Professional Services

Finding and working with a professional forester can increase the benefits that a woodland owner receives from their woodland.  Professional foresters are an important step in planned woodland management.  

            Your woodland should be here long after you’re gone; you likely recognize that the way your woodland is managed will be obvious for many years.  Even so, many people who own woodlands do not take advantage of professionals who can help them.  These professionals are foresters, people trained as foresters at universities to help you reach your woodland ownership objectives.  However, selecting a professional forester requires some forethought and a little information. 

            The first step in selecting a forester is to know that there are several types of foresters, and even some people who aren’t foresters yet want you to think otherwise. There are government foresters working with a variety or federal, state and county agencies in Pennsylvania.  These foresters interact regularly with the public on natural resource management issues.  The DCNR, Bureau of Forestry sponsors a Service Forester for each county.  These foresters provide assistance to landowners. schools, and citizens of the Commonwealth on a wide variety of topics.  Under the Cooperative Forest Management Program of the DCNR, Bureau of Forestry a Service Forester is available to assist landowners in understanding and planning the care and management of their woodland.  

There are private consultant foresters who represent landowners and their interests for a fee.  Private consultant foresters can offer in-depth services. They should represent the landowner as their agent whether selling timber, making a forest tax law application, or completing a variety of forest management practices like planting trees or marking property boundaries.  Ethically, the consultant’s first responsibility is to the landowner. The relationship is similar to that one would expect with a lawyer or doctor.  Because of this relationship, the consultant is dependent on his or her fee for survival.  As with a doctor, cheapest isn’t necessarily best. 

There are industrial foresters who work for the forest industry primarily employed by sawmills and offer services to forest owners to provide timber and other forest products for their employer.  Industrial foresters who work mostly to bring wood to the mill from private lands are also called procurement foresters.  

Finally, there are people who call themselves foresters who do not possess the education or experience to be what they claim. Unfortunately, anyone can "claim" to be a forester; make sure you talk to several potential foresters, ask for a resume, credentials from a professional society, and references. 

            For more information contact your local Service Forester for help and information. http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/forestry/serviceforesters_select.aspx

Professional Services Information Links:

1. Who are Service Foresters and What Do They Do?

2. Paying a Consultant Forester

3. County Service Foresters