Forest and Farm Management Property Access

General

All Forest and Farm Management properties are posted with no trespassing signs and/or vertical aluminum stripes on trees which is a legal method of posting private property in Virginia.  The company is continuously conducting management activities which incompatible with casual access to the property by the general public.  These activities include heavy equipment operations along with aerial and ground application of chemicals.  Our primary concern safety.  In addition, unauthorized access to our properties can add significant cost to the company.  An example might be aerial herbicide application.  The cost of airborne application is expensive, if an airborne applicator sees an individual on the property from the air, the application would be aborted and the company would incur a significant cost without benefit.  Even worse, is the case where the applicator did not see the individual and completed the application.  Although the chemicals used are generally safe and short acting, direct exposure can be dangerous.

The previous owners of some Forest and Farm Management properties exercised little control over unauthorized access.  We have had recent trespassing and vandalism issues on some properties concerning youngsters and ATVs.  In addition to the vandalism, uncontrolled use of ATVs is degrading our internal roadways which are expensive to maintain and harming wildlife plantings.  We intend to vigorously enforce our no trespassing policy though trespassing citations without respect to age in cooperation with the Louisa County Sheriff's Office.  Our purpose is public safety as fulfilling our obligations to our insurance carrier and protecting the company from liability.

Although we intend to prosecute trespassers to the fullest extent of the law, we are striving to be good neighbors.  If you own property neighboring one of our holdings and need access across our land for any reason, contact us for permission and we will do our best to accommodate your needs.

Hunting, Trapping, and Other Recreational Uses

Forest and Farm Management views the hunting and trapping rights to it's properties as a significant asset of the company.  When exercised in a controlled manner on a non-interfering basis with forestry and maintenance activities, we view hunting and trapping as compatible activities.  The could in the future provide the company with a secondary income stream between timber operations.  For now, the company has opted to retain these rights as an incentive to it's employees as well as guests.  Even employees and guests do not have unfettered access.  When business activities conflict with recreational use, employees and guests will be notified which properties or portions of properties are off limits.  The company views these as important assets and intends to defend them vigorously.  To that end, the state game warden assigned to the area has been alerted and provided full access including keys and combinations to all gates.  In addition, all employees and guests using the property recreationally have been issued special identification cards granting them access.  Law enforcement, including the Sheriff's office and game warden, are aware that anyone found on the property without the special identification card is unauthorized and subject to arrest.  Since managing for wildlife is an important part of the companies strategic plan for increasing future lease value and share price, poaching and any form of hunting, harvest, or molestation of wildlife is considered an attack on one of our profit centers and will be dealt with as harshly as permitted by law.

The company views wildlife management as an important component of it's Forest Stewardship plan.  As such, it plans to enroll in applicable wildlife management programs offered by the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries (VDGIF).  All employees and guests are subject to any rules, regulations, and procedures of any program in which the company enrolls.  In addition, all employees and guests are subject to a set of internal rules and regulations published annually by the company.