By Ralph Eckis

1. Do you have the legal right to sell the timber? Is the timber owned outright? If the timber is being purchased on contract, is a release by the holder of the contract necessary before harvesting the timber?

2. Access? If the property fronts onto a public road, is there an access permit required by the county or state highway department? Has one been obtained? If the property does not front onto a public road, but crosses another ownership, is there a written easement or road use permit? If not, be sure to get one.

3. Have the property lines been established? Many forested properties are fenced but are not always accurate. It is always best to have the property corners and lines established by a professional land surveyor before harvesting. When hiring a surveyor, ask for references and call them.

4. Decide on which type of harvest activity will be taking place. Will there be a final harvest or thinning? Determine the approximate volume to be removed. Mark the thinning with paint or ribbon. This will help while selling the trees and during harvesting. If a final harvest is chosen, mark all the boundaries either with ribbon or paint. Start planning for reforestation requirements.

5. Obtain a harvest permit from the Oregon Department of Forestry. Remember, a 15-day waiting period is required, but may be waived in certain cases. You may want to seek professional advice on this.

6. Establish markets for the logs. Understand the different markets, pricing, and how the trees to be harvested should be manufactured to maximize the highest possible price that can be received for your timber: Sort by export, poles, domestic and pulp logs.

7. Locate a competent, qualified logger: Check references. Convey fully with the logger, and especially the cutter, of how the trees are to be manufactured. The cutter is very important. He is manufacturing what you are selling and what the mill or export buyer is buying.

This article by forester, Ralph Eckis, was published in the August 1994, Forest-Tree Leader..