A Landowner’s Guide to Working with a Forester

This Landowner’s Guide is provided to help you work with a forester to achieve your forest management goals. And if you also desire to qualify for Tree Farm Certification, this guide can help. Whether this is your first management plan, or you want to update an existing or outdated plan, this guide will be beneficial.

Forest Resource Professionals

Forest management plans rely on the experience, skills, and thoughtfulness of foresters and other resource professionals. A forester that knows you and your goals will write a better plan. Therefore, building a relationship with your forester is central to your success as a landowner. The MS Landscape Management Plan helps by freeing foresters from extensive plan writing so they have more time for you.

What is a Mississippi Registered Forester? (Source: MS Board of Registration for Foresters)

“A forester is a person who by reason of his knowledge of the natural sciences, mathematics, economics, and the principles of forestry and by his demonstrated skills acquired through professional forestry education…is qualified to engage in the practice of forestry…” (Mississippi Foresters Registration Law of 1977).

The Foresters Registration Law of 1977 (amended in 1989) defines the practice of forestry to include consultation, investigation, evaluation, valuation, planning, and silviculture and harvest recommendations. Any person offering forestry services to the public must be licensed.

By law, no person may refer to himself as a forester; nor may any person sell, advertise, or otherwise promote his services as a professional forester in Mississippi, without being duly registered (licensed) by the State Board of Registration for Foresters (BORF).

What is a Consulting Forester? (Source: MS Board of Registration for Foresters)

A Consulting Forester is a Registered Forester whose principal business activity is forestry consulting work for the general public on a fee or contractual basis with no economic interest or participation in a timber purchasing or procurement entity. A Consulting Forester cannot purchase timber or participate in logging activities and represent the best interest of a client.

Working with a Forester

Step 1. Preparing to Meet a Forester

• • Prepare property information and features that you want to discuss with your forester. This may include property and family history, special sites, current uses, property lines and corners.
  • Decide who will be helping you manage your property in 10 or 25 years. Or owning it?
  • To help you develop objectives for your property, The Management Objectives Tab on this website offers several objectives you might consider. The American Forest Foundation also provides information about developing objectives on their My Land Plan website (Figure below).

Step 2. Meeting a Forester

• • Communicate your objectives clearly to your forester. If you have multiple objectives, you should prioritize them. And be prepared to phrase objectives in a way your forester understands.
  • Review potential landscape objectives with your forester as needed. These include Invasive Species, Threatened and Endangered Species, Forests of Recognized Importance, and Special Sites. If any are applicable to your property, discuss how to address them in the plan. Adjust to reduce any conflicts that arise against your objectives. This review is required for Certified Tree Farmers.
  • Communicate your desired forest type(s). Your preferred forest type can be quite different than the current one. Many timber types are possible. Your forester can tell you which timber types are the most likely to be profitable on your land.
  • Identify silvicultural treatments and other actions needed to achieve your objectives.
  • You and your forester develop a 10-year work schedule of forest activities.
  • Share with your forester the kinds of help that you expect in this 10-year schedule going forward. This may be a little or a lot, depending on your circumstances. Forester follow-through is highly valuable as it ensures achievement of management goals.
  • Your situation may require more financial information. For a fee, foresters can provide a timber appraisal, estimate timber growth and yield, and approximate future costs and revenues.

Step 3. After the Visit

• • Contact your forester with any unanswered questions.
  • Following any discussions, submit your notes and thoughts so your forester can incorporate them into the plan.
  • Within a month, expect a Forest Management Plan from your forester. Your Plan will reflect the findings and opinions of your forester along with your objectives. The Plan may be your forester’s own creation or a completed Forest Management Plan Template. At a minimum, your plan should include a Forest Stand Map, Stand Management Recommendations, and your 10-year Work Schedule of Forest Activities.
  • Review your Plan to make sure it matches your objectives. If differences exist, request a change from your forester.
  • Certified Tree Farmers must periodically monitor their property to prove conformance to Standards. You or your forester can meet this monitoring requirement.