Posted: 2/3/2014 10:25:12 AM EDT
| I'm looking into clearing and replanting some land in Lawrence county. Does anyone here have any suggestions for who to deal with? Anyone to avoid? |
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How many acres are you talking? Smooth, rolling, hilly? Pine, hardwood, mix? Old growth or smaller stuff? All of that varies with the logger if he is going to touch it or not. Nowadays they all have about 1,000,000 bucks worth of machinery that they are paying notes on and they want volume and lots of it. Costs a lot just to move to a new site. With that being said, check out this website for registered loggers in your area. Good luck.
Also, with replanting, there is a man in my area, Amite County, that specializes in replanting. His name is Daniel Barreto or something to that affect. He is of Mexican origin so my spelling is prolly off. If he won't do it he will know someone who will, as well as your local USDA rep or county agent. This is what I found on Mr. Barreto. He is out of Gloster and does a really good job as well as very knowledgable. He planted a lot of mine and my families pine. http://www.manta.com/c/mm0ymfh/barreto-forestry-cntrctng-inc |
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Thanks! All I had to go on until this point was, "Call the forestry service." The land is a couple of hundred acres with a little bit of everything you mentioned. The easy stuff was cut about 20 years ago and about half that replanted in pine while the other half just grew whatever grew. The hillier areas still have a mix of older stuff so hopefully that will make it worthwhile to clear. I mostly want to get it all started in a uniform plant, so the info on Mr. Barreto is very helpful.
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Thanks! All I had to go on until this point was, "Call the forestry service." The land is a couple of hundred acres with a little bit of everything you mentioned. The easy stuff was cut about 20 years ago and about half that replanted in pine while the other half just grew whatever grew. The hillier areas still have a mix of older stuff so hopefully that will make it worthwhile to clear. I mostly want to get it all started in a uniform plant, so the info on Mr. Barreto is very helpful. 20 yr old pine is a good start, depending on current prices. Right now pine is bringing $300 a thousand board feet or less depending on loggers contract. This is not a good price. 450 is a good price. I can't tell you when it will go up except when BHO goes out. Hardwood is selling very well right now though. Pulpwood, ie all that stuff that just grew up, isn't gonna net, or gross for that matter, a whole lot at all. From the way you talk, you are on the right track with clear cutting and replanting. I recommend against planting all of it in pine, just because diversity is key. Like I mentioned earlier, pine is low, whereas hardwood is high. Set aside an area to plant back in hardwood, particularly cherry-bark oak. It grows very uniform, fairly fast, almost never hollows out, very few fork off, leaving you with a good straight tall hardwood. This will also put acorns on the ground for deer and if you decide to lease your hunting rights, makes it very marketable. Just a thought. Are there any stream beds in your land? Those will have to be SMZ'd. Meaning that they can't cut but s close and must leave so many trees per acre standing to prevent erosion. Also they can not cross it without proper crossing precautions, stuff like matts and slope angles. Mr. Baretto has my highest recommendation and I don't think I have eve heard anyone say anything negative about him. He is about to plant my sister and brother in laws Christmas trees soon. Ps, wild hogs love freshly planted pine saplings. Don't ask me why, but they do. Prepare yourself. |
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mcooper, thanks, I'd appreciate it.
toxicbubbles, If I break even on getting it cleared and planted, I'll be happy. I had had it cross my mind to mix up the kinds of trees like you suggested. Reading the Survival Discussion section here has me halfway convinced I need a few fruit trees to attract deer on top of the oak. I'll see what areas end up clear and use advice from whoever plants to work out what to put where. There are no streams on the land, though it does have some low areas and a corner that is about a hundred yards from the bend of a creek on a neighbors land. As for the hogs, I'll use that as one more excuse to buy more gear...This might be the final straw to get me to buy some night vision and a suppressor! |
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mcooper, thanks, I'd appreciate it. toxicbubbles, If I break even on getting it cleared and planted, I'll be happy. I had had it cross my mind to mix up the kinds of trees like you suggested. Reading the Survival Discussion section here has me halfway convinced I need a few fruit trees to attract deer on top of the oak. I'll see what areas end up clear and use advice from whoever plants to work out what to put where. There are no streams on the land, though it does have some low areas and a corner that is about a hundred yards from the bend of a creek on a neighbors land. As for the hogs, I'll use that as one more excuse to buy more gear...This might be the final straw to get me to buy some night vision and a suppressor! Never need an excuse to see in the dark! My comments are based solely on money, SHTF. Half and half or some type of mix of pine and hardwood, divided in sections and panted on rows, will yield better trees and more money per acre. IMO, fruit trees is something you plant around the house. With that being said, putting out some wild pear trees and persimmon trees will certainly attract all sorts of critters. I personally love seeing a half dozen possums in a persimmon tree. Free pistol targets! The 100 yds is not a concern for logging, esp if they have trees on their place. The low areas just mean the trees will grow faster.  I would def see though if the low area is a suitable spot for a well, I.e. Natural spring vs hillside runoff. Easiest way to tell is if there is water running yr round or darn close to it. Nothing beats a freshwater well.
