November 7, 2025
Member Alert
NC Forest Service Analysis
Dear Carolina Logger,
Please see the message below from the NC Forest Service. They will be choosing random logging jobs to conduct an analysis on timber left on the ground. This is not an inspection — it is strictly a survey. There will be no write-ups or citations.
Thank you,
Jonzi
From the North Carolina Forest Service:
Forest Inventory Foresters conduct the Forest Timber Study (FTS) year-round. There are approximately 40 FTS crews across the state, primarily in the coastal plains. These studies are used by the federal government to track mill specifications as they fluctuate with industry needs.
All personal information is kept private, and the crew will speak directly with the job foreman about the operation. The goal is to determine how advanced the logging equipment used in North Carolina is and whether it affects the merchantability of timber resources. This information is merged with Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) and mill surveys to assess the amount of logging residue left in the woods.
They are not visiting the site for any inspection and cannot report any violations that may be observed. I ask that you and your crew cooperate with them within reason and avoid interfering with their work. They are simply there to measure approximately 20 tree stumps and logs that have been cut safely away from felling and skidding areas.
If you are actively “hot skidding” at the time of their visit, please inform them if conditions are unsafe for measurement. The crew should identify themselves as FIA Foresters with the NC Forest Service and will not ask questions related to stumpage prices.
Thank you for your cooperation,
Don F. Roach II
Forest Inventory and Analysis Coordinator
North Carolina Forest Service
NC Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services