Our Low-Impact Logging Process
Professional Harvesting That Prioritizes Your Land’s Future
A timber harvest should be the beginning of a forest’s next chapter, not the end of its beauty. At Indiana Timber & Veneer, we combine decades of experience with modern Best Management Practices (BMPs) to ensure your property remains productive, healthy, and accessible long after the logs are hauled away.
The 4-Phase Stewardship Plan
We don’t just “cut trees.” We execute a surgical harvest plan designed by Purdue-educated foresters and carried out by certified logging professionals.
Pre-Harvest Site Mapping
Before a single engine starts, we walk the property to identify staging areas (log landings) and skid trails. We map sensitive areas such as creek crossings, steep grades, and sinkholes to ensure our equipment never compromises your soil or water quality.
Precision Directional Felling
Our cutters are trained in directional felling. By controlling exactly where a tree lands, we prevent “collateral damage” to the surrounding young “crop trees.” This protects your future timber value and keeps the forest canopy healthy for wildlife.
Low-Impact Extraction (Cable Skidding)
To minimize soil compaction, we utilize cable skidders. Rather than driving heavy machinery to every stump, we stay on designated trails and “winch” the logs out. This protects the root systems of the remaining trees and prevents deep rutting in your woods.
Post-Harvest "Close-Out"
Before a single engine starts, we walk the property to identify staging areas (log landings) and skid trails. We map sensitive areas such as creek crossings, steep grades, and sinkholes to ensure our equipment never compromises your soil or water quality.
The job isn’t finished until the land is stabilized. Our close-out process includes:
Grading & Smoothing: We smooth out log landings and primary trails.
Water Bars: We install “water bars” (mounded dirt breaks) on slopes to prevent erosion and runoff.
Seeding: We seed landings and high-traffic areas to promote fast regeneration and prevent invasive species from taking hold.
Commitment to Indiana BMPs
We strictly adhere to the Indiana Logging & Forestry Best Management Practices (BMPs). This isn’t just a suggestion — it’s our standard. By protecting topsoil and riparian buffers (water edges), we ensure your land remains a premier spot for hunting, recreation, and future timber growth.
“Our goal is simple: We want you to be as proud of your woods after the harvest as you were before we arrived.”
Topographic Maps
We use topographic maps to plan the most efficient and least disruptive route through your forest.
Directional Felling
Our cutters are DNR-certified and trained in directional felling to ensure precise, low-impact tree removal.
Skidder Roads
We place skidder roads in lower-value areas to preserve high-quality trees for future growth and harvest.
Cable Skidders
We use cable skidders to reduce damage to surrounding trees, protecting the residual stand in ways standard methods cannot.
Water Bars
We install water bars along skid trails to control runoff and prevent erosion during rain events.
Tree Tops
Prevent tree tops from entering waterways and remove any that do to protect water quality.
Fords
We install fords at water crossings to prevent equipment from contacting wet soils and protect stream integrity.
Final Touches
We finish each job by restoring disturbed areas—grading ruts, smoothing landings, seeding and mulching exposed soil, and removing all debris.
Our Equipment
We use modern, well-maintained equipment designed for efficiency and low-impact harvesting.
3 Skidders
2 Dozers
2 Knucklebooms
2 Semis
See Our Process in Action
Watch how our team approaches low-impact harvesting with planning, precision, and respect for the future of your land.
Ready to Understand the Value of Your Timber?
Our Purdue-educated foresters will walk your property with you, identify your high-value species, and provide a clear, no-obligation evaluation.