Professional Timber Harvesting - Pine Thinnings, Wildlife Harvests, Clear Cuts

Services
Pine Thinnings

From the establishment of a new pine stand to full maturity, there are many natural constraints that can adversely affect stand production and growth.  As a result, the overall impact can be a detriment to the rate of return received from your investment.  In most cases, thinning a pine stand maximizes the growth potential and health of the dominant trees within a stand.  Thinning produces more economically desirable, saw timber sized trees in a shorter period of time compared to a stand that is not managed.  With a variety of pine management regimes, our trained foresters can assist you with determining which regime will best fit your management goals and objectives.         
Wildlife Harvests

Implementing a wildlife harvest is focused on creating an optimal habitat for a specific game species such as rabbits, turkeys, deer, or quail.  Forest landowners often overlook or write off the potential uses of their property based on the cost associated with achieving these concepts.  A primary benefit from harvesting timber specifically directed towards a certain habitat allows the landowner to use the revenues generated from the timber harvest to help accomplish their goals.  Depending upon the size of the harvest area the proceeds from the timber harvest could potentially cover the expense of seed, firelines, fertilizer, etc.  Often, logging decks or small clear cut areas can be converted into food plots that are extremely beneficial to a variety of wildlife.  Other considerations for a wildlife harvest include retaining hard mast producing trees, travel corridors, establishment of understory herbaceous vegetation, or allowing field or harvest edges to establish natural vegetation and seed sources.  Ultimately, a forest landowner can accomplish a variety of goals through sound forest management.   
Clear Cut Harvests

There are a variety of reasons to consider a clear cut harvest.  Most commonly, this option generates the highest rate of return from a timber harvest.  In some cases a clear cut is recommended on account of detrimental health issues within a stand of timber such as an insect infestation.  When a timber stand has reached full maturity, mortality can start to spread through the stand causing the timber value to slowly deteriorate the longer this issue is ignored.  Some landowners implement a clear cut harvest to enhance their bank account while at the same time restarting their investment for a future harvest.  With today’s genetically improved pine seedlings, rotation cycles (time period between harvests) can be as short as 15 years depending upon site quality and how intensively you manage your stand of timber.  With a well thought out forest management plan, a clear cut harvest could help lessen the impact of a college tuition, help pay for a wedding, or just put some extra money in your pocket!
Reforestation

Following a clear cut harvest there are two options to be considered; reforestation with Loblolly Pine or allow the site to naturally regenerate.  There are pros and cons associated with each option.  Natural regeneration results in virtually no establishment costs however there is an increased potential to end up with an inadequately stocked stand, an undesirable species composition, and or a much longer period of time before the timber is sizeable enough to consider a harvest.  Reforestation with Loblolly Pine requires an initial expense for the seedlings and the labor to have the seedlings planted.  With appropriate management, reforestation with Loblolly Pine ensures a desirable species composition and a shorter period of time to generate revenues from a timber harvest.  South Paw Forest Products, Inc. would be pleased to offer assistance with the reforestation process and the many details it entails.  With a variety of different seedlings along with multiple spacing regimes, we can help determine which method best fits your objectives.