Pine and cherry bark oak, I cannot stress that oak enough, will grow most anywhere in this part of the state, so it will mainly determine where you want the acorns to fall and what your plans are with the place in the future, for example planting the oak in the front of the property that way one day you can build a house and have an oak tree lined driveway. Lots to consider when replanting a large tract of land. With that being said, I wish you good luck with your endeavor and if you ever need any advice, hit me up. I don't have a whole experience logging as I only do it on my own place (picking up lightning struck or blown over trees) but. My father has over 30 yrs experience as a logger/forester so what I don't know I bounce off of him. |
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Never need an excuse to see in the dark! My comments are based solely on money, SHTF. Half and half or some type of mix of pine and hardwood, divided in sections and panted on rows, will yield better trees and more money per acre. IMO, fruit trees is something you plant around the house. With that being said, putting out some wild pear trees and persimmon trees will certainly attract all sorts of critters. I personally love seeing a half dozen possums in a persimmon tree. Free pistol targets! The 100 yds is not a concern for logging, esp if they have trees on their place. The low areas just mean the trees will grow faster. I would def see though if the low area is a suitable spot for a well, I.e. Natural spring vs hillside runoff. Easiest way to tell is if there is water running yr round or darn close to it. Nothing beats a freshwater well.
Pine and cherry bark oak, I cannot stress that oak enough, will grow most anywhere in this part of the state, so it will mainly determine where you want the acorns to fall and what your plans are with the place in the future, for example planting the oak in the front of the property that way one day you can build a house and have an oak tree lined driveway. Lots to consider when replanting a large tract of land. With that being said, I wish you good luck with your endeavor and if you ever need any advice, hit me up. I don't have a whole experience logging as I only do it on my own place (picking up lightning struck or blown over trees) but. My father has over 30 yrs experience as a logger/forester so what I don't know I bounce off of him. Thanks again for the input. I'll be getting it all together soon. The red is my primary plan and the blue is what I meant about having a few random attractant trees scattered about. The oak lined drive sounds nice and even if I never get around to building and moving, having them at the front could keep that option in the front of my mind. |
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Are there any stream beds in your land? Those will have to be SMZ'd. Meaning that they can't cut but s close and must leave so many trees per acre standing to prevent erosion. Also they can not cross it without proper crossing precautions, stuff like matts and slope angles. Not exactly true. MS best management practices (bmps) are voluntary, not mandated by anyone. I am not advocating heavily logging creeks or causing erosion, but it is your property and the owner can do what is best for him/her. |
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Not exactly true. MS best management practices (bmps) are voluntary, not mandated by anyone. I am not advocating heavily logging creeks or causing erosion, but it is your property and the owner can do what is best for him/her. Quoted:
Quoted:
Are there any stream beds in your land? Those will have to be SMZ'd. Meaning that they can't cut but s close and must leave so many trees per acre standing to prevent erosion. Also they can not cross it without proper crossing precautions, stuff like matts and slope angles. Not exactly true. MS best management practices (bmps) are voluntary, not mandated by anyone. I am not advocating heavily logging creeks or causing erosion, but it is your property and the owner can do what is best for him/her. I stand corrected. |
| If you are interested in some financial assistance to replant you can contact the MS Forestry Commission and the USDA-Natural Resource Conservation Service in Monticello. I work for the NRCS in another county and both agencies have cost share programs to help with the cost of site prep and tree planting. We can't guarantee help but if you talk to both agencies you might be able to get help from one or the other. We refer people to each other all the time. Also they can look at the land and give you some recommendations. |
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Also to add to what steenroller said, there is a program called CRP. Basically, if you qualify/are willing you get paid so much per year for so many years to practice land conservation, such as planting large tracts of land in trees. This is an effort to conserve MS's natural resources. Not a bad gig and you can still hunt on the place, lease to hunt, etc. I like it because it covers my land taxes and insurance on my places with money left over. Just another possible option for ya
More info |
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Conservation Reserve Program is a good program if you can qualify. However, one of the requirements is a cropping history and if it is already in trees the land would not qualify. We are re-enrolling land but it is considered cropland because it was cropped when signed up, even though it is 20 year old trees. Once it goes out of the program it reverts to timberland,
The cost share I was referring to is the EQIP, Environmental Quality Incentive Program. This may be more info than you were looking for but I have been working for the guberment so long I get long winded everywhere now.  I saw the perfect tshirt; you don't have to be crazy to work here, we have a training program.
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Awesome information, thanks everyone! I have a couple of different people I am talking to on Monday, as well as one guy that is going to go walk the land some time early in the week. I'll look into the costshare and reserve programs, I think one of the people I have on my call list is at the Forestry Commission.
The difference between the CRP and EQIP makes a few things make sense...I've had people from the area give conflicting information on what does and doesn't qualify for assistance, two different programs makes it all match up much better. |
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Well, from what I heard today from some friends, steenroller is a stand up guy. Although I have never met him, I have heard some good things about his work ethic and volunteering within the community.
I am glad that we could help you. I really do hate seeing people get land and timber only to not know what to do with it or how to manage it and end up losing their best investment. Also, I am not sure how you came by the land but if it is possible you can establish a base on the standing timber and legally avoid paying certain taxes on the income from cutting it. Again, I don't know your situation so it may or may not apply to you but a penny saved is a penny the government didn't get! |
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Family land for over 60 years, the last clearing was done by my grandfather who then put in a little effort and got sidetracked. I should have taken care of all this stuff years ago, but I've been content to just lease the hunting rights to cover the land taxes. By "establish a base" do you mean something along the lines of getting a homestead exemption or something different altogether? My grandmother still lives on a corner of the property and has reminded me for years that I should move down there when she is gone so that I won't have to pay increased taxes. She can be a bit morbidly practical at times.
Funny that you say, "penny saved is a penny the government didn't get," she said almost exactly the same thing. "Every penny you don't have to pay them is a penny they can't waste." 
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