What is a Consulting Forester?

A Winter Woods

A good consultant is a better investment than free advice. A consulting forester is a specialist who provides professional forestry services to a variety of forest owners, whether they are private, industrial, commercial or public entities. In this relationship, the consulting forester works for the landowner. The consultant forester uses his professional skills and abilities in the field of natural resource management and natural sciences to manage the forest property to achieve the landowner's objectives. In many instances, this involves a fiduciary relationship to sell the landowner's forest products (recreational rights, conservation easements, or traditional forest products), while maximizing the economic return and attaining the owner's goals. A consulting forester minimizes the risk of economic or legal problems the landowner faces when selling forest products and prides in obtaining the highest possible price for the resource sold.

Once a forest is improperly managed, it may take decades to reverse the damage. The consulting forester protects the landowner from environmentally destructive and economically devastating practices. Good forest management begins with sound professional advice. Forest management doesn't cost... pays!