Blogs

Pleasant Memories and an Attachment to a Piece of Land 

Submitted by Mary Sisock on Fri, 11/09/2012 - 2:12am

Brenda Woodard, a retired U.S. Forest Service forester and a landowner in Douglas County, is the daughter of a former Lane County Extension Forester, Steve Woodard, who was the Oregon Tree Farmer of the Year in 2004. He lives on the tree farm that has been in his family since his grandfather purchased it in 1948. “His vision and passion are what inspired my husband and me to become forest  land owners,” she said.

Our Family Meetings Are Important 

Submitted by Mary Sisock on Fri, 11/09/2012 - 1:57am

Lon and Laura Rankin own several small and moderate size parcels of woodland in Oregon’s mid-Willamette valley. They’d taken care of the legal side of succession planning long ago.  “I learned about the importance of planning from my father and uncle. They both had trusts and the transfer to the next generation went so smoothly,” said Lon. So as soon as it made sense, they set up a trust too. They had been proactive and were content they were on top of the issue.

Creating a Journal 

Submitted by Liz Jackson on Tue, 10/23/2012 - 1:16pm

There are many reasons to keep a journal about your woodland property. One important reason is to create a history to share with family members. This history will help them understand your goals and allow them to appreciate the beauty of the place. Make sure to include plenty of photographs of the property and your family enjoying it.

Estate Planning for Landowners: A guide for technical assistance 

Submitted by Liz Jackson on Tue, 10/23/2012 - 12:55pm

While nothing takes the place of communicating your woodland ownership goals with your family, you may have a need for further technical assistance on legal or tax implications of estate planning. Discuss with your family your legal and financial issues and share information on any outside advisors you have consulted.

Estate Planning for Forest Landowners: What will become of your timberland? provides guidelines and assistance to private forest owners and their professional advisors on the application of estate planning techniques to forest properties. For more information, view and download the publication.