Did you know that almost 20 percent of all manufacturing firms located in North Carolina use forest products in their manufacturing process? Did you know that North Carolina leads the nation in the value of furniture shipments? Did you know that the forest products industry ranks second as an industrial employer in North Carolina? Did you know that almost $22 million worth of forest products were sold from Robeson County forests last year, with 80 percent of this coming from privately owned forest?

Forests cover sixty-two percent of North Carolina, and trees cover almost one-half of Robeson County.

As I have shared so many times in the past, forestry is big business in Robeson County. However, most forest owners in the county fail to manage their forestlands properly and to its fullest potential.

Many farmers and landowners are searching for additional sources of income from their property.

Others are searching for increased income from what they are currently doing on their farms.

Forestry offers tremendous potential for these individuals. Trees are just like other crops. They must be planted and properly managed. Then, when they are mature they should be harvested. As soon as harvest is complete, they should be replanted. The only negative about forestry as a crop is that it takes many years for the crop to mature, unlike corn or soybeans that can be harvested every year.

There are several cost-share programs available for landowners. Some of these programs are provided to assist in replanting trees where a timber harvest has occurred. Other programs are provided to assist in converting croplands into forestlands. Some programs are provided through the Farm Service Agency, some through the Natural Resource Conservation Service, and some through the North Carolina Forest Service.

This is the time of the year to be planting trees, especially pine trees. Pines are usually planted in December, January and February. They need to be planted at this time of the year so they have time to develop a good root system before it gets hot and dry. Tress planted during this time of the year will generally provide a good stand. If they are planted later than February many of them will not live, and replanting will often be required.

Many landowners feel that they must be approved for a forestry cost-share program before they can afford to plant trees. When considering the long term earning potential of forestlands this is often not the case. Delaying planting for a year or two will naturally delay the final harvest. Income lost over this delay is often much greater than the value of the cost-share program. The moral of this story is that if you have an opportunity to plant trees, plant them. Don't wait around.

I frequently receive phone calls or office visits from individuals that have timber they want to sell. They often know it has some value because they have been approached by timber buyers encouraging them to sell. The problem is that many of them do not know what timber is worth, and they do not know if what they have been offered is a good price or not.

Extensive surveys throughout the southeast has shown that landowners that use the services of consulting foresters receive on average about 23 percent more income for their timber than those that sell on their own. Of course, there are some individuals that are very knowledgeable of forestry, and they probably manage their forestlands so well that they are selling timber frequently. These individuals may do quite well on their own.

But many landowners never have an opportunity to sell timber more than once or twice in their life times. About all they know about timber sells is what one of their friends or neighbors have told them. They have no idea of what their timber is actually worth, and they have little knowledge of what timber companies are paying top dollar for what kind of trees.

If you have timber to sell, the very best advice I can give to you is to find yourself a good consulting forester, not a good timber buyer, and discuss your goals with him or her. Although they charge for their services, you might be pleasantly surprised to learn that they make you money instead of costing you money.

If you have questions about timber, please get the right information before taking action. You can start by calling me at 671-3276.

- Everett Davis is the director of the Robeson County Cooperative Extension Service. The Cooperative Extension home page is: http//robeson.ces.nc.us.