Referral Process
1.) Private landowners who contact the Conservation District with forestry related questions or visit the website, will be able to receive a referral to a forester/natural resource professional free of charge. The landowner and FAP forester will collect referral information (number acres, forest type, what kind of forestry assistance they are interested in).
2.) The District (FAP forester) will then email the request directly to the consulting foresters who have expressed an interest in being on our referral list. A listing of the referral requests will also be made available on the website. Referrals will be open a standard 2 weeks long unless otherwise requested by the landowner.
3.) Resource professionals will express their interest in a particular job to the Conservation District.
4.) All responses are forwarded to the landowner. The landowner will decide which resource professional to work with through the guidance of the FAP forester.
5.) Follow-up with each landowner to be sure they have received the assistance they need.
6.) The FAP forester will then request information from the landowner or Forester (after landowner’s approval) for financial information to be added to the quarterly reporting form. *The information will not be linked to any names or specific location upon reporting. The information will be aggregated to the county level for reporting on success of this program.
2.) The District (FAP forester) will then email the request directly to the consulting foresters who have expressed an interest in being on our referral list. A listing of the referral requests will also be made available on the website. Referrals will be open a standard 2 weeks long unless otherwise requested by the landowner.
3.) Resource professionals will express their interest in a particular job to the Conservation District.
4.) All responses are forwarded to the landowner. The landowner will decide which resource professional to work with through the guidance of the FAP forester.
5.) Follow-up with each landowner to be sure they have received the assistance they need.
6.) The FAP forester will then request information from the landowner or Forester (after landowner’s approval) for financial information to be added to the quarterly reporting form. *The information will not be linked to any names or specific location upon reporting. The information will be aggregated to the county level for reporting on success of this program.
Referrals for Gogebic and Ontonagon Counties
Landowner is seeking a Forest Management Plan written by a Qualified Forester for enrollment in Michigan's Qualified Forest Program. The landowner is seeking a professional forester to write an accessible management plan for a 28-acre recreational property to both enroll in QFP and to better understand the forests and habitat on the property. The parcel is a mix of healthy, mature lowland cedar, pole-sized northern hardwoods, remnant hemlock groves, and a small patch of aspen. The landowner is interestested in retaining a healthy forest with improvements for access and possible hunting opportunities. Foresters interested in pursuing this project should respond to me by email by 12 pm CT May 24, 2021 (deadline 5-24-21). You may include additional relevant information in your responses or as attachments. I will compile a referral packet from the responses received and will forward the packet to the landowner. The landowner will then contact you from there. I follow-up with landowners to make sure they get the help they need. Give me a call if you need any other pertinent information.
I follow-up with landowners to make sure they get the help they need. Give me a call if you need any other pertinent information.
Referral Number: 27-21-46
Date: 5-24-21
Location: Ironwood Township, Gogebic County
Acres: 28 acres
Work Needed: Forest Management Plan for QFP
Date Message Sent: 5-17-2021
The Forestry Assistance Program based out of the Gogebic Conservation District provides the first professional contact with many landowners who are interested in forest management. Our role is to provide general guidance, basic management planning, and referrals to other public and private resource professionals.
I follow-up with landowners to make sure they get the help they need. Give me a call if you need any other pertinent information.
Referral Number: 27-21-46
Date: 5-24-21
Location: Ironwood Township, Gogebic County
Acres: 28 acres
Work Needed: Forest Management Plan for QFP
Date Message Sent: 5-17-2021
The Forestry Assistance Program based out of the Gogebic Conservation District provides the first professional contact with many landowners who are interested in forest management. Our role is to provide general guidance, basic management planning, and referrals to other public and private resource professionals.
This referral is on behalf of a Gogebic County landowner seeking the services of a forester to market and administer a timber harvest on a hundred-acre property; 80 acres are under CFR. The parcel is a mix of n. hardwoods, hemlock and cedar, lowland hardwoods, and lowland conifers. The property was last harvested 15 years ago. Current stocking is variable along with average tree diameters. Basal areas in n. hardwoods range from 70 sq. ft to 120 sq. ft. (with >30% conifer). The soils are a 50/50 split between well-drained and poorly-drained, zig-zagged across the acreage. Access is fair throughout the property; property is several miles out from major roads. The landowner may additionally pursue a new management plan to replace the one set to expire in 2023.
