Our Services
Log & Timber Marketing
Whately Wood Products purchases both logs and standing timber from private landowners, municipalities, loggers and sawmills throughout New York and New England.
Typically logs are graded, scaled and paid for on site depending on site conditions and are accompanied with a detailed log summary print out by our new age Allegro software system, allowing landowners to easily follow their log scale slip details.
Standing Timber on the other hand can be sold in three ways depending on the landowners wants and needs:
• Lump Sum Sealed Bid Sale
Where timber trees are marked and tallied which generate board foot volumes stumpage values which are then put out to bid to sawmills and logging contractors.
• Scale Sale
Where timber trees are harvested, skidded to landing area where they are then bucked into logs where each log then graded and scaled. Landowners receive an agreed upon percentage of the total scaled log value.
• Lump Sum Sale
Where Whately Wood Products purchases standing timber with one lump sum.
Selective Timber Harvesting / Logging
Whately Wood Products employ resource managers capable of marking, appraising and supervising all stages of the timber harvest process. We only contract insured licensed timber harvesting contractors to perform all aspects of harvesting operations on your forestlands. Depending on the job size and scope we can choose to either hire a large commercial contractor with timber processing equipment such as grapple skidders, slasher/loader and feller buncher for larger less sensitive sites. And for smaller scope sensitive jobs, contract a cable skidder and a man with a chainsaw.
In order to assure sustainable forestry is being practiced all contracted timber harvesters will and are required to strictly adhere to NYS DEC guidelines for “Best Management Practices” BMP’s.
Timber Sale Administration / Timber Appraisal
SALE /PROPERTYBOUNDARIES
Sale boundaries will be delineated through the use of mapping technology as well as on the ground techniques. Boundaries will be clearly marked with flagging and or painted.
DEFINE ACCESS/SKID TRAILS
Roads, skid trails and log landings make up the transportation network to move timber and logs out of the forest. Our resource managers have the knowledge and experience to lay out your road and trail network that should provide you access for future management and recreational activities.
IDENTIFY CUT TREES/TIMBER VALUE APPRAISAL
After sale boundaries, access have been delineated a successful timber harvest plan can be established. One of our Foresters will then prescribe the proper forest management prescription best fit to meet the objectives of the harvest plan. We will identify individual trees to cut by either painting or designating a certain minimum diameter to be removed in the contract.
Once the cut trees are identified a timber value appraisal can be done to determine the current board foot volume and monetary value of standing live timber residing on the parcel of timberland in question. Board foot volumes are determined through the processes of a timber cruise where tree diameters and heights are measured then statistically manipulated to arrive at an estimated volume, or by marking individual selected timber trees. The value however is determined by local stumpage rates or with actual delivered log prices from completed and current timber harvests.
ADVERTISE SALE/CONTRACT
Whately Wood Products will provide a timber sale prospectus which will advertise your timber sale. Prospectus includes all the necessary information for a buyer to make an informed decision including species, sizes and estimated tree volumes to be harvested. We would also include any restrictions the sale has at this time. Many prospectuses also contain a statement that the seller can reject any and all bids if the offers are below the estimated timber value appraisal.
Once bids are accepted and or sales are negotiated it is now time to execute the written contract. The timber sale contract is a binding document that outlines the relationship between the seller and buyer, protecting both from misunderstandings and expectations.
Contracts typically include but not limited to sale type, terms, length of contract, terms of payments and liabilities and safety regulations.
MONITOR TIMBER HARVEST
Upon completion and signing of the timber sale contract, timber harvesting can now begin.
Whately Wood Products foresters will inspect and monitor the sale during harvesting operations to ensure contract compliance is being met for both the buyer and seller. By monitoring how the harvest is proceeding, any questions and or concerns can be addressed before they become a problem.
CLOSE OUT THE SALE
Last but not least, after timber harvesting has commenced a final inspection will be done to ensure that the contract terms have been met and that the buyer and seller are satisfied.
Our Foresters will ensure the site is properly retired and that all roads, trails and landings are all closed out ensuring compliance with sustainable forestry best management practices.