The most important thing a Forester does for the landowners is to mark the timber sale according to the landowner’s goals for the sale and to tally up all the species, volumes and quality of the trees marked. Then we take on the task of selling the timber for the best possible price to a buyer who will do a good job of harvesting. Your Forester will get your money and make sure the job is done according to environmental regulations and good forestry practices. Good salesmanship and good relationships with the best timber buyers are qualities that I bring into a timber sale. I’ve learned to avoid certain situations, learned to work with regulatory agencies and buyers to see that the whole thing goes smoothly. Every harvest has its own set of challenges. When Mr. Murphy shows up, a good Forester is a valuable asset. I go back to the court analogy. You can go into court without a lawyer but wouldn’t you be better off with an attorney who knows the system, has worked with the judge and the other side’s attorney before?