You can ask for Landowner assistance from a number of federal and state agencies or your local forestry consultant. The Forestry Division will help you see how to best achieve  your goals while protecting Tennessee's valuable natural resources.

Local Area Foresters

If you have already developed your objectives, call your local Area Forester to discuss them.  If not, the Area Forester can help you with that too, but before you call, do some thinking about the kind of forest, wildlife and other benefits you want.

Next, explore your options by calling your local forestry office and ask them to mail you free brochures on topics of interest to you. Another excellent source of information on this web site is A Practical Introduction to Forestry for Landowners. It is packed with useful information and has links to other sites.

The forester needs to know something about your land to help you form a plan. It would be helpful for you to use the Landowner Assistance Survey form to organize that information prior to making a appointment with the forester.  If you can't find all the information needed by the form, just do the best you can. The survey form has some helpful links to follow.

Finally, set up an appointment with your Area Forester. Tell the Forester that you have filled out the Landowner Assistance Survey and will send a copy for review prior to your appointment. Ask to whom it should be addressed and if you should send it by mail, e-mail, or fax. That way, when you arrive for your appointment you will both be better prepared. You may agree to meet at the property itself to orient the forester to the property boundaries and location.

Consulting Foresters

The Forestry Division cooperates with the Tennessee Chapter of the Association of Consulting Foresters (ACF) to enhance our State's private forest lands.

The Forestry Division promotes sound forest management practices on private lands.  Division personnel furnish advice and limited assistance with forest protection, management, and reforestation.

Consulting foresters -- private businessmen with substantial forestry education and experience -- offer a wide variety of forest management services to landowners on a fee or contract basis.  As such, consulting foresters function as both technical advisors and legal agents in representing landowners.

Some forestland owners hesitate to engage a private consultant due to cost.  However, in many cases the assistance of a private consultant will more than pay for itself in increased productivity and efficiency.

See the directory of Consulting Foresters Operating in Tennessee to find a professional contact.  This document requires the free Adobe Acrobat Reader.