There are several options for a landowner to consider when selling their timber. Heritage Land & Timber Inc. generally uses one of 3 options. Every timber sale is different according to type of harvest, ground conditions, accessibility, and most of all the landowner's objectives. Each option detailed below.

Lump Sum Timber Sale

This is a sale in which the landowner has clearly identified an area of timber to be harvested which may include one or more stands of timber. This type of timber sale is suitable for a clearcut or a marked selective harvest. In a clearcut, the landowner and forester must clearly understand the area to be harvested with definable harvest boundaries. The boundaries must be marked with timber marking paint. To conduct a Lump Sum Timber Sale in a selectively marked area, the trees to be harvested must be marked or clearly identified prior to selling the timber by the landowner or forester. Whether a clearcut or selective harvest, the trees to be sold must be properly identified and marked prior to selling the timber.

Once the area and trees to be sold are properly identified, a forester with Heritage Land & Timber, Inc. will conduct a timber cruise to evaluate the quantity and quality of the timber. We will then evaluate the timber cruise and arrive at a appraised value for the timber. Once the deal is reached between the landowner and Heritage Land & Timber, Inc., a contract is prepared and signed by both parties. The timber will be paid for in full at the signing of the Timber Sale Contract. Heritage Land & Timber Inc. normally has a 12 month contract to harvest the timber.

Per Unit Timber Sale

This timber sale type may be used in any type of timber - from first thinnings to clearcuts. It is likely the most common timber sale type in the Upstate of South Carolina. The landowner identifies the area and type of harvest to be conducted and agrees to be paid on a "per ton" basis for all the timber harvested. There will likely be several timber products on each sale such as pine pulpwood, pine sawtimber, pine chip-n-saw, hardwood pulpwood, and hardwood sawtimber.

Once the area to be harvested and prices by product class are agreed upon by the landowner and Heritage Land & Timber Inc., a contract is signed. When the timber harvest begins, the landowner is paid on a weekly basis for all tons removed from the harvest area. Each of the manufacturing mills provides the logger with a ticket including the tonnage and other vital information. When a settlement is generated to the landowner, each of the scale tickets from the mill will accompany payment until the timber sale is complete.

Per Unit With Advance Payment Timber Sale

This timber sale has the same characteristics as a Per Unit Timber Sale except that when the contract is signed, an advanced payment is made. The advance payment is made to the landowner as soon as the deal is reached but before the timber harvest begins. Since some timber sales can be quite lengthy, landowners may request some of the payment in advance of the timber harvest.

When the timber harvest begins, Heritage Land & Timber, Inc will begin to recover the amount of the advance based on the contract's per unit prices by product class. All other characteristics are the same as the Per Unit Timber Sale. The landowner will receive a weekly settlement report and payment (if necessary). Mill scale tickets will be included with each settlement report.