Foresters interested in pursuing this project should respond to me by email by March 12, 2020 (deadline 3-12-21). You may include additional relevant information in your responses or as attachments. I will compile a referral packet from the responses received and will forward the packet to the landowner. The landowner will then contact you from there. I follow-up with landowners to make sure they get the help they need. Give me a call if you need any other pertinent information.
Referral Number: 27-21-30
Date: 3-12-21
Location: Erwin Twp, Gogebic County
Acres: ~100 Acres
Work Needed: Timber Sale market & admin; possible CF plan
Date Message Sent: 3-5-21
The Forestry Assistance Program based out of the Gogebic Conservation District provides the first professional contact with many landowners who are interested in forest management. Our role is to provide general guidance, basic management planning, and referrals to other public and private resource professionals.
Foresters interested in pursuing this project should respond to me by email by March 12, 2020 (deadline 3-12-21). You may include additional relevant information in your responses or as attachments. I will compile a referral packet from the responses received and will forward the packet to the landowner. The landowner will then contact you from there. I follow-up with landowners to make sure they get the help they need. Give me a call if you need any other pertinent information.
Referral Number: 27-21-30
Date: 3-12-21
Location: Erwin Twp, Gogebic County
Acres: ~100 Acres
Work Needed: Timber Sale market & admin; possible CF plan
Date Message Sent: 3-5-21
The Forestry Assistance Program based out of the Gogebic Conservation District provides the first professional contact with many landowners who are interested in forest management. Our role is to provide general guidance, basic management planning, and referrals to other public and private resource professionals.
Foresters:
This is a referral for a Forest Management Plan for a 160-acre parcel to be enrolled in the Qualified Forest Program. The plan should also highlight opportunities for improved recreational use and increased wildlife habitat. A management plan had been written in 2012 but does not satisfy the enrollment requirements of the Qualified Forest Program. Past management/ownership and combination of forest soils have resulted in a mix of stands of varying quality. Per the 2012 plan (no harvests), the forest types have been mapped as follows:
M 8/5 – 100 BA - 31 acres
M 7/4 – 47 BA – 44 acres
E 7/5 – 80 BA – 58 acres
Q 5 2 acres
A 4/2 – 80 BA – 6 acres
No obvious deviations from these stand descriptions were observed in 2020. Foresters interested in pursuing this project should respond to me by email by November 12, 2020 (deadline 11-12-20). You may include additional relevant information in your responses or as attachments. I will compile a referral packet from the responses received and will forward the packet to the landowner. The landowner will then contact you from there. I follow-up with landowners to make sure they get the help they need. Give me a call if you need any other pertinent information.
I follow-up with landowners to make sure they get the help they need. Give me a call if you need any other pertinent information.
Referral Number: 27-21-14
Date: 11-6-2020
Location: Bessemer Township, Gogebic County
Acres: 160 acres
Work Needed: Forest Management Plan (1) prepared by a Qualified Forester*
Date Message Sent: 11-6-2020
*Note: Landowner may yet decide to pursue NRCS EQIP funding in completing this plan and subsequent activities. In this event, this referral request will no longer apply to the needs of this landowner.
The Forestry Assistance Program based out of the Gogebic Conservation District provides the first professional contact with many landowners who are interested in forest management. Our role is to provide general guidance, basic management planning, and referrals to other public and private resource professionals.
This is a referral for a Forest Management Plan for a 160-acre parcel to be enrolled in the Qualified Forest Program. The plan should also highlight opportunities for improved recreational use and increased wildlife habitat. A management plan had been written in 2012 but does not satisfy the enrollment requirements of the Qualified Forest Program. Past management/ownership and combination of forest soils have resulted in a mix of stands of varying quality. Per the 2012 plan (no harvests), the forest types have been mapped as follows:
M 8/5 – 100 BA - 31 acres
M 7/4 – 47 BA – 44 acres
E 7/5 – 80 BA – 58 acres
Q 5 2 acres
A 4/2 – 80 BA – 6 acres
No obvious deviations from these stand descriptions were observed in 2020. Foresters interested in pursuing this project should respond to me by email by November 12, 2020 (deadline 11-12-20). You may include additional relevant information in your responses or as attachments. I will compile a referral packet from the responses received and will forward the packet to the landowner. The landowner will then contact you from there. I follow-up with landowners to make sure they get the help they need. Give me a call if you need any other pertinent information.
