The Burbank Forest represents an attractive timber investment opportunity, dominated by a sugar maple sawlog resource that is well-aligned to robust asset appreciation from the growth and long-term harvest of the timber resource.
The current family has held the land since the early ’60s and professionally managed over that period.
Property highlights include:
· Northcentral Vermont location with good access to local, regional, and north to Quebec, Canada forest product markets;
· Species composition dominated by sugar maple, which accounts for 60% of the species composition;
· Solid, long-term timber investment, where the asking price is well below the standing capital timber value;
· Existing developed access roads into the land;
· Low annual taxes.
Burbank Forest is located in north-central Vermont in an area that is split between forest and agricultural land. To the north and on into Canada, the agricultural footprint increases within the Black, Barton and Magog Rivers. A forested landscape dominates to the west, along the Green Mountain Range, and east, along the Vermont New Hampshire border. The property is situated at the northern end of the Lowell Mountain Range, the last forest-dominated area, before falling off north towards the Lake Memphremagog basin.
Exit 26 of Interstate 91 is 12 miles to the east and also the location of the town of Orleans. The largest nearby town is Newport which is 8 miles to the north with large box stores, and Lake Memphremagog, a lake, mostly in Canada, which covers an area of 687 square miles and stretches 31 miles north to south. Five nearby state roads (plus I91) provide ideal access to local, regional, and Canadian forest products markets.
From the property, it is 3 hours southeast to Boston and 1.75 hours northwest to Montreal. Skiing at Jay Peak Resort is a 25-minute drive to the west.
The property has access from two rights of ways off Logan Road.
From Route 100, Poginy Hill Road runs about 1.1 miles to Logan Road, an un-maintained town road. Then on Logan Road, head south for 1 mile to the junction in the road and near a gate. The gravel road to the left (a right of way) heads +/- 1000 to the property boundary, then proceeds on the land for +/-3,000 to a landing beyond the ridge and downslope towards the land’s lower eastern slope.
Back at the gate and near the junction along Logan Road, the right of way road to the south runs +/-1,100’ to the boundary then continues on the land for another +/-1,900’ where there is an old landing. Just beyond the landing is a camp that is off the land. These access roads are in very good condition. It appears this access also serves as access to other adjacent properties.
It is uncertain if the road onto the land’s southeastern section provides deeded access from Reservoir Road however the ownership has used this access route for many decades.
A ridgeline nearly bisects the land whose elevation runs around 1,600’. The terrain along the ridge is moderately sloping with some rock outcropping. The terrain then falls off to the east and west to a low elevation of 1,200’. The terrain along the slopes leading to the ridge is moderate with occasional steep slopes and rock outcropping.
All the terrain is compatible with mechanical harvesting systems, and the soils are primarily well-drained and highly suited to its primary species of maple and ash. However, the soils are less drained within the northwestern and extreme eastern sections of the land where mixed species are present.
There are no streams other than Dunn Brook, which clips the extreme eastern end of the property.
The timber data reveals a total sawlog volume of 2,461 MBF International ¼” scale (5.2 MBF/commercial acre) with 7,219 pulpwood cords (15.2 cords/commercial acre). Combined total commercial per acre volume is 25.5 cords, a figure about average for the region. Stumpage values were assigned to the volumes producing a property-wide Capital Timber Value (CTV) of $931,600 ($1,958/commercial acre)
A species composition dominated by hardwoods prevails, with hardwoods at 97% and softwoods at 3% of total volume, reflective of a well-drained upper slope site. Species composition for all products combined offers a favorable mix and is heavily led by sugar maple at 60% of total volume, followed by yellow birch (10%), red maple (8%), white ash (8%), beech (4%) and other miscellaneous species making up the balance. This is a sugar maple property with the sawlog volume breakdown consisting largely of sugar maple, with a minor component of other species with historically strong demand.
Overall, forest stocking is variable, with a consistent stocking over most of the forest excepting the areas recently harvested in 2019. Average Basal Area (BA) is 84 ft2 on 165 stems/acre. The Acceptable Growing Stock BA is 61 ft2.
Stem quality can be considered exceptional throughout the property, especially in mid-slope areas where soils are deeper. This is a function of the high-quality soils and the long history of professional forest management this property has experienced.
Average diameter for all products combined by volume is 13.5”, while the average sawlog diameter is 14.5”. Average diameter for sugar maple is 15”.
The conservation easement on the property is held by the Vermont Land Trust (VLT), one of the most respected conservation organizations in the nation. A working forest “partnership” with VLT offers the new owner predictability and cooperation, given the long history and respected reputation this land trust has established.
A principal objective of the easement is to conserve productive forestry resources and to encourage the long-term, professional management of those resources, and to facilitate the economically sustainable production of forest resources while protecting water resources, scenic vistas, and wildlife habitat.
Easement highlights include:
Copies of the easement are available upon request.
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