When a second set of eyes pays for itself
Most landowners only sell standing timber a handful of times in their lives. The buyer across the table from you has done it this week. That asymmetry is the entire reason consulting foresters exist — and it's exactly why a focused inspection or second opinion is one of the highest-leverage things a Mississippi or Alabama landowner can buy.
We offer forest inspections and second-opinion work for landowners who already have a forester, who just inherited timberland, who live out of state, who are looking at a tract to buy, or who simply have a timber offer in front of them that doesn't feel right. We are not here to attack another forester or buyer. We are here so the landowner has independent eyes on the decision.
Who this is for
Inherited timberland
You just inherited 80, 400, or 4,000 acres and you've never managed timber before. We walk it with you, identify what's there, flag anything urgent, and lay out a realistic 12-month plan. If you also need help with the tax side, read stepped-up basis on inherited timberland and the first thirty days after inheriting timberland.
Absentee landowners
You live in Atlanta, Houston, or out west and your tract is in Kemper, Clarke, Lauderdale, or Tuscaloosa County. We do the boots-on-the-ground work and report back with a written summary, geotagged photos, and clear recommendations.
Pre-purchase inspections
Before you close on timberland, we inspect what you're actually buying — standing volume by product class, stocking, species mix, access, boundaries, recent management history, and red flags like beetle activity or unrecorded cutting. The seller's brochure is not a cruise.
Logging inspections
Active harvest on your tract should be inspected — by someone other than the buyer's crew. We document contract compliance, BMP performance, streamside management zones, road and decking damage, and product accounting. See the contract clauses that actually protect landowners.
Timber buyer offer reviews
Someone has put a number in front of you. We walk the tract, compare the offer to standing volume and current product-class pricing, and tell you honestly whether it's in range or whether competitive bidding would do better. Background reading: questions to ask before accepting any timber offer.
Harvest oversight reviews
A sale already closed and you want a clean third-party review of how it actually performed — product mix delivered, settlement against contract, site condition, and any cleanup obligations the buyer still owes.
What you get
- A field inspection by a registered Mississippi and Alabama forester (#2175).
- A written summary you can hand to family, an attorney, or a CPA.
- Geotagged photos and, where useful, drone imagery of the tract.
- A plain-English read on standing timber value, what's worth doing now, and what isn't.
- No obligation to hire us for follow-on sale or management work.
Related work
Inspections often lead naturally into other engagements. If yours does, you might want a timber appraisal, a forest management plan, independent timber sale representation, or a focused timber trespass or damage appraisal.