I follow-up with landowners to make sure they get the help they need. Give me a call if you need any other pertinent information.
Referral Number: 27-21-14
Date: 11-6-2020
Location: Bessemer Township, Gogebic County
Acres: 160 acres
Work Needed: Forest Management Plan (1) prepared by a Qualified Forester*
Date Message Sent: 11-6-2020
*Note: Landowner may yet decide to pursue NRCS EQIP funding in completing this plan and subsequent activities. In this event, this referral request will no longer apply to the needs of this landowner.
The Forestry Assistance Program based out of the Gogebic Conservation District provides the first professional contact with many landowners who are interested in forest management. Our role is to provide general guidance, basic management planning, and referrals to other public and private resource professionals.
EXAMPLES OF PAST REFERRALS
Referral Number: 27-19-54
Date: 6-3-19
Location: Watersmeet Twp., Gogebic County
Acres: 46 Acres
Work Needed: Forest Management Plan meeting FSP/ATFS standards
A new Watersmeet homeowner is seeking a forester to both develop a detailed forest management plan and help facilitate future management projects. The 46-acre property is bisected by a small branch of the Ontonagon River and much of the acreage does not have wheeled-access at this time. The landowner is most interested in a comprehensive overview of the property focused on historic and ecological factors with plans to improve the health of the forest around the homesite (spruce budworm damage and low diversity) and facilitate native plants and wildlife via active management. NRCS EQIP cost-share for non-commercial management practices may be considered in the future. To be eligible for the NRCS EQIP program, the plan should be written to either the standards of the Forest Stewardship Program or the American Tree Farm System. If you are interested in working with this landowner, please respond back to me by June 14, 2019 (deadline 6-14-19). You may include additional relevant information in your responses or as attachments. I will compile a referral packet from the responses received and will forward the packet to the landowner. The landowner will then contact you from there. I follow-up with landowners to make sure they get the help they need. Give me a call if you need any other pertinent information.
Referral Number: 27-19-54
Date: 6-3-19
Location: Watersmeet Twp., Gogebic County
Acres: 46 Acres
Work Needed: Forest Management Plan meeting FSP/ATFS standards
A new Watersmeet homeowner is seeking a forester to both develop a detailed forest management plan and help facilitate future management projects. The 46-acre property is bisected by a small branch of the Ontonagon River and much of the acreage does not have wheeled-access at this time. The landowner is most interested in a comprehensive overview of the property focused on historic and ecological factors with plans to improve the health of the forest around the homesite (spruce budworm damage and low diversity) and facilitate native plants and wildlife via active management. NRCS EQIP cost-share for non-commercial management practices may be considered in the future. To be eligible for the NRCS EQIP program, the plan should be written to either the standards of the Forest Stewardship Program or the American Tree Farm System. If you are interested in working with this landowner, please respond back to me by June 14, 2019 (deadline 6-14-19). You may include additional relevant information in your responses or as attachments. I will compile a referral packet from the responses received and will forward the packet to the landowner. The landowner will then contact you from there. I follow-up with landowners to make sure they get the help they need. Give me a call if you need any other pertinent information.
Referral Number: 27-19-40
Date: 3-29-19
Location: Erwin Twp., Gogebic County
Acres: 40 Acres
Work Needed: Forest Management Plan: QFP and FSP compliant
An Erwin township landowner is seeking a forest management plan for a 40-acre recreational property. The plan will be used to enroll in the Qualified Forest Program and determine future management. The entire 40-acres is forested and diverse, featuring a creek, 2 mixed hardwood stands, and a cedar-hemlock stand and component. Terrain is varied but gentle throughout and road access is not hindered by the creek. The landowner is interested in improving the quality of the property and meeting the requirements of the tax program. Ideally, the landowner would like to use a plan writer working within the Forest Stewardship Program. If you are interested in working with this landowner, please respond back to me by March 29, 2019 (deadline 3-29-19). You may include additional relevant information in your responses or as attachments. I will compile a referral packet from the responses received and will forward the packet to the landowner. The landowner will then contact you from there. I follow-up with landowners to make sure they get the help they need. Give me a call if you need any other pertinent information.
