Caldwell County Agline

To better serve woodland owners in North Carolina, NCSU Extension Forestry has created a new listserv "Woodland Owners Update". This service updates you directly through email on woodland owner events throughout the state. We also inform you on current and new publications as they come out. Informed landowners make the right decisions about their woodlands and we are dedicated to providing NC woodland owners the best information available.  If you would like to join Woodland Owners Update, please visit our website for more details and registration:

http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/forestry/list.html

When: October 12, 2009, 1pm-4pm

Location: Newland Town Hall Board Room and site visit to the Newland constructed wetlands
(Town Hall Phone 828-733-2023 Address: 301 Cranberry Street, Newland, NC 28657)

About the Workshop:  Participants of this workshop will understand stormwater wetlands and how they function, and understand inspection and maintenance requirements of stormwater wetlands.  This workshop will provide classroom instruction and hands-on in the field training.  Constructed stormwater wetlands in Banner Elk, Newland, and Boone will be highlighted.

Cost:  $10, please bring your money the day of the workshop, checks should be made out to NCCES

Schedule:
1-2pm - Wetlands Maintenance
2-3pm - Wetlands Case Studies
3-4pm - Wetland Site Visit

Instuctors: Bill Lord, Area Extension Specialist and Wendy Patoprsty, Extension Agent

To Register:  Call (828)264-3061 or email at Wendy_Patoprsty@ncsu.edu
Please register by October 9 at noon.

Learning from experience can be very expensive for woodland owners when it comes to selling trees from their woodlands. Selling trees is usually once- or twice-in-a-lifetime occurrence. Years of growth and value are accumulated in mature trees, and the combined annual income from all those years is frequently marketed in a single transaction. When and how the trees are sold can influence how much money one makes, their overall financial plans, the cost of planting new trees, and other management objectives. Too much is at stake for woodland owners to sell trees without an understanding of the selling process.

The process of buying and selling trees involves a woodland owner, a timber buyer, a logger, and a mill (manufacturer). A consulting forester may also be involved in this process as a representative of the woodland owner.  The raw materials that supply the manufacturer are obtained through a network of buyers who purchase standing trees, referred to as stumpage, from private woodland owners.  Buyers can work directly for a mill, for wood suppliers, for loggers, or for timber brokers. Buyers may be paid a salary or a commission, or they may receive part of the timber brokers' profits. Timber brokers buy and resell trees, making their income from profits.  The buyer represents the interest of their employer in the sale while the woodland owner represents his or her own interest.  If the woodland owner prefers they may hirer a consulting forester to represent the woodland owner\u2019s interest in the sale.

Standing trees are sold either "per-unit" or "lump sum."  A per-unit sale is one in which the buyer and the woodland owner, or their representative, negotiate a price per unit of harvested trees, and the buyer pays for the trees after they are cut and the volume is determined. Per-unit trees are sold either by product class or at a blended average price for all products. Product classes describe the type of products that the logs can be used for.  Product classes include poles and pilings, veneer or ply-logs, sawtimber, chip-n-saw, and pulpwood. Woodland owners own per-unit trees until they are cut and payment is received. Woodland owners continue to assume most of the risks associated with owning the trees, including damage caused by acts of nature, and theft.

A lump sum sale is one in which the buyer and woodland owner agree on a total price for the standing trees within a defined area of sale, and the seller receives payment before the harvest begins. In this method the buyer, upon purchasing the standing trees, assumes the ownership risks.  Lump sum sales are often done through "sealed-bids" sales. A lump sum, sealed bid, sale is conducted in which multiple buyers participate and each buyer submits an offer for the standing trees.  The offers are submitted as sealed bids in which each buyer does not know what the other buyer is offering.  It is this competition for the trees that usually result in a higher offer than auctions or negotiated sales.

Demand for specific timber products varies widely over time and across geographic areas. Prices also vary widely. Factors such as quality, size, volume per acre, total volume, logging conditions, distance to market, accessibility, number of competing buyers and general market conditions affect the price of individual sales of standing trees. When selling trees it is important for woodland owners to seek assistance to ensure maximizing the return on their investment.

Consulting foresters, can alert landowners to favorable market conditions, evaluate the trees to determine if they are ready for sale, and handle sale transactions profitably, while protecting future value and productivity of the forest. Experts show that woodland owners who seek assistance in managing and selling trees can receive as much as 28% more for their trees than if they did not use technical assistance. In almost all cases sellers are well advised to obtain an appraisal of the volume and value of any trees prior to sale. Consulting foresters provide appraisal and marketing assistance for a fee. To verify if a forester is registered as a consultant in North Carolina, contact the North Carolina Board of Registration for Foresters at 919-847-5441 or online at http://www.ncbrf.org. Once you select a qualified forester, you should sign a contract. Include a list of services to be performed and specify who will perform them, when they will be performed, and how the forester will be paid for those services.

