Wall & Company, Inc. has been practicing forestry for 35+ years in NC and VA. We offer a broad range of management services including reforestation, timber sales, and everything in between. Wall & Company, Inc. has two foresters on staff.
Our President, Sterling Wall, Sr. is an NC Registered Forester and graduated from NC State University in 1973 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Forest Resource Management. Sterling worked as a procurement forester for Wall & Lohr Lumber Company of Lexington until 1986. He then became a consulting forester helping private landowners manage their timberlands in order to meet their objectives. Sterling specializes in forest management with a special emphasis on wildlife management.
Jeremy S. Brinkley is also an NC Registered Forester. He graduated from NC State University in 1998 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Forest Resource Management. Jeremy has worked for Wall & Company since his graduation. The following are just a few of the services that Wall & Company can provide for forest landowners:
Forestry Services
Timber Sales
Management Plans
Reforestation
Overseeing Thinning Operations
Insect and Disease Control
Property Line Maintenance
Wildlife Management
Timber Sales
Landowners who decide to sell their timber on their own rarely get the amount they should. Without a good estimate of the volume of timber, species represented, current timber prices, and knowledge of timber buyers and products, a landowner can be misled by what may seem like a great offer. When we perform a timber sale, we accurately determine the acreage, ascertain the volume by species and product, paint and flag all sale boundaries, paint and flag all Stream Management Zones (SMZ’s), analyze current market trends, advertise the sale to 50+ timber buyers in the area, close the sale, and supervise the logging operation. In addition, we coordinate the reforestation of the stand after logging to insure the next stand is initiated correctly.
Management Plans
Management plans are one of the most useful tools a landowner can have. A management plan will give a landowner a detailed description of all the stands on their property as well as guidelines regarding how to manage them to meet their objectives. Also, a management plan is needed to qualify for Forestry Use Property Tax Deferment. In the majority of NC counties, in order to qualify for this deferment, a landowner must own at least 20 acres involved in the commercial growth of timber and have a written management plan. A management plan will also include a detailed map of the property. Wall & Company uses the latest Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to develop accurate maps and store stand level information. We also have access to color infrared aerial photographs and 2′ contour maps that we can overlay on property boundaries.
Reforestation
Reforestation, or the practice of establishing new trees following a timber harvest, is one of the most important management procedures a landowner faces. It is important to think of reforestation as you would with any financial investment. The decisions made at the time of reforestation will drive the investment for the next 30-100 years. Soils, site conditions, and personal objectives must be considered to develop a reforestation plan that will maximize return. Wall & Company will help you develop a plan for the area that needs to reforested and oversee the practices that are needed.
Overseeing Thinning Operations
If you own land with Loblolly pine stands, those stands will at some point need to be thinned. Thinning pine stands insures that the trees are not overcrowded and are allowed to grow at their maximum potential. Thinning also keeps the stand healthy and less susceptible to insects and disease. Today, most thinning decisions are made by an operator in the thinning crew. Our professional opinion is that the thinning should be marked by a forester. Since the trees left are going to be the trees that grow to maturity, it is important to select the best disease- and damage-free trees to remain in the stand. We have found that most pine stands need to be first thinned at about 16-17 years of age. Typically, we recommend a second thin approximately 6-7 years later.
Insect and Disease Control
Insects and diseases have always plagued timber managers and landowners. One of the most destructive insects is the Southern Pine Beetle. Groups of dead pine trees are usually signs of Southern Pine Beetle activity. Diseases can also be destructive if not properly suppressed. In most cases, a properly timed and performed thinning operation to keep the stand vigorous is the best preventative measure. If an outbreak has started, Wall & Company can assist the landowner by preventing the spread of the insects or disease.
Property Line Maintenance
Proper property line maintenance can save a landowner time and money. When a property is surveyed, the property lines are typically marked with flagging tape. After two years, there usually isn’t enough flagging left to accurately follow the lines. With a small investment of time and boundary paint the property lines can be visible for many years. We typically paint our lines every 8-9 years.
Wildlife Management
In most cases, good forest management equals good wildlife management. Wall and Company can help guide landowners to better wildlife management based on the landowner’s objectives. We are avid wildlife enthusiasts and can show landowners examples of the benefits of wildlife plots and controlled burning. We can help determine the best location for wildlife plots and what should be planted to assist particular wildlife species.