Washington State Consulting Forester and Silvicultural Contractor Directory

About the Directory

The Washington State Consulting Forester and Silvicultural Contractor Directory is a compilation of forestry professionals around Washington State who provide the professional services to private forest landowners. The directory includes specific information for each of the professionals, including contact information, services provided, bonding and insurance information, experience, and counties served. Inclusion in the directory is voluntary. All information is provided by the forestry professionals themselves.

Disclaimer:

The firms or individuals listed herein are engaged in forestland related work in Washington State. Consultants and contractors working for a private landowner do not represent or speak for Washington State University. Washington State University is not responsible for nor guarantees the quality, accuracy, or cost of the services provided by any of the consultants listed below. Information presented in this directory was provided by the individual service providers and is published on an “as-is” basis. Washington State University did not verify the validity of the information provided. Information is current as of October 2023.

How to get listed in this directory

If you would like to have your firm’s information added to, removed from, or updated in this directory, please contact Kevin Zobrist at Washington State University Extension Forestry. The directory is updated approximately twice a year.

About Consulting Foresters

A consulting forester provides professional forest management services to landowners. These services may include management plan writing, timber sale administration, permitting, timber marketing, inventory and appraisal, property mapping, management advice, coordination of contractor services, and other tasks

About Silvicultural Contractors

A silvicultural contractor provides the labor and equipment to perform forest management tasks such as site preparation, tree planting, vegetation control, pre-commercial thinning, slash disposal, etc. Some companies provide both forestry consulting and silvicultural contracting services.

Glossary of Terms

Forestry Service Descriptions

  • Brush/Slash Disposal: Is the removal or breaking down of large woody debris that is left behind after a natural disaster or implementation of a management practice. The disposal can take place in the form of burning, chipping, or moving it off the property for another use.
  • Forest inventory: This technique quantifies what you have in your forest and reveals insights into species composition, tree density, tree volume, wildlife habitat, forest health, and how the forest changes over time.
  • Forest management advice: Assistance in identifying the best management options that will meet the objectives of the landowner, while following the forest practice laws.
  • Forest management plan writing: This service uses the landowner’s objectives to formulate a written plan for the current and future management of an entire forest property. The forest management plan should include the ownership objectives, property description, and the steps to achieve those objectives and protect public resources (water, wildlife, etc.) given the property’s current conditions. The plan may also meet part of the eligibility requirements for third party recognition, cost share programs, and property tax reductions.
  • Forest practices permitting: Some management activities (harvesting timber, building or repairing forest roads or culverts, etc.) require a Forest Practices Permit issued by the Washington Department of Natural Resources, and/or other municipal permits. Permitting services include identifying and applying for all the necessary permits for a project.
  • Forestland security consulting: This service provides techniques on reducing trespassing, dumping, vandalism, timber theft, off-road vehicles, illegal drugs, etc. on your forest property.
  • GIS mapping: A Geographic Information System (GIS) is a computer system for relating data to a position on the earth’s surface. Using this system, you can map the location of properties, geographic features, trees, management boundaries, inventory plots, etc.
  • Invasive species identification and control: Identification and removal of aggressive, non-native plant species, including noxious weeds, which cause a reduction in forest health, productivity, and native vegetation.
  • Non-timber forest products: These are all commodities or services that are produced in the forest such as edible berries, floral greens, mushrooms, resins, medicinal plants, and pine cones. Consultants offering this service will provide advice on cultivating, harvesting, and marketing these products.
  • Pre-commercial thinning: Removal of the slower-growing, weaker trees in a forest stand in order to re-allocate resources to improve the growth of the remaining trees.  Trees cut in this process are too small and/or too poor in quality to sell and are usually left on the ground to rot in place.
  • Prescribed burning: The controlled application of fire to a landscape in order to reduce excessive vegetative and woody material, maintain habitats, add nutrients back to the soil, and stimulate plant biodiversity and regeneration. The application of fire is applied by a team of fire control experts under a specific set of weather conditions. This practice typically requires a permit.
  • Property surveying: An assessment of property lines, usually to determine the exact location of the property boundary and amount of land owned.
  • Reforestation/tree planting: Planting of trees in an area that has been harvested or otherwise does not have trees.
  • Riparian management and alternate plan application: Management of vegetation next to a water feature (pond, stream, wetland, etc.). An alternate plan allows landowners to deviate from the standard forest practices rules for riparian buffers if the landowner can show that the alternate plan will protect public resources as well as or better than the standard rules.
  • Road maintenance: Regular upkeep of forest roads to meet the requirements of forest practice rules. Maintenance can include grading, cleaning culverts, re-rocking roads, and installing water bars.
  • Site preparation – chemical: The process of getting an area ready for planting trees. In this process herbicides are used to reduce the shrubs and grasses that would compete with newly planted trees.Site preparation – mechanical: The process of getting an area ready for planting trees. In this process machinery, hand pulling, and/or cutting is used to reduce the shrubs and grasses that would compete with newly planted trees.
  • Timber sale management/marketing: Overseeing of the process of selling trees from your property. The process includes obtaining permits, laying out the harvest boundary, identifying trees to be cut, contract writing, hiring and overseeing the loggers, marketing the trees for highest value, and managing post-logging site preparation and replanting.
  • Trail/boardwalk construction: Planning, layout, and construction of a foot trail or boardwalk.
  • Vegetation control/release – chemical: Using herbicides to remove unwanted vegetation that is heavily competing with recently planted trees. Vegetation control/release is typically done a few years after trees are planted to help them establish in a stand more quickly.
  • Vegetation control/release – mechanical: Using machinery, hand pulling, or cutting to remove unwanted vegetation that is heavily competing with recently planted trees. Vegetation control/release is typically done a few years after trees are planted to help them establish in a stand more quickly.
  • Wildlife damage control (bear, beaver, porcupine, etc.): Advice on management techniques to decrease the damage to trees, property, and other plants as a result of wildlife activities.
  • Wildlife habitat enhancement: Advice on management techniques that improve habitat quality for one or more species of wildlife.