The North Carolina Division of Forest Resources, also called the NC Forest Service, can also provide a limited amount of free technical woodland management advice and assistance to landowners upon request. Price information and educational information regarding marketing of trees and woodland management can be found on Extension Forestry's website, http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/forestry or by contacting your local county Cooperative Extension office. Links to lists of consultants and buyers of trees are also available through the website and NC Forest Service offices.

You need not sell trees frequently to sell them successfully, but selling trees can be a mysterious and complex process. Remember that a single sale may be your only chance to cash in on the many years of annual income accumulated in a mature stand of trees.  A single mistake can result in the loss of a significant amount of your investment.  Remember that there are many variables affecting the value of trees. To increase a sellers return from woodland management, it is important that they seek professional forestry advice. For more in depth information on marketing and selling trees read the publication "Timber Sales: A Planning Guide For Landowners (AG-640)" (http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/forestry/pdf/ag/ag640.pdf)

Robert Bardon, PhD. robert_bardon@ncsu.edu, Assistant Dean of Extension and Engagement, College of Natural Resources, NC State University, Raleigh, NC.

Carl Alwin Schenck founded the Biltmore Forest School in 1898 to assist in managing the vast holdings of George Vanderbilt in Asheville. The Biltmore Forest School was officially re-opened in 2003 with the creation of the Woodland Steward Series.  2009 marks the seventh year of the Woodland Steward Series in western North Carolina and the historic expansion of the workshops to the Piedmont and coastal regions of the state. The Piedmont Woodland Steward Series begins in mid-April with 1.5 day workshops held every other Friday (9am-5pm) and Saturday (9am-noon) through the end of May.  Locations include the Davidson County Agricultural Center in Lexington (April 17 & 18), Jordan Lake Educational State Forest in Chapel Hill (May 1 & 2), the NC Zoo in Asheboro (May 15 & 16), and Montgomery Community College in Troy (May 29 & 30).
 
This series of workshops is designed to share with landowners the knowledge and resources necessary to enrich their experience as a woodland owner and manager.  Each workshop includes numerous sessions led by natural resource and land management specialists, including both hands-on activities in the field and instruction in the classroom.  Discovering Your Land: Basic Land Management Skills introduces participants to setting goals and objectives, understanding local wildlife, and basic skills such as map and compass use, GIS and GPS information, tree identification, and soil sampling. Woodscaping Your Woodlands & Firewise Management gives an overview of managing forest land, insects and diseases, secondary forest products, and protecting your hom! e and property by becoming "Firewise" in your backyard. Native Landscaping & Water Management focuses on designing with native plants, urban forestry techniques, basic information on invasive plants, solving stormwater problems with plants, and piedmont grassland restoration. Stewardship, Recreation, & Liability covers the basics of planning trails on your property, land ownership liability, recreational income opportunities, conservation easements, finalizing goals, and applying new knowledge and skills in the field.
 
The Piedmont series will be held in the spring, the mountains series in the summer, and the coastal series in the fall. For more information and registration materials for the course nearest you, visit www.cradleofforestry.org or contact Amy Garascia, Program Coordinator, at amysworkshopinfo@aol.com or 828-884-5713 ex. 26.  Registration deadlines are quickly approaching, so send yours in today!
 
The course is sponsored by: the Cradle of Forestry Interpretive Association, North Carolina Division of Forest Resources, NC Cooperative Extension Service, USDA Forest Service, NC Zoo, NCWoodlands, Montgomery Community College, NC Wildlife Resources Commission, Land Trust for Central NC, and the US Fish & Wildlife Service.

According to 2008 USDA Forest Service data, 84% of the forests in North Carolina are privately owned.  Of that total, over 11 million acres of our state's forests are owned and managed by families.  These family forests have been called the "last frontier" in sustainable forest management as the decisions made by private landowners affect the entire landscape for generations to come.
 
Forests provide and protect fresh water, supply habitat for animals and fish, provide recreation and beauty, and offer vital economic products.  In 1895 George Vanderbilt hired Carl Alwin Schenck, a forester from Bavaria, to manage his forests and protect the vital resources at the Biltmore Estate and what was later to become Pisgah National Forest.  Dr. Schenck opened the first forestry school in America in 1898 and for 15 years he taught his students the concepts of sustainable forest management.
 
The legacy of Dr. Schenck lives on today.  The Biltmore Forest School was officially re-opened in 2003 with the creation of the Woodland Steward Series.  This series of workshops is designed to share with landowners the knowledge and resources necessary to enrich their experience as a woodland owner and manager.  2009 marks a historic turning point for the Woodland Steward Series in that it is expanding throughout the state and workshops will be held in each region.
 
