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05 Smith reviewed the figures that Gaertner presented earlier about landowner profit from harvesting timber . Gaertner noted that at the present time the only thing that forestry can compete with is agriculture . There is so much development in Orange County that a person has to really love his land to turn down a developer . Smith said if someone could come up with a way for the landowner to make $ 200 per acre per year without harvesting the timber it could help sustain mature forests . Gaertner noted that most timber owners plan to cut and sell their timber on a 30 - year cycle . Gordon asked how conservation easement compared with buying timber rights . Gaertner noted that price of purchasing timber rights takes into account the current and future value of the timber . The banker might value the current value at $ 300 per acre while the long - term value might be $ 2 , 000 per acre . McIver asked about the idea of " forest banking . " Gaertner spoke of an example from the Clench River ( Tennessee ) , where landowners were paid about half of what they could have realized . He said given the recent timber prices in the Piedmont , a landowner can make around $ 100 per acre per year growing timber . If you use the capitalization rate and feel like you need to make 8 % interest on your investment in your land then that only covers about $ 1200 per acre worth of value . Geertner explained a possible program of Timber Stand Improvement : treatment of a middle - aged stand that matures in 20 years verses a planting of seedlings that could take up to 40 years before harvesting . Tucker talked about the possibility of " niche markets . " Recreational leases were also discussed , noting that they only yield $ 5 - 10 per acre per year . Kohorn asked what is the economic incentative for landowners to selectively cut their timber . Gaertner explained that the tree value for an 8 " diameter pine is about $ 1 and for hardwood $ . 75 . By allowing the 8 - inch tree to grow to 10 inches it 's value increases to $ 4 ( pine ) and to $ 1 . 50 ( hardwood ) . He noted that so much clear cutting occurs because of the " Type A " forester attitude of growing trees like cabbages . He offered the following values : Age Diameter Tree Value Tree Value ears inches Hardwood Pine 20 8 $ 1 $ . 75 Draft CFE 2/ 12/01 Minutes Page 4 of 6