Consultant Directory
The listing of professional consulting foresters found below includes those who are members of the Illinois Forestry Association. Their service area may include portions of neighboring states; all that is listed here is the portion within Illinois.
We appreciate their membership in our organization.
From the University of Illinois Extension -
Independent professional consulting foresters - also known as consultants - are self-employed, college trained natural resource professionals with advanced preparation in forest science and management. Forestry consultants provide fee-based, on-site technical forestry services to forest landowners, homeowners, land trusts, businesses, and local, state, and federal government. It is important to note “independent” professional consulting foresters are not allowed to engage in the buying or brokering of timber or logs for sawmills, export firms, or forest products companies; however, it is important to verify this fact with the consulting forester as they are ethically obligated to divulge this information to their clients. Click here for the latest consultant directory from the University of Illinois (2.6 MB file).
Licensing of Consultants
There are no legal definitions or official boards governing the licensing of professional foresters in the state of Illinois. Therefore, it is the sole responsibility of landowners and homeowners to request the credentials and references of an individual claiming to be an independent professional consulting forester.
Individuals listed within this Consultant Directory possess, at minimum, either a four-year college degree in forestry; a four-year degree in an allied natural resources discipline with adequate competency in forest management deemed acceptable to author forest management plans as verified by the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service; a graduate degree in forestry or natural resources; or a two-year associates degree in forest technology.
Benefits of Using a Consultant
Woodland owners who acquire the services of a professional forester earn, on average, 25-250% greater timber sale revenues as compared to selling their timber directly to a timber buyer or logger! This is commonly referred to as the professional forester’s “Timber Marketing Effect”.
Equally important is the fact that professional foresters almost always mark and sell more lower value trees, while marking and selling fewer high-value trees, at least during the landowner’s first timber sale.
The end result: Landowners retain more high-value trees for future timber sales when they employ the services of a professional forester - this expertise provides both future ecological benefits and financial benefits!
We appreciate their membership in our organization.
From the University of Illinois Extension -
Independent professional consulting foresters - also known as consultants - are self-employed, college trained natural resource professionals with advanced preparation in forest science and management. Forestry consultants provide fee-based, on-site technical forestry services to forest landowners, homeowners, land trusts, businesses, and local, state, and federal government. It is important to note “independent” professional consulting foresters are not allowed to engage in the buying or brokering of timber or logs for sawmills, export firms, or forest products companies; however, it is important to verify this fact with the consulting forester as they are ethically obligated to divulge this information to their clients. Click here for the latest consultant directory from the University of Illinois (2.6 MB file).
Licensing of Consultants
There are no legal definitions or official boards governing the licensing of professional foresters in the state of Illinois. Therefore, it is the sole responsibility of landowners and homeowners to request the credentials and references of an individual claiming to be an independent professional consulting forester.
Individuals listed within this Consultant Directory possess, at minimum, either a four-year college degree in forestry; a four-year degree in an allied natural resources discipline with adequate competency in forest management deemed acceptable to author forest management plans as verified by the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service; a graduate degree in forestry or natural resources; or a two-year associates degree in forest technology.
Benefits of Using a Consultant
Woodland owners who acquire the services of a professional forester earn, on average, 25-250% greater timber sale revenues as compared to selling their timber directly to a timber buyer or logger! This is commonly referred to as the professional forester’s “Timber Marketing Effect”.
Equally important is the fact that professional foresters almost always mark and sell more lower value trees, while marking and selling fewer high-value trees, at least during the landowner’s first timber sale.
The end result: Landowners retain more high-value trees for future timber sales when they employ the services of a professional forester - this expertise provides both future ecological benefits and financial benefits!