Gulf Coast Region
Our forestry consultants and land management professionals in the Gulf Coast region are here to serve you
After acquiring land, it can be a challenge to know how to care for it. The land sustains so much life for countless species, and providing proper land management is an important responsibility. That’s where AFM comes in. We want to be your trusted partner who dreams with you about what is possible on your property and walks you through the steps to make it a reality. Our commitment to sustainability and stewardship means we will treat your property like it’s our own, and we follow all applicable Best Management Practices (BMPs), Forest Practice rules, Safe Harbor Agreements, and all other state and federal requirements to ensure that your land or investment remains healthy and thriving for generations.
The land and forest management experts in AFM’s Gulf Coast Region are local specialists with deep knowledge of the area’s climate, tree species, soil types, vegetation, wildlife, reforestation, and more. As such, they are equipped to help you with the goals and objectives for your property and offer these region-specific services:
- Real Estate: Whether you’re looking for a small weekend getaway destination, a sizeable 300-acre tract for recreational opportunities, or large investment-grade timber tracts, our real estate agents can help you find your ideal tract. Our national expertise, coupled with regional knowledge, makes us the most equipped to conduct thorough research and market analysis to identify the highest and best use of your property. You will receive a custom, tailor-made strategy to attract top-dollar offers through our effective marketing and sales methods.
- Wildlife Management: When land is managed for wildlife, recreational opportunities abound. Our Certified Wildlife Biologists are licensed and qualified to advise landowners on a variety of objectives, such as endangered species protection, recreation, lease management, and wildlife plans. Combined with state-of-the-art technology and the expertise of our forestry and land management professionals, our Wildlife Services team can help you achieve all of your wildlife management goals.
- Timber Sales: Our foresters will oversee timber harvest permitting, log marketing, and contract administration. We will help develop a harvest prescription designed to meet your objectives, coupled with our experience of managing local forests and addressing local forest health concerns. Our deep knowledge of log markets will help maximize value for each log that is harvested from your property. We also offer log accounting services that track harvest activity and provide security measures to monitor log quality, rate of production, and mill payment reconciliation. These steps ensure that all parties are properly compensated for their work and that the landowner is receiving full value for their harvested timber.
- Reforestation: Our foresters will develop an appropriate planting prescription for your property, facilitate site preparation activities, and oversee the planting. Reforestation can be completed after a timber harvest, wildfire, or afforestation of previously non-forested areas
- Grants and Cost-Share Programs: We can help landowners apply for grants with the USDA and NRCS and other state and federal funds, assist in the development of the treatment prescriptions, and then oversee the execution of those contracts.
- Forest Certification: Certifications like the American Tree Farm System (ATFS), FSC, and SFI help provide landowners with access to additional timber markets through individual or group options.
The Gulf Coast region encompasses the Florida panhandle, South Alabama, Southwest Georgia, and Mississippi. Our Gulf Coast region team, Chuck Mathis (Managing Director of Southern Operations), Shane Fuller (Wildlife Biologist),Jimmy Murphy (Area Manager), Shawn Cooper (Area Manager),Joseph Karels (Area Manager), and Ray Sharp (District Manager) has a combined experience of 176 years of land management, forestry, and wildlife management. Chuck Mathis is a Registered Forester in Alabama & Mississippi as well as an SAF Certified Forester. Many of our foresters are registered in the state in which they operate, and all of our Wildlife Biologists are certified through the Wildlife Society.