With the weather cooling down and the leaves dropping, it’s time to start thinking about forestry management plans and this season’s management goals.
In addition to potentially reducing taxes, a forestry management plan from a certified forester will provide you with information such as the species composition and condition of the trees in your woodlands, whether invasive species are present (and how to deal with them if they are), the current and potential future marketability of the timber, and recommendations on the management of the stand, such as planting new trees or thinning the ones you’ve got.
Cost-share opportunities may be available through the RCPP program for Coles County landowners who are interested in obtaining a plan or implementing forestry management practices. If you’ve already got a forestry management plan in place, this is the time of year to pull it out and see if any management activities are scheduled for the winter. Good work now can reap financial rewards at timber harvest down the road.