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
Gogebic County landowners are seeking the services and insight of a professional forester to set up, sell, and administer a timber harvest AND write a forest management plan appropriate for the Qualified Forest Program. Major species are basswood, sugar maple, and mixed ash with a smaller component of yellow birch and hemlock; the parcel ends with lowland hardwoods. Stem sizes vary across species, with past management of single-tree selection on ~30 acres and the rest has been left unmanaged for a while. Basswood and ash are prime for removal. Stem quality is moderate, nothing remarkable either way. This parcel has good access from the road; slope and drainages will impede operations and will likely reduce the overall acreage harvested but most areas of timber can be reached.
The parcel is located a quarter-mile from a primary county highway. The landowners need a forest management plan that will be used to enroll in the Qualified Forest Program; they are interested in working with one forester for both projects and may consider other options with further information. The landowners are interested in keeping a diverse, healthy forest for future enjoyment, hunting, and possible revenue and may consider further conservation programs in the future. If you are interested in working with this landowner, please let me know by Monday, October 17 by 3 PM CST. 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.
Referral Number: 27-23-01
Date: 10-17-22
Location: Ironwood Twp, Gogebic County
Acres: 94
Work Needed: Timber Sale Set-up, Sale, and Administration; Forest Management Plan for QFP enrollment
Date Message Sent: 10-5-22
The Forestry Assistance Program, based out of the Gogebic Conservation District, provides landowners with an introduction to professional forest management. We provide general guidance, basic management planning, and referrals to other public and private resource professionals. The purpose of the Forestry Assistance Program (FAP) is to help Michigan citizens better plan, manage, protect, and utilize their forest resources.
The parcel is located a quarter-mile from a primary county highway. The landowners need a forest management plan that will be used to enroll in the Qualified Forest Program; they are interested in working with one forester for both projects and may consider other options with further information. The landowners are interested in keeping a diverse, healthy forest for future enjoyment, hunting, and possible revenue and may consider further conservation programs in the future. If you are interested in working with this landowner, please let me know by Monday, October 17 by 3 PM CST. 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.
Referral Number: 27-23-01
Date: 10-17-22
Location: Ironwood Twp, Gogebic County
Acres: 94
Work Needed: Timber Sale Set-up, Sale, and Administration; Forest Management Plan for QFP enrollment
Date Message Sent: 10-5-22
The Forestry Assistance Program, based out of the Gogebic Conservation District, provides landowners with an introduction to professional forest management. We provide general guidance, basic management planning, and referrals to other public and private resource professionals. The purpose of the Forestry Assistance Program (FAP) is to help Michigan citizens better plan, manage, protect, and utilize their forest resources.
Please consider this referral on behalf of a Gogebic County landowner seeking a plan writer to develop a management plan suitable for the Commercial Forest Program. An industrial timber company previously owned the 160-acre property, and a management plan was not included with the sale. A new plan should be in place before the end of the calendar year as the landowner wishes to remain under the Commercial Forest Program. The timber types are as follows, with the last year of entry: Northern Hardwoods -2013; Aspen- 2002; Lowland hardwoods/conifer; Northern Hardwoods - 2003. At this time, the landowner is not interested in timber management and would instead leave things alone. Current forest stocking will help determine the feasibility of this objective and the continuity of CF enrollment. Access to the parcel is through a legal easement in a roundabout way; alternate access can be made by foot, boat, or snowmobile. If you are interested in working with this landowner, please let me know by Thursday, September 22 by 3 PM CST. You may include additional relevant information in your responses or as attachments. I will compile the responses received and will forward everything to the landowner. The landowner will contact you from there. I follow up with landowners to ensure they get the help they need.
Referral Number: 27-22-75
Date: 9-22-22
Location: Erwin Township, Gogebic County
Acres: 160
Work Needed: Forest Management Plan for Commercial Forest Program
Date Message Sent: 9-14-22
The Forestry Assistance Program, based out of the Gogebic Conservation District, provides landowners with an introduction to professional forest management. We provide general guidance, basic management planning, and referrals to other public and private resource professionals. The purpose of the Forestry Assistance Program (FAP) is to help Michigan citizens better plan, manage, protect, and utilize their forest resources.
Referral Number: 27-22-75
Date: 9-22-22
Location: Erwin Township, Gogebic County
Acres: 160
Work Needed: Forest Management Plan for Commercial Forest Program
Date Message Sent: 9-14-22
The Forestry Assistance Program, based out of the Gogebic Conservation District, provides landowners with an introduction to professional forest management. We provide general guidance, basic management planning, and referrals to other public and private resource professionals. The purpose of the Forestry Assistance Program (FAP) is to help Michigan citizens better plan, manage, protect, and utilize their forest resources.
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.