What is a Consulting Forester
“I can avoid the cost of a consultant by dealing directly with the buyer at the lumber mill. He said there would be no middleman to cut into the profits.”
This sounds like a common scenario but there’s one thing to consider, the buyer is working for the mill not the landowner. Often his primary interest is his own profit or the mill he works for.
A consultant is employed by the landowner to represent the landowner’s interest in a timber sale, both in securing the highest price and in reaching the landowners forest stewardship goals.
Consulting foresters are trained professionals with a college degree and practical experience. Forest management advice and related services are provided to landowners on a contract basis. Consultants have the primary mission of representing the landowner’s interest.
Fee structures can be a flat hourly rate, by quote for the job or, when selling forest products, by commission on the sale price.
