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Forester-Owned

Forestry & Land Management Services

Wise Batten, Inc. is here to help with the management of your property. From a one-time timber inventory or sale to writing a management plan for future planning purposes, we can help. Below is the full range of services that we provide.

  • Forester-owned since 1978
  • South Carolina & Georgia

Because we are foresters, we keep going long after the closing table — and we will manage land you never intend to sell.

Services 7

Timber Inventory & Sales

A timber inventory is needed to understand the timber resources present on a property and to make decisions regarding future management activities. Our foresters are experts not only in conducting a thorough timber inventory, but also in knowing the timber market in a particular area. Having this expertise is critical when assessing the sale of timber as a management activity or as part of a real estate transaction for either an acquisition or sale.

A Wise Batten forester standing in a mature managed pine stand during a timber inventory.

Reforestation Coordination & Supervision

Successful management plans include a comprehensive plan for reforestation. Our foresters can make recommendations for site preparation, manage solicitation of bids from contractors, and supervise the various cultural practices. We can also help with the process of selecting and purchasing seedlings as well as the coordination and management of tree planting.

Freshly bedded rows on a cutover site prepared for pine seedling planting.

Timber Stand & Wildlife Habitat Improvements

Most forests are not growing at their full potential. If poorly managed, undesirable competitors occupy growing space and site resources such as nutrients and water. Prescribed burning is a commonly used practice to control understory vegetation in pine forests. An understory release application using forestry herbicides is another method for competition control. For nutrient deficient sites, forest fertilization can be used to improve the growth rates of pine stands. Our forestry experts evaluate the need for various timber stand improvement activities on a site-by-site basis.

A thinned pine stand with an open, managed understory.

Management Plan Creation

Adaptive management plans are critical to making a property investment a success. The foresters and wildlife managers at Wise Batten, Inc. will work with you to create a plan of action that achieves your investment and/or recreational goals. Staying on schedule for timber harvesting, timber stand improvement activities, and reforestation is essential to optimizing your return on investment. If hunting is your primary objective, we can also work with you to enhance your property's wildlife habitat.

Wise Batten foresters reviewing a management plan on a client property.

GIS Mapping

Wise Batten, Inc. uses the most advanced technologies to provide GIS mapping services. Detailed and accurate maps provide invaluable information about your property's features such as timber stand type and size, soil quality, and topography.

GIS mapping of timber stands, soils, and topography on a managed property.

Cost Basis Determination & Depletion Accounting

When one purchases or inherits a property, determining the cost basis for tax reporting is crucial. We have a vast knowledge of how to determine and report a property's timber and land basis. We also have the knowledge and expertise in helping accountants with timber depletion reporting.

Aerial view of managed pine timberland with interior fields and roads.

Conservation Easement Consulting

Conservation easements can be cumbersome to navigate. We have experience in placing conservation easements on our own properties. We also offer consulting services to landowners who may be considering placing an easement on their property. Please contact us if you are interested in learning more about conservation easements.

A historic farm building under live oaks on a conservation property.

Not sure which service fits your land? Start with a conversation — call us at (803) 625-4256.

We can help.

Contact a forester.

Whether you need a single timber appraisal or a forester to manage your property for the next 20 years, the process is the same. Contact us — no cost, no obligation. We will let you know whether we are the right fit.