Timber management, as most all forest landowners know, requires ample amounts of patience and optimism. Forest landowners’ manage their forests through droughts, fire seasons, and down timber markets. Therefore, once a landowner has successfully navigated these and other risks, they must be prepared to make full use of the opportunities that go with performing a harvest, especially the initial thinning. In order to prepare a list of things non-industrial landowners may want to consider prior to performing a first thinning, I contacted several of my peers who are actively involved in the day to day timber harvesting side of the forest industry.