Each workshop series will consist of four 1.5 day sessions led by natural resource and land management specialists, including both hands-on activities in the field and instruction in the classroom.  Discovering Your Land: Basic Land Management Skills introduces participants to setting goals and objectives, understanding local wildlife, and basic skills such as map and compass use, tree identification, and soil sampling.  Woodscaping Your Woodlands & Firewise Management gives an overview of managing forest land, insects and diseases, secondary forest products, and protecting your home and property by becoming "Firewise" in your backyard.  Native Landscaping & Water Management focuses on designing with and planting native plants, urban forestry techniques,! stormwater best management practices, and other water features such as ponds and streams.  Stewardship, Recreation, & Liability covers the basics of land ownership liability, planning trails, finalizing goals, and applying new knowledge and skills in the field.
 
The Piedmont series will be held in the spring, the mountains series in the summer, and the coastal series in the fall. For more information and registration materials, visit www.cradleofforestry.org or contact Amy Garascia, Program Coordinator, at amysworkshopinfo@aol.com or 828-884-5713 ex. 26.
 
The course is sponsored by: the Cradle of Forestry Interpretive Association, North Carolina Division of Forest Resources, NC Cooperative Extension Service, USDA Forest Service Cradle of Forestry in America and additional partners in each region.

Pisgah National Forest, NC? Over the past 15 years, and in direct relation to a growing population, WNC has seen an increase in wildland-urban interface issues, including fire danger and invasive plant and animal species.  Approximately three-fourths of all forestland in NC is owned by nonindustrial private woodlot owners and this course is designed to offer educational opportunities on diverse land management goals to these landowners, especially those owning 20 acres or less. 

Landowners interested in learning more about managing their land in Western North Carolina are invited to participate in a unique educational event scheduled for this summer. A team of land management experts from federal and state agencies, universities, and the private sector are coordinating efforts to offer the annual Woodland Steward Series through the Biltmore Forest School.  

48 hours over 4 one and a half day sessions will be provided with opportunities to engage with natural resource and land management specialists. Sessions include both hands-on opportunities in the field and instruction in the classroom. Introductory information on a wide variety of land management topics will be discussed. 

Workshop Schedule:

Discovering Your Land: Basic Land Management Skills (July 11 & 12)--How to set property management goals and objectives while considering the role of your land in the big picture of Southern Appalachian ecosystems.  A basic introduction to some local native wildlife and how to manage your land with wildlife in mind.  Learn to use basic tools such as plant ID, soil sampling, using maps and compasses, and GIS information to manage your land. 

Woodscaping Your Woodlands & Firewise Management (July 25 & 26)--A general overview of managing your forest land?how topography and soil affect the forest type and an overview of harvesting methods.  Basic information on forest insects and diseases, pasture management, and how to grow native woodland medicinals and ramps.  Reducing the risk of wildfire loss by becoming ?Firewise? in your backyard. 

Native Landscaping & Water Management (August 8 & 9)--A general overview of creating a base map of your property and designing with native plants.  Care of urban trees and basic information on invasive plants.  View stormwater best management practices and erosion control measures.  Basic information on planning and locating ponds and managing streamside riparian zones.  

Stewardship, Recreation, & Liability (August 22 & 23)--Planning trails and roads on your property, plus the basics of land ownership liability and conservation easements.  Explore management practices in the field and apply your new knowledge and skills. Finalize your goals and objectives.  Graduation ceremony and lunch will follow on Saturday for those who have attended at least three of the four workshops.

Registration

      The cost is $50.00 per person per session, with spouse or other family member at $25.00.  Registration includes lunch and snacks on the first workshop day as well as workshop-related materials.  Reserve your spot for the whole course by registering early! Registration deadline is one week prior to the session desired. Credit toward NC Environmental Education Certification is available, as well as CEU credits. Workshops also count as electives toward the Asheville Board of Realtors ECO Certification.  For more information and registration materials, visit www.cradleofforestry.org or contact Amy Garascia, Program Coordinator, at amysworkshopinfo@aol.com or 828-884-5713 ex. 26. 

      The course is sponsored by: the Cradle of Forestry Interpretive Association, North Carolina Division of Forest Resources, NC Cooperative Extension Service, USDA Forest Service Cradle of Forestry in America, NC Arboretum, NCWoodlands, Soil and Water Environmental Technology Center, and Carolina Mountain Land Conservancy.

Attention landscapers!  There is a business opportunity emerging for specialized services in the local area.  Many new construction projects are incorporating devices that modify how rainwater is managed on the building site.  These devices are permanent and should be periodically inspected and maintained by a trained person or company.


These rainwater devices or stormwater best management practices (BMP's) are things like; raingardens, bioretention areas, constructed wetlands, wetponds, engineered grassy swells, etc.

The training and certification program being offered by NC Cooperative Extension will be in three locations.  Details are available at  www.bae.ncsu.edu/stormwater/bmpworkshop.html

• Feb. 18-19, 2008 - Charlotte, NC
• Feb. 21-22, 2008 - Apex, NC
• Feb. 28-29, 2008 - Winston-Salem, NC

To learn more about this opportunity visit the Stormwater Engineering Group website or contact the local Caldwell County Center.