There are more than 148,000 woodland owners in Louisiana. Many are unaware of the benefits of forestry as it concerns them, and are, as a consequence, removing the valuable timber resource from their land without thought of the future. As the designated public agency in the field of forestry, it is the Office of Forestry’s responsibility to render services for improvement.
The objective of our woodland assistance program is to place under improved forest practice as many small timber tracts and farm woodlots as possible in the state. This is generally done through personal, individual contacts. Agency contacts and public media are used to the fullest extent. The forester’s time is spent in the field furnishing forest owners with full information about their timber and giving them advice and action plans. Included are recommendations in regard to both present and future courses of action, timber marketing, timber sale contracts, cutting inspections, insect and disease problems, federal and state cost-share programs, tax consequences, and planning for regeneration prior to harvest. Follow-ups are often necessary to ensure that proper forest practices are carried out.
On a state level, annual surveys are conducted for seedling survival and timber and pulpwood production. A quarterly timber products market report is prepared. Volume figures obtained for this report are also used to determine severance tax values. Other surveys include calculating cost associated with producing and managing timber to determine use-value taxation, listing of consulting foresters, and wood-using industries.
Please feel free to contact any of our offices if you have any questions regarding your timberland.