Walking man dues

I have always loved hiking the mountains and never knew that hours spent walking land is the only way to really value it. I am still a rookie but here is what I have. Winter is the very best time to size up land so it is important to be able to identify most all native trees. It is equally important to know the value of trees to a sawmill {on the stump}. After learning the price of timber on the stump, you then use common sense to deduce likely future trends in timber value. This requires a knowledge of the countless uses for various species and is beyond the scope of this short blog, but one example may help. Seeing lots of white pine on land in 2008, a person may have thought these were valuable based on 2007 prices, however , knowing they have little use beyond log cabin construction and the gig was up for that market, the 80% loss in value the last 24 months was perfectly predictable. Conversely. a two acre black locust grove averaging 12-14 inch diameter and located near an old logging road is like finding gold. Locust has real utility as rot resistant post for barns, fences, and all outbuildings and has held its value much better. Oak, hickory, cherry and , to a lesser degree, hemlock have also held much of there value. Winter is also the best time to discover locations that give a line of sight to critical spots { roads, streams, open fields, adjoining ridges and gaps, distant ranges}.