Clinch Valley News

FREE ASSISTANCE TO LANDOWNERS IN VA.

Free assistance is available to landowners of Virginia in the managing of their wooded acres. This service is part of the Virginia Division of Forestry's program for increasing the forest resources of the State.

Landowners who have wooded land can, upon their request, have a forester look these acres over and advise them on the steps to take to keep the area in continuous production of wood products. In the examination of the woodland, the forester will consider all the things that affect the growth of trees. By taking borings into the trees of different size and species he will be able to determine at what size the trees are economically ready for harvesting. According to the side, trees mature at different ages on land that faces the south; maturity may be reached many years before those trees growing on the north.

In making up the management plan for the timberland owner, the wants and desires of the land owner will be considered. This makes a plan of management that the landowner can follow to benefit not only himself, but also the forested land which he owns.

If in the examination it is found that some of the trees are ready for harvest, the Forester can, if the owner so desires, mark and measure these trees for cutting. At the conclusion of the marking, the landowner is furnished with a tally of the number of trees marked and the estimated volume of the trees ready for harvesting. For this marking a service charge of 60 cents per thousand board feet marked is required.

Further information on this assistance to landowners can be secured from the Virginia Division of Forestry, Box 477, Abingdon, Va.