do the logging myself?

if i buy a timberland. the question is will i save a lot of money if i do the logging myself while a forester marks what to cut? normally the forester marks and supervises the logging company that bought the wood when they show up to cut down the trees. also is there a book on this like how to log a woodlot? i watched videos on how to do horse logging but ws wandering if there are any books or more videos on this topic?

Wesley johnson : A local forester is Your number one man to go to! After talking with you about what you want to do with your land, he should '' Cruise''
your Timber and come back with written reports and maps properly shaded to your Tree types!

In my part of the country No-one practices Coppice and Pollarding trees, and even a good Forester may not have even heard of the terms, or know their
meaning !

Generally if you have marketable or soon to be marketable timber, the Forester will Mark the trees with spray paint, chest high and just below stump level,
the second mark is your best protection against an over eager logger cutting down a tree NOW that the Forester wants to grow for several more years.

Generally, at least in the NorthEast U.S. the Forester will give you a list of loggers 'He' likes, but will not be on the property when the logging is done !

My best recommendation for a novice wood lot owner is to have ''weed trees'' marked for thinning, and firewood trees for yourself to cut. After several years
of maintaining your own wood lot and harvesting firewood You could make a personal choice if you want to attempt logging. Pulpwood logging is generally
possible for even a new Woodlot manager.

Cutting whole logs is another story, one miss-cut can turn a furniture grade Cherry or old oak log into Fire wood! That kind off logging expertise should
come while you are working for someone else who really, really knows what they are doing !

Finally, I have known several good logging outfits, and most are very hard working, and try to do a good job. In my experience the local Mennonites are
some of the best, all loggers still using horses are craftsmen who are there because they want to be! Not all loggers are the same 'let the buyer beware'
covers it wholly ! For the good of the Craft ! Big AL

Hi Wesley, et al,

Big AL wrote:...come while you are working for someone else who really, really knows what they are doing !

OH BOY...listen to this Sage wisdom...there are (few) great loggers left...and way (too) many that are just "forest butchers." Even with a decent forester (many types and qualities of those too) you are not guaranteed a good job. Few (very few) know or are really interested in Permaculture in my experience...though this is rapidly changing in some areas. Shop carefully or learn the skills yourself.

Big AL wrote:... In my experience the local Mennonites are some of the best, all loggers still using horses are craftsmen who are there because they want to be! Not all loggers are the same 'let the buyer beware' covers it wholly ! For the good of the Craft ! Big AL

A BIG second to that...if a logger is still useing a team member that has four legs...they may not know all they can, but you can guarented they are trying and take pride in there craft.

To your general question..."do the logging myself"...the answer is a very little YES and most that try turn away soon after, as there is more to this work (when done well and with craft) than simply whacking down trees. I encourage you to do it yourself...but learn to do it well...and use as many resources as possible to learn this.

Good Luck,

j

First off, what are your goals for the land? The end result will be very dependent on those goals. Finding a good Forester can be done with help from the local extension service and the BBB, use both then interview the prospective forester so you know his views and expertise and he will get to know your expectations of him. Logging is at best dangerous, if you don't know how to fell trees properly, buck trees properly and have the equipment four legged or motor powered) to skid the logs out then you might find you are in over your head or worse. When I was a Young man I worked as a sawyer for a logging company in California, my first year we lost two sawyers to their not having a proper escape route from the tree, another was nearly killed from a mistake that led to a bad kickback. If you have the skills, then yes you will save some money doing as much of the work yourself that you are comfortable with.

Logging equipment is expensive and seams to break often. We asked our logger to clear off a spot for pasture and he used a bulldozer and pushed off all the top soil. A lot of damage can be done quickly with big machines.

in a word, NO! Not the first time. It is dangerous work with lots of knowledge and skill needed to do it safely both for you and the land.

Follow all the previous advice, but WATCH AND LEARN EVERYTHING YOU CAN while the pros work. Especially how to choose the trees and then cut them. You can turn a $5000 tree into a $500 tree really quickly. And you can knock over what would be $10,000 in trees in ten years or put yourself in the emergency room just as easily.