As a land broker and Forester, I have taken and taught many continuing education classes since the mid 1980’s. Every so often I take a course that is very inspiring and motivational. Recently, I took a course through Clemson University in coordination with the Quality Deer Management Association (QDMA). The Deer Steward 1 course was mainly concerned with management for deer but covered everything from timber management, burning, habitat manipulation, game plots, forage management, what a cull buck is, herd management, nutrition, buck/doe ratios and lots more. If you own land, you should take this course. QDMA also provides hunting lease insurance. If you own land, I recommend joining QDMA.
Growing up on a large plantation in Southeast Georgia, I had the opportunity to meet some very interesting people in the land, timber, and wildlife management profession. The Deer Steward 1 course reinforced many of the things I learned back then by providing statistics and data verification. Managing a considerable amount of land and timber allowed me to collect data to determine how sound management can enhance overall quality of the land, timber, and wildlife.
Listening to Landowners
I have also learned to listen carefully to landowners. If I can spend a little time with the owner, I can figure out what their goals are and develop a plan to meet their specific goals. Different people have different objectives. Different types of timber management create different habitat. By varying habitat, we can manipulate wildlife species, forage, and quality. By collecting a little data about the wildlife species we are managing, we can better manage population, health, and decide how best to set up a management strategy.
Roads Serve Many Purposes
One of the things many properties do not have is good access or a good road system. A good road system serves many purposes. With a well-designed road system, I can get better timber prices.
Roads give the landowner access to key areas of the property. I have found that if you do not have an adequate road system, landowners cannot fully utilize their property. If you own land, you need to be able to access all the land. But roads are not just about access. They serve as:
- linear game plots
- shooting alleys
- fire breaks
- openings for game to browse
- harvest areas and management block delineations
Utilize the Full Land Management Toolset
All these management tools work together in enhancing your property. It is exciting to manage and manipulate habitat and see the benefits to timber and wildlife. Should you decide to sell your land in the future, access and quality management will increase the value and marketability of your property. Most importantly, you will fully enjoy your property.
Our goal at Green Hill Land & Timber is to help people realize their goals for land, timber, and wildlife. There are different levels of management to fit whatever budget you have. A timber harvest may help create the habitat you need and can generate some income to implement your management objectives. If you are looking to buy or sell land or timber, we want to help you. We are also happy to share ideas and opportunities to enhance your property and make ownership of your property a more enjoyable experience for you.
Give us a call to see how we help you!
