Upon payment of appropriate compensation to the seller, the severed tree becomes the property of the buyer . Should this be necessary, it is only proper that the seller be compensated for the additional timber. The usual penalty for cutting unmarked trees without permission is double or triple the stumpage rate. Such penalties will vary by species, size, and quality of the timber and serve to protect the seller from buyer carelessness. Numbers in parentheses are sample values only.
All tops remain property of the seller.
In a lump-sum sale, the whole tree is sold. Therefore, if the seller wants to retain the tops, this condition must be spelled out to avoid future misunderstanding. The buyer may not subcontract any part of this contract, without prior written approval of the seller. This protects the seller from unknown third party interests. Costs of arbitration shall be shared equally by the buyer and seller.