdles to jump,which will require patience, persever-ance and some interpersonal skills.The deck is somewhat stackedagainst you (small acreage, low valuesurrounded by multiple, larger, morefinancially viable entities). So, goodluck; hope for the best and cope withthe rest. —Treeman

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Steve Bowers


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Another very user-friendly web appis MyLandPlan (mylandplan.org).MyLandPlan is developed and sup-ported by the American ForestFoundation and helps landowners maptheir forest and develop and implementmanagement plans for their property.It serves as a basic online GIS systemand makes it easy for you to connectwith local consulting foresters to helpmanage your forest.

Canopy is a website (silvia-terra.com) that you can use to drawyour property boundaries and set upa grid of plots for a timber cruise.Once you sync the completed cruise

data from thecompanionPlot Houndmobile app,Canopy auto-matically gen-erates freereports onyour basicstand-levelstatistics, aswell as graphsof yourspecies anddiameter dis-tributions. Ifdesired, youcan also pur-chase reportswith more in-depth statisticalworkups and calculations of yourtimber product volumes. NorthwestWoodlands readers can contact us [email protected] for a freevolume report. Over 5,000 landown-ers and timber cruisers have signedup for free Canopy accounts andover 200,000 plots have been meas-ured.

Technology for landowners hasnever been as affordable, powerful,readily available or easy to use as itis today. With this guide, you’re nowequipped to choose the right tech-

nologies for managing your propertylike a pro! ■

MAX NOVA is the founder ofSilviaTerra. He spends his dayshelping foresters use technology toimprove forest management. Usingsatellites, cloud computing andmobile technology, SilviaTerra hasinventoried millions of acres of forestand helps the top U.S. timber compa-nies use data to achieve their forestmanagement goals. Born and raisedin Louisville, KY, Max is a graduateof Yale University. He can be reachedat [email protected].


Adams Timber Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22

AKS Engineering and Forestry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6

American Forest Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14

Arbor Info LLC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16

Bancroft Buckley Johnston & Serres . . . . . . . . . . . .15

Forest Seedling Network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24

GeneTechs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26

Hampton Tree Farms, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6

LandVest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25

Lorenz Forestry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4

Lusignan Forestry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28

Millwood Timber Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12

Norm Michaels Forestry LLC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14

Northwest Farm Credit Services . . . . . . . . . . . . .11

Northwest Forestry Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23

Northwest Hardwoods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27

Northwest Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8

NW Forest Properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10

ODF–Private Forests Division . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17

Oregon Forest Resources Institute . . .Back Cover

Pacific Fibre Products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19

Port Blakely Companies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8

Professional Forestry Services, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . .20

Rosboro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3

Silvaseed Company . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16

Starker Forests . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9

Stuntzner Engineering & Forestry . . . . . . . . . . .19

Sustainable Forestry Initiative . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4

Tree Management Plus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23

Trout Mountain Forestry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18

Victor Musselman . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15

WACD Plant Materials Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26

Weyerhaeuser Company . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18

World Forest Investment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21

ADVERTISERS’ INDEX

Forestry Tech Trendsfor Landownerscontinued from page 27

The American Forest Foundation’s MyLandPlan website can help youplan the management of your forest and connect you with localforestry consultants.

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SilviaTerra’s Canopy website helps you lay out a grid of plots for your cruise.

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nnoorrtthhwweessttwwooooddllaannddss - oswa · s a forestry consultant and small woodland owner,...

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