I am considering purchasing a 500 acre parcel of land in Canada that has been clear-cut in the past few years. I have no experience in agriculture or forestry, but I would like to use this land as an investment, either timber or through some type of environmental easment/carbon sink credit.

My interest in this land is purely opportunistic, based on the low price per acre (<$200/acre). What can I do (or who can I ask) to determine if a) there is something I'm missing, and b) how much further investment would be required up-front on the land.

As a first step I have walked the land and taken photographs, but I don't know how to interpret them. The real estate agent works for the seller and tells me there are no land use restrictions.

Thank you for your question.

Forest land can indeed be a good financial investment - especially in light of the trend towards Carbon Credit trading.

I could go into a long diatribe about silvicultural treatments and natural and artificial reforestation, but I'm going to save you the jargon-laced reply. My recommendation to you it to contact a respected and experienced professional forester who has first-hand knowledge with the specific forest land you want to invest in. If the land is in Ontario, contact the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and/or the Ontario Professional Foresters Association http://www.opfa.ca/

If the land is not in Ontario, maybe Quebec, then simply contact http://www.mrnfp.gouv.qc.ca/english/forest/

A professional forester will be able to answer almost all your questions regarding the investment and management of the property. Your best bet will probably be a professional consulting forester whom you will need to hire.