Property Overview
A mid-sized mixed-pine tract in South-Central Mississippi with two clearly different stand types — a thinned loblolly block on the north end and an older, denser sawtimber block on the south end. A small hardwood drain bisected the tract.
Landowner Objective
Get an accurate picture of what was on the ground before deciding whether to thin, final-harvest, or hold. Resolve a long-standing boundary question with the neighbor on the south line.
Forestry Challenge
The existing paper map was decades old and did not reflect the current stand layout. The south boundary was overgrown, the corner pin was missing, and the neighbor had a different recollection of the line than the deed implied.
Recommended Approach
- Flew the tract with a high-resolution drone and produced an orthomosaic tied to recorded section corners.
- Walked the south line on the ground with the drone imagery on a tablet to physically locate the boundary and re-paint it.
- Delineated the two stand types on the imagery, calculated acreage by stand, and overlaid the SMZ.
- Built a harvest-plan map showing access, deck locations, SMZ buffers, and the new boundary paint.
Results
The south boundary was confirmed against the deed and re-painted with the neighbor present. The two stand types were mapped to current acreage, which materially changed the thinning-vs-final-harvest conversation. The harvest plan went into the timber sale prospectus and gave bidders a clear picture before they walked the tract.
Lessons Learned
- A current aerial is worth more than an old paper map. Stand boundaries, access, and SMZs change faster than landowners realize.
- Drone imagery is a tool, not the answer. The boundary still gets confirmed on the ground with the deed in hand.
- A clear map in the prospectus produces tighter bids. Buyers price uncertainty into their numbers.