Other Service Terms

  • Aerial photography: Satellite pictures of the property with land and water features located and identified.
  • Current use property tax deductions: Advice and assistance on obtaining current use tax status (e.g. Designated Forestland or Open Space) to reduce property tax assessments.
  • Danger tree assessment: Assessment of how sound a tree is and the likelihood of that tree falling. Danger tree assessment is typically only necessary near homes, buildings, roads, trails, and camping sites where people would be in danger.
  • Earth and rock removal: The removal of soil and rocks from a given location on the property. This is typically done prior to construction.
  • Estate planning: Preparing for the transfer of the property and its assets after the owner’s death.
  • Forest resource damage appraisal: Assessment of casualty losses and restoration costs due to fire, flooding, windstorms, etc.
  • Fuel reduction: Removal or treatment (e.g. chipping) of excessive vegetation and down woody debris to decrease the risk of damage from wildfire.
  • Wetland delineations: Identifies the existence, boundary, and type of a wetland.
  • Whole property and land appraisals: A quote of the current market value of a property.

WSU Extension publications contain material written and produced for public distribution. Alternate formats of our educational materials are available upon request for persons with disabilities. Please contact Washington State University Extension for more information

Issued by Washington State University Extension and the U.S. Department of Agriculture in furtherance of the Acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914. Extension programs and policies are consistent with federal and state laws and regulations on nondiscrimination regarding race, sex, religion, age, color, creed, and national or ethnic origin; physical, mental, or sensory disability; marital status or sexual orientation; and status as a Vietnam-era or disabled veteran. Evidence of noncompliance may be reported through your local WSU Extension office. Trade names have been used to simplify information; no endorsement is intended.