How do I plan my tree farm’s planting years so a successor has stock to harvest?
Map what stands in each block now, then plan plantings so some trees reach harvest size every season. Gaps in the planting record become gaps in a successor’s income, so fill them while you still run the farm. Start while you still run the farm.
Begin with an honest inventory by block: species, planting year, size today, and losses. Then work backward from harvest. Ask how long each species takes to reach sale size on your land, and which blocks will be ready in each coming season. Any season with nothing ready is a hole in the successor’s early cash flow. Keep a log of survival rates for each planting so your successor can adjust how many seedlings to put in.
Close those holes by adjusting what you plant now. Spread plantings across several years instead of one large effort, and think about replanting right after harvest so blocks do not sit empty. Allow for losses to drought, pests and poor stock.
Pair the schedule with a cash-flow plan. Planting, shearing and care cost money long before trees are sold, so a successor needs working funds for the lean seasons. Your accountant can help you build that forecast. Write everything into a farm plan: block map, schedule, care routines and supplier contacts. Review it each year with your successor, and keep a contingency plan in case you are unable to work. Involve the successor in choosing species and blocks, since they will live with the results long after you have left.
Key takeaways
- Map every block’s species, age and size, and note where the gaps fall.
- Spread plantings so trees come ready every season after handover.
- Forecast cash for the lean years between planting and sale.
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Sources
This answer is checked against primary sources. Links were last confirmed on the dates shown.
- 01Canadian Federation of Independent BusinessResearch dataSuccession Tsunami: Preparing for a decade of small business transitions
- 02Business Development Bank of CanadaGovernmentWhat is succession planning?
- 03Business Development Bank of CanadaGovernmentAdvice for succession planning - Articles and tools
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