First off, lets talk a bit about your land
The Iosco Conservation District wants to help the Non-Industrial Private Forest Landowner to better understand the potential productivity of their forest resource and opportunities for technical and financial assistance for forest planning and management. Whether your goal is to manage your forested property for wildlife habitat, recreation, hunting, timber production, or just your own enjoyment, your Conservation District can help you get there! We're ready and willing to help! Read this page to learn about the referral process, or contact us at 989-724-5272 or click on the "Contact Us" tab at the top of this page.
The Michigan Association of Conservation Districts (MACD) talks about private forest landowners actively managing their forested property.
The Michigan Association of Conservation Districts (MACD) talks about private forest landowners actively managing their forested property.
What is The Forestry Assistance Program (FAP)?
FAP a program through the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (MDNR), and the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD). The MDNR and MDARD awards grants to to Conservation Districts across Michigan to provide technical assistance and education to landowners. The program employs SAF (Society of American Foresters) certified foresters to be a non-bias party acting on the behalf of the private/non-industrial land owner.
FAP and the Referral Process
The Forestry Assistance Program works to provide and initial and professional point of contact for non-industrial private forest landowners located in Alcona & Iosco Counties. Typically, these private landowners have questions about forest management practices, improving wildlife habitat, forest health issues, management plan development, tree and shrub planting, non-timber forest products, available cost-share programs, and other other topics related to their uniquely forested property. The Iosco Conservation District's role is to provide general guidance, information, and facilitate referrals for landowners to private or public sector Natural Resource Professionals when necessary. The majority of private landowners do not require referral services and this is just fine with us. Our goal, and that of the FAP, is to help the non-industrial private forest landowner better understand the resource they own while providing free advice on how to sustainably manage that resource into the future.
Landowners Interested in the Referral Process can Expect the Following to Occur
Step 1) Eric Brandon, the Alcona and Iosco Conservation District Forester representing the Forestry Assistance Program, will conduct a "Walk & Talk" with you on your property. The purpose of the walk & talk is to understand each landowners specific goals and objectives, with respect to their property and specific assistance needs. Remember, this is an entirely free service.
Step 2) During and following the walk & talk, Eric will provide you with verbal, and when necessary, written recommendations of how to accomplish each private landowners specific assistance needs. These recommendations are based upon the site conditions observed at each property visited and corresponding sustainable management practices.
Step 3) The assistance needs and pertinent information describing each visited property (landowner goals/objectives, soils map, description of timber type(s), township, range, and county) is then emailed out to private sector foresters or public agencies (sometimes both). These Natural Resource Professionals then have two-weeks to express interest in the referral. At No Point during the referral process will private landowners name and contact information be included into a referral.
All of the Natural Resource Professionals we've included on our list have agreed to be part of the referral process. Each landowner is given a list of these professionals following the walk & talk, and a link to this list is provided here: "Natural Resource Professionals" . We've chosen to refer private landowners out to these professionals as they have degree's related to a natural resource field and they've established a reputation for quality work and landowner satisfaction.
At times, some landowners assistance needs don't fit into the "forest management" category. So, these landowners may find themselves being pointed toward resource professionals who deal with non-forestry related management needs.
Step 4) At the end of the two-week period, Eric will inform the landowner(s) as to which Natural Resource Professional(s) expressed interest in their referral. It's then up to the landowner to contact these resource professionals as they do not have your contact information.
We encourage you to contact each of these professionals in the process of determining who can best help you achieve your management needs. The choice of which resource professional to work with is solely the decision of each individual landowner. Iosco and Alcona Conservation Districts maintain an unbiased stance throughout the entire referral process. We cannot, and do not recommend who the private landowner should work with.
Step 5) Eric will then personally follow-up with each private landowner in order to make sure your assistance needs are being addressed. We strive to ensure that your unique and often varying management goals have been, or are being accomplished.
Step 2) During and following the walk & talk, Eric will provide you with verbal, and when necessary, written recommendations of how to accomplish each private landowners specific assistance needs. These recommendations are based upon the site conditions observed at each property visited and corresponding sustainable management practices.
Step 3) The assistance needs and pertinent information describing each visited property (landowner goals/objectives, soils map, description of timber type(s), township, range, and county) is then emailed out to private sector foresters or public agencies (sometimes both). These Natural Resource Professionals then have two-weeks to express interest in the referral. At No Point during the referral process will private landowners name and contact information be included into a referral.
All of the Natural Resource Professionals we've included on our list have agreed to be part of the referral process. Each landowner is given a list of these professionals following the walk & talk, and a link to this list is provided here: "Natural Resource Professionals" . We've chosen to refer private landowners out to these professionals as they have degree's related to a natural resource field and they've established a reputation for quality work and landowner satisfaction.
At times, some landowners assistance needs don't fit into the "forest management" category. So, these landowners may find themselves being pointed toward resource professionals who deal with non-forestry related management needs.
Step 4) At the end of the two-week period, Eric will inform the landowner(s) as to which Natural Resource Professional(s) expressed interest in their referral. It's then up to the landowner to contact these resource professionals as they do not have your contact information.
We encourage you to contact each of these professionals in the process of determining who can best help you achieve your management needs. The choice of which resource professional to work with is solely the decision of each individual landowner. Iosco and Alcona Conservation Districts maintain an unbiased stance throughout the entire referral process. We cannot, and do not recommend who the private landowner should work with.
Step 5) Eric will then personally follow-up with each private landowner in order to make sure your assistance needs are being addressed. We strive to ensure that your unique and often varying management goals have been, or are being accomplished.
For a list of the Natural Resource Professionals servicing Iosco County, please CLICK HERE
Forestry Professionals' Websites
Many of our listed forestry professional have their own websites. Links are listed below:
Thomas E. Jacques, Jacques Forestry, LLC - Huron Consulting
Randy Keen, Biewer Forest Management, LLC
Martell, Keith R., Martell Forestry, Inc.
Bryce and Susan Metcalfe, Metcalfe Forestry, LLC
Daniel Schillinger, Schillinger Forestry, LLC
Many of our listed forestry professional have their own websites. Links are listed below:
Thomas E. Jacques, Jacques Forestry, LLC - Huron Consulting
Randy Keen, Biewer Forest Management, LLC
Martell, Keith R., Martell Forestry, Inc.
Bryce and Susan Metcalfe, Metcalfe Forestry, LLC
Daniel Schillinger, Schillinger Forestry, LLC