Valuation of Bare Forestland and Premerchantable Timber Stands in Forestry Appraisal

Rural appraisers often use Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) analysis to value timber and timberland. Land expectation value (LEV) is a standard DCF analysis technique that is applied to many timberland situations. LEV is used to calculate the value of bare land in perpetual timber production and is often used in the valuation of even-aged pine plantations. However, it can also be useful in the valuation of premerchantable timber stands and uneven-aged timber stands cut periodically. The analytical techniques appropriate to these applications are illustrated. These models have wide applicability in timberland appraisal situations.