Module 14: Hiring and Working with a Woodland Contractor

INTRODUCTION

This home study module is intended to assist you, a woodland owner, with choosing and working with a contractor in order to enhance the stewardship of your woodland.

Managing  your woodland property can be an exciting task! It can be an educational, informative and rewarding experience, but it may not always be easy. Other modules in this series have described the degrees of complexity that are apt to confront you as you work towards stewardship of your woodland.

Forests are a delicate balance of natural processes. As we learned in Module 7 (Woodlot Ecology: Your Living Woodlot), life is abundant everywhere in a forest, and it requires knowledgeable and carefully considered approaches to avoid damaging  complex and often fragile ecosystems.

In Module  1A we learned that proper planning  is the first step on the road to progressive stewardship of your woodland. We have looked at the ways in which the web of life can be managed  to produce both timber and non-timber  products. We’ve seen the importance of maintaining  clean water and healthy soils while we are managing for other resources which have important values.

It is important to remember as an owner, your objectives for your woodland are a primary goal. Through responsible stewardship you can reach those objectives, but it may be difficult to accomplish all your objectives without assistance. From time to time you may need help with work which requires specialized knowledge and equipment.

For that reason, this module has been written to introduce you to the practice of hiring and working with contractors who are in the business of woodland management.  Woodland contractors have the experience and equipment needed to help you achieve your goals and objectives.

An important first step is to plan your work  and work  your plan.