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Timber Marketing Forester

Improving the value and sustainability of working forests is the primary role of the Timber Marketing Forester. These professionals source areas of timber and act as a liaison between the land owner and buyer.

Among responsibilities, a Timber Marketing Forester develops harvest plans, manages buyer and seller relationships, and markets timber. The end goal is to manage the sale process to ultimately maximize the return on harvested timber.

This position is also known as a Consulting Forester.

William Jackson

Timber Marketing Forester, Rayonier

A typical day could involve compliance on active logging operations, preparing upcoming timber sales, negotiating with customers, and collaborating with the rest of my team. Every stand of timber is different, so we constantly have new challenges and opportunities to work through.

Education

A Timber Marketing Manager should have a Bachelor’s Degree in Forest Management, Forestry or Forest Engineering.

Helpful courses to take in high school include marketing and business courses; computer science and public speaking courses.

Tools of the Trade

  • Regular use of landscape management systems and forest inventory software.
  • A compass, logger's tape, laser hypsometer, diameter tape, clinometer, drones, and increment borers are a few examples of the tools used in this profession.
  • Tools to monitor timber volume. For example, at Rayonier, a mobile tracking and ticketing system is used to monitor loads of logs leaving the woods and arriving at the mill where they are being delivered.

Important Skills

Knowledge of forest management and operations, as well as an understanding of timber markets, marketing, and log transport logistics. Working knowledge of state Best Management Practices (known as BMPs) and federal regulations around harvesting operations. In addition, marketing knowledge of timber facilities in the assigned working area and product specifications for each facility.

Experience in timber procurement is recommended. Timber procurement is the process of cruising an area of timber, placing a dollar value on the wood products, and then making an offer to the land owner.

Good negotiation and communication skills are a must, as the Timber Marketing Forester works directly with the buyer and seller.

Job Responsibilities

As a natural resource professional, a  Timber Marketing Forester works to connect a forestry organization or landowner with interested timber buyers, such as mills. They focus on the harvest, transport and sale of timber, working with logging crews in the process. They create bid prospectus for selling timber and write up harvesting contracts.

These professionals either work internally for a forestry organization or as independent contractors.

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