3 min read

Timber Theft on the Rise

Recently, the South Carolina Forestry Commission announced that cases of timber fraud were on the rise. Officials there are seeking two types of fraud. One involves grossly underpaying landowners for their timber. David West, chief of the Commission’s law enforcement division, observed that typical complaints were for underpayments of $4,000-$5,000. Now, he says, the dollar value of the complaints they hear is increasing, with some as high as $49,000. Other complaints are for cutting the timber without paying the landowner at all.

The rising number of timber theft complaints can be attributed the current economy. Many of those who are being underpaid, for instance, need the money and are unaware of the true value of their timber. In addition, since the housing market and the price of sawtimber have fallen during the recession and the anemic recovery period, many landowners who would otherwise be offering timber for sale are waiting for markets to turn around. Loggers too are under tremendous pressure since their livelihoods depend on harvesting.

Another factor is that long-distance timber landowners are growing in number. A new generation is taking over management tasks previously handled by their parents. This means major decisions about forests are often made over the phone rather than on the ground, leaving US forests vulnerable to timber theft. Since it is unlikely that a landowner will jet out one day to find that an entire forest has been clearcut, as in other parts of the world, a theft can go undetected--even during a contracted sale--and often goes unreported. Foresters estimate that millions of dollars are lost due to timber theft every year.

Effective deterrents for any crime require some knowledge of how it is committed. The most common types of theft are large scale and occur when timber is harvested. Loggers can accidentally or purposefully cross poorly marked boundary lines and cut more trees than specified in the timber sale contract. A second method of theft can occur when trees not marked to be cut during the harvest are painted over fraudulently and cut without the owner’s permission.

Theft can also occur during scaling and ticketing. A logger can undervalue the timber volume, misrepresent the timber species or type and pass off entire loads of good logs as defective. A disreputable dealer or logger can also misrepresent the fair-market value of timber, which varies widely based on a number of factors including the region of the timber tract, the species and size. Finally, theft of single hardwood specialty trees, worth hundreds of dollars, can be carried out by anyone with a truck and a chainsaw in the middle of the night.

How to Prevent Timber Theft

Timberland owners can reduce the risk of these types of theft by taking a few simple precautions.

  • Know the current value of your timber. Prices change from year to year and season to season. Keep up to date.
  • Ensure that land boundaries are clearly defined and marked. A land surveyor can determine the actual property line and paint blaze marks on trees to show the location of the boundary. The boundary marks should be maintained to ensure they remain visible.
  • Inventory the trees to determine the quantity, species and growth. A forester can determine the quantity, timber type and species by conducting a timber cruise. A timber cruise involves a walkthrough of the property or, in most cases, a detailed sample of plots or strips that are representative of the entire stand.
  • Keep aware of logging operations on neighboring timber tracts to ensure that boundary lines are not crossed.
  • Monitor logging operations to ensure that only timber designated in the sales contract is cut and that scaling and ticketing operations accurately account for the timber that is removed from the tract.
  • Inspect the timber tract at least once a year.

If a timber theft occurs, contact a local state forester immediately. Many state forest services are able to investigate the theft independently or will direct you to the local law enforcement division responsible for investigating timber theft.

Get fair market value for your timber


Comments

Toby Rubner

02-02-2012

I would like to help property owners who have been ripped of by unethical tree work.

When I go into bid a job often I find violations that were done on the homeowners and surrounding properties.  I am in Washington state in the Northern part of the Pacific Northwest. Who do I call or recommend owners call.


Comments

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[...] got this press release from Steve McWilliams at the Georgia Forestry Association. Read our post, Timber Theft on the Rise, for more information on preventing and reporting timber [...]