Consulting Forester Program

In 2022, the conservation district started a special program to meet the needs of landowners. The office provides educational meetings/workshops in the spring. Then, contracted consulting foresters are available to provide a FREE 2 hour one-on-one visit with you in your woods.

2023 Workshop- May 11, 6pm at St. Johns Park (near Smith Hall)

Over the years Clinton County landowners have expressed a high demand for technical assistance on their forested land. Clinton County currently doesn't have access to a district forester. Most of the northern lower and UP have a district FAP forester. There is no one in our area to assist landowners specifically with forest assessment, sustainability practices, stocking, harvest quantity, etc.

Our office gets many calls from landowners that have questions about forestry. They don’t want to apply and wait up to a year for a formal forest management plan (FMP). Currently, we conduct site visits but have limited knowledge and experience in certain areas such as forestry stockings, timber value, harvests, tree measurements, and emerging tree diseases. It is economically beneficial to the County to have forestry needs met to ensure proper use of wood products along with reducing pest and disease transmission by improper forestry activities.

Contact Katie Hafner with questions at katie.hafner@macd.org

Requirements to be included:

5 or more acres of wooded land
Land cannot be currently managed or under logging contract
Parcel located in Clinton Co.
Complete follow up survey

Purpose

The Clinton Conservation District is providing opportunities for a free forestry service to interested residents who would like to be better stewards of their land. Woodlots should be over 5 acres and it's recommended to attend on May 11 to sign up. Spots will be filled on a first come first serve basis. The program is free, no obligation, and intended to provide management guidance for your forestland.

Step 1: Think Goals
Timber profits, deer hunting, maple syrup, stocking, diversity, birding... what do you want your property to do for you?

Step 2: Attend & Sign Up
Interested landowners must attend the May 11 meeting. There at the meeting you'll set up the consultation

Step 3: Site Visit
The forester will schedule a 2hr. visit with you on your land. During the visit you are encouraged to: discuss goals, ask questions, get their opinion, ID trees, they are there to help better your land.

The forester can give information such as:

If the woodlot is ready/suitable for a timber harvest
The value of certain species, size requirements, harvest logistics
Identify species of trees
Identify invasive species in area
Give advice/tips on how to create better wildlife/deer habitat
Talk about different forest pests/diseases that are relevant to area
Next steps landowners can take towards their goals

Foresters from the Association of Consulting Foresters will be there May 11 to talk about the benefits of having a consulting forester in your corner and why land functions best when it's managed. A landowner will give first-hand knowledge of how having a consulting forester has increased the value of his woods largely over the years and why negotiating logging contracts alone is not enough.

Free Forestry Consultations and Workshop

An informational workshop will be held on Thursday, May 11, 2023, at 6pm
at a location TBD in the county. There, the consulting foresters will give a
short talk on timber management while we walk a woodlot. Any and all
questions will be answered.

Woodlots should be five acres or more, must be located in Clinton County, and participants must attend the meeting to sign up.

Spots will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis.
The program is free, no obligation, and intended to provide management
guidance for your forestland. Foresters can talk to you about the benefits
of having a consulting forester and why land functions best when it’s sustainably
managed. A landowner will give first-hand knowledge of how having
a consulting forester has increased the value of his woodlots over the
years and why negotiating logging contracts alone is not enough.

Consulting Forester Program

Purpose

Step 1: Think Goals
Timber profits, deer hunting, maple syrup, stocking, diversity, birding... what do you want your property to do for you?

Step 2: Attend & Sign Up
Interested landowners must attend the May 11 meeting. There at the meeting you'll set up the consultation

Step 3: Site Visit
The forester will schedule a 2hr. visit with you on your land. During the visit you are encouraged to: discuss goals, ask questions, get their opinion, ID trees, they are there to help better your land.

Free Forestry Consultations and Workshop

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Clinton Conservation District
2343 N US Hwy 27
ST. Johns, MI 48879
(989) 224-3720 ext. 5

Consulting Forester Program

Purpose

Step 1: Think Goals Timber profits, deer hunting, maple syrup, stocking, diversity, birding... what do you want your property to do for you?

Step 2: Attend & Sign Up Interested landowners must attend the May 11 meeting. There at the meeting you'll set up the consultation

Step 3: Site Visit The forester will schedule a 2hr. visit with you on your land. During the visit you are encouraged to: discuss goals, ask questions, get their opinion, ID trees, they are there to help better your land.

Free Forestry Consultations and Workshop

Step 1: Think Goals
Timber profits, deer hunting, maple syrup, stocking, diversity, birding... what do you want your property to do for you?

Step 2: Attend & Sign Up
Interested landowners must attend the May 11 meeting. There at the meeting you'll set up the consultation

Step 3: Site Visit
The forester will schedule a 2hr. visit with you on your land. During the visit you are encouraged to: discuss goals, ask questions, get their opinion, ID trees, they are there to help better your land.