- Contact: We’ll briefly discuss your goals and determine your intentions for your land. When you’re ready to proceed we’ll set up an appointment for a timber buyer to cruise your woodlot.
- Cruising: Our timber buyers will mark the boundaries of your property and will “cruise” your woodlot to determine the quality and quantity of lumber that can be sustainably harvested.
Mature trees that are suitable for lumber are hand-selected and marked. This practice helps to ensure that your woodlot remains a productive income source in years to come.
We understand that certain trees or your whole woods may hold special significance for you. Our buyers will consult with you about the number and size of trees to cut and the location of logging roads and landings. They’ll discuss any questions and concerns you may have and make sure you’re comfortable with the selections and the process. Timber buyers are employees of Maple Ridge Hardwoods and are located throughout the state.
- Contract: A straightforward contract will detail the results of your discussion with the buyer and how you will be paid — always before logging begins. Because you are working directly with Maple Ridge Hardwoods, we will always offer you the highest possible price.
We prefer a two-year contract so we can time the harvest to the best weather and market conditions. We may delay logging, for example, if weather is exceptionally wet or for the harvest of other crops. However, all parts of the contract are negotiable.
- Harvesting: We’ll contact you several days before logging begins. Only fully insured personnel hired by Maple Ridge Hardwoods will have access to your land.
Typically, we cut about 20 trees a day with one logging crew on-site. Tops and branches are left on the land to return nutrients to the soil, to provide habitat for wildlife, to promote diversity, and to protect new growth. Left to regenerate naturally, a new generation of young saplings will spring up within two or three years, and the hardwood cycle will begin again.
