Informed family forest landowners know you can harvest trees, make a profit and still have a healthy thriving woodlot that looks good. Sound impossible? Well, the truth is a forest can be improved with a successful timber harvest. Planning is the key and good planning depends on making good decisions.

In technical terms, timber sale administration is the supervision of harvest activities to achieve silvicultural and economic objectives through sound logging practices and proper log utilization. In plain English, sale administration is telling a logger what you want before it’s too late.

Too often timber harvests are conducted with no more than a nod and a handshake between the parties involved. Although this procedure sometimes works, a written agreement is far better. Besides transacting the sale of timber, a contract also establishes communication, outlines practices to be followed, and clarifies responsibilities. All participants benefit when a foundation is established from the start.

A snag is a standing dead or dying tree. It may have died because of wildfire, insects, disease, lightning, or a combination of factors. Regardless of the reason for its death, a snag can be very important to many kinds of wildlife.