Selling 22 acres of timber near Belmont, Ohio
We spared this family an $11,000 tree removal expense and turned it into a $32,000 timber sale.
Reaching out for help with dangerous trees
On July 21, 2024, a woman in Belmont, Ohio contacted us to ask whether we would be interested in buying 11 trees from her parents’ yard.
The trees were very large, with long limbs overhanging their house. She explained that this created a dangerous situation during strong storms. The family had already contacted several tree service companies, and the lowest estimate they received was $11,000 to remove the trees.
Loggers typically cannot buy trees from a yard. In most cases, there is not enough timber value in a residential setting to cover the cost of equipment and labor.
Even so, we wanted to see if there was another way to help. We asked for the address and learned that the family home sat on 80-acre parcel in Belmont County.
When we reviewed a satellite image of the property, we immediately saw that roughly two-thirds of the land was wooded, with the remainder in agricultural use. We asked whether the woods had ever been logged, and she told us they had not been harvested in more than 50 years. The family primarily used the woods for deer and wild turkey hunting.
Uncovering options for timber
Based on the timber potential visible from aerial imagery, we presented two options.
Option 1 was to mark and sell enough timber to cover the $11,000 cost of removing the hazardous trees around the house.
Option 2 was to evaluate the whole timber stand, determine its true value, identify all mature trees, create a selective harvest plan, and invite loggers to submit competitive bids.
We explained that if enough timber was included in a sale, the 11 problem trees near the house could be rolled into the contract, and we could the winning bidder remove them as part of the harvest, eliminating the tree removal expense entirely. In that scenario, the landowners would receive a payment instead of paying out of pocket.
After discussing the options, the family chose the second approach and asked us to send our forester to visit the property and inspect the timber.
Establishing timber sale priorities
We met with the landowners and spent time solidifying their goals. Their priorities were clear:
First, they wanted the hazardous trees around the house removed.
Second, they wanted to generate income to fund some farm projects planned for 2024 and 2025.
Third, they wanted to improve habitat for the whitetail deer and wild turkey living on the property.
Our forester walked the woods, identified and marked mature timber suitable for harvest, and developed a precise, selective harvest plan. The plan called for light cutting in specific areas, along with designated sections for hinge cutting to create bedding cover and browse for deer. Another area was set aside for a food plot benefiting both deer and turkeys.
The result was a harvest plan designed to generate income, and strengthen the long-term quality and condition of the timber stand for improved wildlife habitat.
Importantly, this was not a clear-cut. Many hundreds of mature trees were left to continue growing and supporting wildlife.
This map shows the primary harvest area we created to market the stumpage to loggers and timber buyers.
Marketing the timber to multiple loggers and getting competitive bids
With an accurate timber inventory completed by an experienced forester, we prepared a formal Notice of Standing Timber Sale and distributed it to multiple qualified loggers with solid reputations.
The notice included:
A detailed timber inventory
Authorization and time for bidders to inspect the property
Clear bidding instructions
A firm bid deadline
Rather than calling a single local sawmill, which is a common mistake that too many landowners make, we invited multiple buyers. This created a competitive bidding environment, which greatly increased the likelihood of higher offers and better terms for the landowners.
The table below shows the timber we selected for harvest. All volumes were calculated using the Doyle Log Rule
| Species | Trees | BFV | Avg. BFV/ tree | % of BFV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Aspen |
1 |
295 |
295 |
0.4% |
|
Basswood |
1 |
260 |
260 |
0.4% |
|
Beech |
3 |
1,022 |
340 |
1.5% |
|
Cherry |
23 |
6,803 |
295 |
9.8% |
|
Elm |
1 |
459 |
459 |
0.7% |
|
Gum |
1 |
370 |
370 |
0.5% |
|
Hard Maple |
25 |
7,739 |
309 |
11.1% |
|
Hickory |
11 |
3,459 |
314 |
5% |
|
Pine |
12 |
2,701 |
264 |
4.2% |
|
Poplar |
45 |
16,191 |
359 |
23.2% |
|
Red Oak |
28 |
13,188 |
471 |
19% |
|
Soft Maple |
47 |
13,523 |
287 |
19.4% |
|
Walnut |
11 |
2,914 |
264 |
4.2% |
|
White Oak |
1 |
658 |
658 |
0.9% |
|
TOTAL |
210 |
69,582 |
381 |
100% |
BFV = Board Feet Volume, which calculates the amount of lumber potential in a stand
DBH = Diameter at Breast Height, which is the standard way to take this measurement
This was a light, selective harvest that left plenty of trees untouched to grow to maturity while supporting wildlife.
Evaluating the bids from each logger
The notice of sale was issued on August 1, 2024, with bids due by August 16, 2024. Four sealed bids were submitted in the following amounts:
| Bid totals | $ per BFV |
|---|---|
|
$32,050 |
.460 |
|
$26,100 |
375 |
|
$24,550 |
.352 |
|
$20,605 |
.296 |
Because of the competitive bidding process, this timber sold for $32,050
Under the terms of the notice of sale and the timber contract, the winning bidder immediately paid a 25% deposit of $8,012.50 to the landowners.
The contract also required the remaining 75% or $24,037.50, to be paid in full before the logger was permitted to return to the property and begin harvesting.
The winning bidder began logging on September 30, 2024, after full payment had been made.
The harvest took two weeks to complete. We oversaw the operation to ensure the work followed the contract and that restoration of the forest floor and staging areas was completed as agreed.
In the end, this timber sale turned an unplanned $11,000 expense into a $30,000 gain for the landowners, while also improving the future of their woods and wildlife habitat.
Key takeaways from this timber sale
- Landowner was spared a major expense
- Top-dollar price obtained via competitive bidding
- New farm projects were capitalized with the sale proceeds
- A hassle-free harvest with proper restoration was guaranteed
- Landowners 100% satisfied
MORE: Learn about another timber sale we managed in Washington County.
- Minimum: 10 wooded acres or 50 mature trees.