This small business was a terrible disappointment for several reasons:
The website gives the illusion that it is a standard size operation comparable to the other forestry management companies in the area. Unfortunately, it is not. The problem with that is this one man show has no real interest in the management of private forests. It appears that his primary source of income is selling harvesting rights to the timber on your property. Everyone knows this is the lucrative aspect of the business and doesn't involve a long-term commitment on forest management with the owner. But then again, how could a single operator and sole employee manage private forests throughout all of Vermont and New Hampshire as he touts on his website. Therefore he must be able to convince the unwary property owner to sign away the rights to their timber. The "testimonials" posted on his site seem to be all from those allowing Stuart to do just that -harvest only their valuable trees. I am sure none of them have ever gone through this process before.
I have three tracts of land ranging from 16 acres to over two hundred acres in Vermont. I had twenty acres of timber harvested by another company three years ago. They still manage this forested property, but I didn't have anyone to compare with. I thought I would contact Stillwater on my 16-acre lot before committing again to the first company. I am glad I did because now I know what proper forestry entails and it sure isn't Stillwater.
I will continue to use the original company I hired after the lack of professionalism I encountered with small, rapacious Stillwater Forestry or should I say, Stuart Bevin. He is the owner, operator and sole employee of Stillwater Forestry (strangely enough though, he enjoys referring to himself as "we" and "our" -- like some kind of Sméagol/Gollum type thing).
Stuart Bevin is very eager to have you sign away your timber rights. Just don't expect him to be too concerned with managing your forests. For me, I will stick with the other truly honest forest management companies in the area. I suggest you do a lot of research on anyone before you sign away your timber rights; for most of us it can be a once in a lifetime contract since trees take a long time to grow. Make sure it is with a real professional and not a pesky 'wanna be'. read more
