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3. 2020 Extension Risk Management Education National Conference

Helping Ohio Woodland Owners Manage the Risk of Timber Sales

David Marrison, David Apsley, and Chris Bruynis

Summary

Nearly eight-five percent of Ohio's 8 million acres of forestland is held by over 335,000 private landowners. These woodlands provide many benefits to the landowners including being a potential form of income. The sale of timber, however, can be very risky. Some woodland owners sell their timber for only a fraction of its value. Oftentimes, the bids from competing logging companies can differ by thousands of dollars. To help landowners overcome the risks associated with marketing timber, OSU Extension offered regional workshops to teach the best management practices for selling timber. During the past year, four workshops were held with 115 landowners owning 5,550 acres of woodlands attending. During the workshops, participants were encouraged to work with a professional forester to develop a forest management plan and to support the timber sale process. This included determining how and when to cut, the importance of marking trees for sale, the process of marketing and selling timber, and best practices for timber contracts. Additionally, discussion was held on the tax treatment of timber sales. Typical evaluation results showed a 2-point average knowledge gain on a 5-point Likert Scale for each of the timber marketing topics taught. Furthermore, 97.8% reported being very satisfied about the timber marking skills they learned. This presentation will share the details on the curriculum taught as well as the evaluation methods. Due to the success of the programs already offered, the team will continue to offer these workshops in targeted communities in Ohio.

Note: Could easily be a poster as well, if the committee so chooses

Details

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