Karcher, Michael
About Karcher, Michael
Karcher, Michael, under the name Illinois Forestry, is a forestry consultant in Dahlgren, Illinois, covering Southern Illinois. Michael C. Karcher holds a B.S., an M.S. and the C.F. credential. The office is open Monday to Friday, 9 to 6, at (618) 736-2341. Before you sell timber, you should know what you are selling: the tree species, the volume and quality of each tree, and the current market price. "Do you know what you are selling?" is the first question to ask. Timber sale income is usually treated as the sale of a capital asset, not ordinary income, and income from recently acquired timbered land may not be taxable at all. When land changes hands, the standing timber can be valued apart from the land to reduce the capital gains tax on later sales, and a forester can still set that value after the fact. A forest management plan should be written by a professional forester before any timber harvest or other forestry practice. A plan is required to be eligible for most state and federal cost share programs, can reduce property taxes on forested or reforested land, and once carried out will raise the present and future value of the property. It suits a landowner who wants a written plan in hand before any cutting, or who needs the standing timber valued apart from the land after buying it. From illinoisforestry.com, read 21 October 2026.
Can they handle a timber sale?
Selling standing timber properly takes three things. Here's what the state register credits this firm with.
Timber AppraisalAn estimate of what your standing timber is worth in dollars, based on how much there is, its quality, and current prices. When you are selling, settling an estate, dividing property, or need a value for taxes or insurance.What does this mean? → — not listed
works out what your standing timber is worth
Timber Cruise & Volume EstimateA field measurement of your standing trees — their species, sizes, and quality — that adds up to how much wood you actually have. Before you sell, so you go in knowing roughly what is out there rather than taking a buyer's word for it.What does this mean? → — not listed
measures and grades what's actually out there
Timber Sale & Contract AdministrationRunning the sale for you: advertising the timber, taking bids, writing the contract, and overseeing the logging so the agreed terms are met. When you want someone on your side handling the whole sale rather than dealing with buyers and loggers yourself.What does this mean? → — not listed
runs the sale and handles the contract
This firm isn't credited with all three, which doesn't make it a worse forester — plenty specialise in management planning, wildlife or wetlands. It does mean that if your goal is to sell timber, you'd likely need someone else for the part that's missing.
Everything they're registered for
Hover or tap a service to see what it means for you.
Karcher, Michael
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