Forest PUV Good, Bad and Ugly

Mark MegalosExtension Forestry

North Carolina State UniversityCollege of Natural Resources

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This Talk• What We Are Hearing• Sound Management• Problem Landowners?• Reviewing a Sound Plan• Examples- What Forest

Management Looks Like

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Word on the Street• Compliance Checks on the Rise• Rooting out unqualified landowners• Greater Scrutiny of Plan Content• Enforcing the January 1st Deadline• Landowner Education Meetings in advance of

revaluation efforts• Greater Agency Coordination on County

Level• Tax Offices are Getting Serious about PUV

Sound Management DefinedProduction system designed to yield:

• Greatest net return from land–Consistent with Conservation &– Long-term Improvement

( page 69 Chapter 5 Sound Mgmnt)

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What is Forest Management?

Care and control to maintain:– Health & Vigor,– Product flow,(PUV REQUIREMENT)– Other Values:

• Soil condition,• Water Quality, • Wildlife,• Beauty

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Two Major Forestry CampsIntensive ExtensiveClean “messy”Rows “natural”Pine hardwoods/mixedCostly Takes Time/ EffortAg-like Park-like

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Sound Forestry is….• Market / Economically Driven

• An Ordered Cycle

• Follows Natural Limits

• Matched to Soil / Site

•Fields of Pine

•Bottoms of Hardwood

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A Plan is Required • Must be sound and practical• “Management” is broadly defined

Natural regeneration OKMixed Stands OKPlantations OK…..

If the plan is sound and implemented!

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Private Land is Problematic

14 + million acres300,000+ landowners-

• Dancing to their own beat• Following their own timeline• Placing low priority on Timber

Management

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Troublesome PUV Applicants• Woodland Retreat Owners have varied

reasons for owning forestland:

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Perfect PUV Applicants “Working the land” are a better fit for

PUV

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Sound Management- Starts with a Forestry Plan

1. Landowner objectives2. Maps, plats, aerial photos3. Forest/stand inventory/description4. Forest management prescriptions5. Harvest dates, methods and

regeneration strategies

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“Sound forest management” clause

• Enforced by the county tax office via a forest management plan

• Compliance checks• Landowner’s responsibility to

implement their forest management plan

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WE NEEDN’T APOLOGIZE• PUV is Production ORIENTED

• Have to Qualify to Receive the Benefits

Are Forestry Plans Meeting the Mark?

Landowner objectives ( timber)

Maps, plats, aerial photos

Forest/stand inventory/description

Forest management prescriptions

Harvest dates, methods and regeneration strategies

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Sound Management- Silviculture

PRACTICE of • Establish• Tend• Harvest• Reproduce

FOREST STANDS ( of Desired Characteristics)

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FULLCIRCLE

The Sign of “Good Forestry”

• Trees are Healthy• Trees are Vigorous• Products Being Produced• New Forest Seedlings Being

established?

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Young Pine – HardwoodVigorous – “Pointed tops”

Evidence of

Harvest

Residual

Products on

Site

PRODUCT UTILIZATION

EVIDENCE OF HARVEST

Young Pine / Hardwood

LONGLEAF SEEDLINGS

How to ID “Good Forestry• Marketable Species Being

Grown –Pine, Oaks, Poplar

• Economical – People Make $$• Sustainable - Regrowth• Verifiable- You Can See It

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See it From Your Desktop

DESKTOP VIEW

HARVEST ROADS

Desktop View w/ Buffers

Desktop Hardwood View

Middle-aged Yellow Poplar

White Pines on Ridge

Partial Harvest - Thinning

RIGHT TREE – RIGHT SITE

You Provide Value & Credibility• Accept Only Worthy Plans• Enforce Eligibility Requirements• Use the All Resources at your disposal for

Compliance Checks– GIS, Land Records– NCDFR- For. Mgmt Accomplishment Reports

• Remind Landowners that the Plan is a quasi-contract

THANK YOU!!!Forestry Extension

919-513-1202

mark.megalos@ncsu.edu

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