PROFILE

John Foster of Foster Land Management, LLC in Coaling, Alabama said he’s slowed down since he retired from Gulf States Paper eight years ago, but he has no plans of quitting. Though he’s a one-man shop, he still works closely with his former employee Mike Jackson, who started his own consultancy in Tuscaloosa in early 2016.

“We’ll share resources now,” he said. “If I need help, he’ll come help me, and vice versa.” Foster said one of the biggest advantages he has to offer clients is his years of experience growing timber for Gulf States. “I’ve got a handle on what works and what doesn’t, so they don’t have to pay for what doesn’t work, like I had to pay for learning,” he said.

Foster has 40 years of working with local contractors and knows who to recommend. Foster said what keeps him going is knowing he can help people achieve their goals, primarily with management plans and timber sales. He said that people often don’t know the true value of what they have, and he likes making sure landowners get the best deals for their timber. But what drew him to forestry in the first place is still his greatest satisfaction.

He said, “I think that’s what got me started. I like to see things grow.”

Seeking clients in these counties:
Bibb
Pickens
Shelby
Tuscaloosa

Link#  95036
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