Forestry Management Services

Complete Management Strategies for Large Forests

Homeowners and businesses in the Bloomsburg area count on Susquehanna Tree Care to care for the trees in their yards, but did you know that we also provide complete forest management services? Our Forestry Services division is ready to help you take care of a forested property, including conducting an inventory, management planning, timber harvesting, and more.

Click HERE for more information on our Landowner Bundle Services

Susquehanna Forestry Services

Mission Statement

“Passionately assisting our clients with proven forest management strategies to ensure their land is managed sustainably, for the long-term health and growth of the forest.”

The goal of Susquehanna Forestry Services is to assist our clients with proven forest management strategies to ensure their land is managed sustainably. We manage a variety of client goals including long-term forest growth and health, wildlife habitat, recreation, aesthetics, economics, water quality, timber, and so much more! When it comes to forest management, we are registered with DCNR and NRCS to provide technical assistance and plan writing for all current landowner assistance programs.

The Services You Need to Maintain a Healthy Forest

Forest Resource Inventory

The first step in Forest Resource Management is to conduct a thorough resource inventory. We help our clients appreciate the value of their non-commercial resources, such as wildlife habitat, water resources, and aesthetics. Additionally, we are experts in the inventory of traditional commercial products such as sawtimber, veneer, pulpwood, and biomass.

At Susquenhanna Forestry Services, we conduct a thorough inventory including species, age classes, density, regeneration, volume, value, and other important forest resources located in your woodland. In addition to forest resources, our foresters will observe resource concerns including invasive species, deer, insects, and diseases.

Management Planning

The next step in Forest Resource Management is an evaluation of the forest resource inventory and determining the best possible strategy to achieve the management objectives. Our team of foresters will meet with you and help determine your long-term management objectives.

A few objectives our foresters have experience with include wildlife habitat, timber production and harvesting, recreation (hunting, trails, birding, foraging, etc.), managing for biodiversity, maintaining good water quality, and more. Our team will write a plan best suited to your management needs.

Management units are determined based on species, age classes, soils, aspect, and other factors. A management prescription is written for each management unit based on the landowner’s objectives and the resource inventory in that unit while maintaining Best Management Practices (BMP). The forest management plan has a 10-year schedule of activities for the property. After the initial 10 years, the property can be reassessed to create a new 10-year plan. We will work one-on-one throughout the 10-year cycle to ensure all activities are completed successfully.

Timber Harvesting

Our team of forestry experts has a combined experience of 85 years in preparing, marketing, and harvesting commercial timber products. The team members have diverse backgrounds in the industry, as well as being forest landowners, enabling them to understand the multiple values forest lands can have for our landowners.

We conduct a 5-step timber sale procedure that guarantees our clients receive the best price for their timber while protecting the future resources in their woodland.

1. Sale Prep — Determining a prescription, marking boundary lines, marking and measurement of timber to be harvested, and creating Erosion & Sedimentation (E&S) Plans.
2. Marketing — Tailoring a prospectus for each individual harvest from low-impact (horse logging) to high-production (whole-tree chipping, feller bunchers) methods; mailing to a comprehensive list of potential timber buyers; conducting a tour of the harvest area; conducting a sealed-bid procedure; reviewing all bids with the individual landowner; and selection of the purchaser. 
3. Timber Sale Agreement — Susquehanna Forestry Services is designated as the forestry agent in the timber sale agreement between the landowner and the purchaser. This agreement guarantees the landowner a professional forestry perspective in administering the timber harvest contract. Under this agreement, the landowner and the forest resources are protected in a professional manner.
4. Harvest Inspection — Our foresters inspect harvests on a weekly basis to ensure compliance with the Timber Sale Agreement.
5. Harvest Retirement — Our foresters direct all retirement activities for proper restoration of the harvest area. Upon successful completion of all harvest activities, with the approval of our foresters and the landowner, the contract becomes null and void and the 5-step harvest process is complete.

Additional Services

• Wildlife habitat management
• Tree planting and protection
• Timber stand Improvement
• Timberland investment, purchasing, and sales
• Small acreage forest management
• Expert witness in Timber Trespass and Forestry legal issues
• Permitting — E&S plans, stream crossings, driveways, harvesting ordinances
• Road and trail layout and building
• Forest insect and disease management
• Invasive species control
• Income tax consultation
• Agroforestry and silvopasture design and management
• Property boundary identification and marking
• Soil testing and management
• Advise landowners on carbon credit programs
• Advise landowners on conservation easements
  

Why Choose Susquehanna Forestry Services?

Our foresters have combined experiences that help when making management decisions. With a diversity of forest management experience including public, private, and industrial land management, our foresters are ethically motivated in doing what is best for the forest rather than chasing the dollar value.

For a free estimate on forestry management services, call Susquehanna Tree Care today. We return every phone call within 12 business hours. Customer service is our top priority!