Buying Your Trees: What We Look for on a Free Consultation Lot Walk in Upstate & Central New York

First things first: we’re not showing up with a chainsaw

A lot walk is just that — a walk. When we visit your property, we’re not there to rush into a harvest or push a contract. Our goal is to take an honest look at your woods, listen to your goals, and figure out what makes sense for your land. We simply love what we do, and if all you get from us is some helpful advice about your woodlot, we’re happy with that too.

Every landowner has different priorities — income, wildlife habitat, cleanup, or simply learning more about their forest. The best way to start is by walking the property together and seeing what’s really there.

Tree species and spacing

We start by identifying what kinds of hardwoods you have — black walnut, maple, ash, cherry, hickory, oaks, locust, and beech are common in this part of Upstate New York. Different species carry different values depending on the markets and time of year, so knowing what’s standing is the first step in making the right decision.

We’ll walk your property and create a clear growth plan for your woodlot — one that keeps the forest healthy for years to come while also meeting your financial goals. For example, we check how tightly the trees are spaced, since a closed canopy can block sunlight and slow the growth of younger or higher-value trees. We might also see certain species being crowded out, the understory growing too thick for new saplings, or invasive plants starting to take over.

Size, age, and form of your trees

We don’t just look at height — we consider diameter at breast height (DBH), crown size, and overall form. A tall tree might not be worth much if it’s full of knots, leaning, or hollow inside.

Using our experience and USDA forestry methods, we can estimate the board foot tally for the trees we propose to cut.

What we’re really after is maturity and structure: are your trees at their peak, in decline, or still growing? Ideally, a healthy forest will have a mix of trees in all three stages, creating balance and supporting long-term forest health. Knowing this helps us decide if now is the right time to harvest — or if it’s better to wait for a stronger return.

Access and terrain

We pay close attention to how equipment could (or couldn’t) get in and out. That includes existing trails, road frontage, slopes, and potential landing spots for staging logs.

Low-impact access is a big part of what we offer — but it helps to know upfront what kind of footprint is realistic.

Stress, storm damage, or disease

A lot of landowners don’t realize they’ve got trees with root damage, rot, fungus, or structural weakness until we point it out.

Identifying these early means you can recover value before the timber goes bad — or remove safety hazards near trails, cabins, or driveways.

Regrowth and forest health

One of the biggest things we look for is what’s happening under the main canopy — are there young hardwoods coming up? Is there diversity? Are deer wiping out all the saplings?

We want to make sure a cut helps your woods come back stronger, not just emptier. That’s how we cut today with the next generation in mind.

What happens after the walk

After we’ve seen your woods and talked through your goals, we’ll put together a basic tally of what we expect to harvest — including the main species, rough board footage, and an outline of what the job would involve.

We can’t fully grade the logs until they’re on the ground — sometimes what looks perfect on the outside has hidden rot or defects inside. That’s why we give you a realistic picture up front, then stay in touch as the job unfolds.

From there, we’ll agree on a payment structure that works for both sides — clear, fair, and with cash in hand when the job starts moving. Every lot is different, and we’ll walk you through the numbers so you know what to expect.

Want to schedule a walk-through?

Call or text: 315-404-8978

Email: info@grabeldingerfirewood.com

We walk properties across Upstate New York, and we’re always happy to talk through your options — whether you’re ready now or just doing your homework.