For Landowners

Forestry Support & Forest Management Plans

What Do Foresters Do?

Foresters provide vital expertise on the ecology, laws and regulations in their region. Unfortunately, for many landowners, the cost to hire a professional forester is out of their financial reach. Plus, the incredible demand for free-service foresters means that it can take months or even years to schedule a consultation. This means many of our enrolled landowners have never worked with a forester before.

The Family Forest Carbon Program offers landowners a unique opportunity for free consultations with our staff and consulting foresters. Our foresters work with you to answer questions, provide advice on the best practices for you and your land, and develop forest management plans designed to enhance the health of your forest.

Ways Foresters Can Help

Eligibility & Enrollment

Our online mapping tools provide great insight on your land, but sometimes it takes more to understand your forest, needs, and eligibility. Our foresters do just that. Foresters meet with you, virtually or in-person, to collect all the data needed for your enrollment.

Expert Advice & Guidance

Our foresters are true industry experts. In addition to assisting with your enrollment, foresters understand the ecological and economic realities of your forest and provide you with insights and advice on how best to manage your woods and steward a healthier forest.

Forest Management Plans

Your forester will design a unique management plan that outlines specific ways you can improve your forest’s health and value over time. It’s a manual with personalized goals and strategies made specifically for your forest.

What is a Forest Management Plan?

A forest management plan gives you the tools to take advantage of new opportunities, handle setbacks or changes and make informed decisions about your woods. A forest management plan is a snapshot of your land today, along with clear, achievable suggestions for helping your woods grow stronger and healthier over time.

After visiting your land to understand its ecology and challenges, an expert forester will design a management plan that is unique for your land with specific ways you can improve your forest’s health and value. In other words, it’s a guide made just for your forest.

When you enroll in the Family Forest Carbon Program, our team will either develop a forest management plan for you and your land for free, or we will provide you with a stipend for a consulting forester to create one for you. Depending on the amount of land you own, the state of your woods, the complexity of your goals and the details included, a forest management plan can range from a few hundred dollars to several thousand.

You may find this blog post, What to Expect from Your Forest Management Plan, helpful to understand more about what a forest management plan can do!

How Management Plans Can Help

Better Understand Your Forest

Part of planning will involve mapping your forest and taking stock of the species of plants and wildlife, how mature and healthy your trees are, and what challenges are present. Knowing all this will leave you better prepared to seize new opportunities and plan for forest management activities that keep your trees healthy and align with your goals.

Conserve Your Family’s Legacy

A management plan helps you conserve your land for the next generation and gives your family the tools to continue your conservation work. A thorough and well-maintained management plan is a detailed account of your land’s history and everything you’ve done to care for it. This will make it easier for your family or your heirs to understand your dedication to it and to help them make informed decisions about the land with you or in your absence.

Qualify for Helpful Programs

Beyond the Family Forest Carbon Program, many cost-sharing, financial assistance and technical assistance programs that help you care for your land require you to have a forest management plan.

Already Working with a Forester?

If you already work with a forester who knows your forest and your goals, that is great news. Ask them to contact us to be added as a consulting forester for the Family Forest Carbon Program.

Already have a Forest Management Plan?

Great! You may be ahead of the game. Forest management plans written in the last 10 years can be used for some Family Forest Carbon Program practices. We’ll take a look at your forest management plan to confirm it has the details we need and amend it with additional details if necessary.