Date: 3-29-19
Location: Erwin Twp., Gogebic County
Acres: 40 Acres
Work Needed: Forest Management Plan: QFP and FSP compliant
An Erwin township landowner is seeking a forest management plan for a 40-acre recreational property. The plan will be used to enroll in the Qualified Forest Program and determine future management. The entire 40-acres is forested and diverse, featuring a creek, 2 mixed hardwood stands, and a cedar-hemlock stand and component. Terrain is varied but gentle throughout and road access is not hindered by the creek. The landowner is interested in improving the quality of the property and meeting the requirements of the tax program. Ideally, the landowner would like to use a plan writer working within the Forest Stewardship Program. If you are interested in working with this landowner, please respond back to me by March 29, 2019 (deadline 3-29-19). You may include additional relevant information in your responses or as attachments. I will compile a referral packet from the responses received and will forward the packet to the landowner. The landowner will then contact you from there. I follow-up with landowners to make sure they get the help they need. Give me a call if you need any other pertinent information.
Referral Number: 66-19-36
Location: Ontonagon, Ontonagon County
Acres: 33 Acres of 116; Additional parcels may also be added
Work Needed: Timber Sale Set-up, Solicitation and Administration
An Ontonagon landowner is seeking to complete a 33-acre seed tree harvest in a mixed hemlock-red maple stand in accordance to their management plan. The stand has a current basal area averaging over 200 sq. ft/acre and is this harvest is intended to promote forest regeneration and support wildlife. In addition to harvest set-up, the landowner is seeking a professional to help find a buyer/contractor for the proposed harvest and perform sale administration. The property is located just east of Ontonagon proper. If you are interested in working with this landowner, please respond back to me by March 15, 2019 (deadline 3-15-2019). You may include additional relevant information in your responses or as attachments. I will compile a referral packet from the responses received and will forward the packet to the landowner. The landowner will then contact you from there. I follow-up with landowners to make sure they get the help they need. Give me a call if you need any other pertinent information.
Location: Ontonagon, Ontonagon County
Acres: 33 Acres of 116; Additional parcels may also be added
Work Needed: Timber Sale Set-up, Solicitation and Administration
An Ontonagon landowner is seeking to complete a 33-acre seed tree harvest in a mixed hemlock-red maple stand in accordance to their management plan. The stand has a current basal area averaging over 200 sq. ft/acre and is this harvest is intended to promote forest regeneration and support wildlife. In addition to harvest set-up, the landowner is seeking a professional to help find a buyer/contractor for the proposed harvest and perform sale administration. The property is located just east of Ontonagon proper. If you are interested in working with this landowner, please respond back to me by March 15, 2019 (deadline 3-15-2019). You may include additional relevant information in your responses or as attachments. I will compile a referral packet from the responses received and will forward the packet to the landowner. The landowner will then contact you from there. I follow-up with landowners to make sure they get the help they need. Give me a call if you need any other pertinent information.
Referral Number: 66-19-25
Date: 12-28-2018
Location: McMillan Twp., Ontonagon County
Acres: 38 out of 270
Work Needed: Timber Sale Set-up, Solicitation and Administration
Date Message Sent: 12-20-2018
Status: Open
An Ontonagon landowner is seeking to complete a 38-acre aspen clear cut for wildlife in accordance to their management plan. The landowner has been approved for NRCS funding for timber marking following NRCS specifications. In addition to timber marking, the landowner is seeking a professional to help find a buyer/contractor for the clear cut and perform some sale administration. According to the management plan, the timber is pole and saw-sized aspen with a component of spruce/fir and red maple; basal area averages at 75 sqft. The property is located only a few miles from M28 in Ewen. If you are interested in working with this landowner, please respond back to me by December 28, 2018 (deadline 12-28-18). You may include additional relevant information in your responses or as attachments. I will compile a referral packet from the responses received and will forward the packet to the landowner. The landowner will then contact you from there. I follow-up with landowners to make sure they get the help they need. Give me a call if you need any other pertinent information.