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| Painted blaze along boundary line. Photo by D. Jackson |
Boundary
line maintenance is one of the most important aspects of land ownership. It is
your responsibility as the landowner to know where the boundaries to your property
are located. Most forest landowners have a general idea where their lines are
and have accurately surveyed maps, but few have their lines clearly marked and
painted on the ground.
Well-marked
boundaries can protect you from timber theft and help ensure other assets are
protected. They also help you avoid trespassing on your neighbors when cutting
trees or building roads and trails. When selling timber or performing other
management activities it is important to know exactly where the boundary line
is to avoid damage or disturbance to neighboring properties.
Only a
licensed land surveyor can establish a property boundary. However, if you have
a good modern survey description, you may be able to locate the property lines based
on evidence and marking left behind from previous surveys. If your boundary
lines cannot be located, you will have to contact a reputable surveyor. For the
purposes of this article, we are going to assume you have an accurate modern
survey and the lines and corners have been previously marked or “blazed” by a surveyor.
Once
located, the boundary line should be marked using a combination of flagging and
paint. Paint is preferred since it is the most durable, lasting more than 5
years, and cannot be torn down or moved. Plastic flagging is generally used to
temporarily locate boundary lines but should be followed by more permanent
blazing and painting trees along and near the line. Use a bright, (white, blue,
red, or orange show up well) durable, brush-on paint. Many commercial brands of
boundary marking paint are available. Choose your preferred color. Removing any
loose bark before applying will allow the markings to last longer.
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| 3 blaze marks on corner witness tree. Photo D. Jackson |
Line
sections between corners can be long, where one corner is not visible from the
first. Therefore, it is important to mark trees along the line as well. You may
need to install posts along sections of lines with only small trees or no trees
to make the location more obvious. Trees marking a line are designed with side-line
chops or blazes made by the surveyor. Blazes are typically 5-6” long, 3-4” wide,
and 4 to 5 feet above the ground. All old survey blazes need to be located and
painted so they are visible. Paint both the blazed callous tissue surface as
well as 2-3” of bark surrounding the blaze.
Blaze marks made
along a line face the actual line and are made in a way to visualize the exact
placement of the property border. When trees are located directly in the path
of the line, two blaze marks will be on the tree, one on the side the line
enters and another on the opposite side where the line exits. Survey markings
can occur at different intervals along a line. When painting your line, it is a
good idea to mark trees close enough so that from any mark you can see the next
in either direction, the exact distance will vary with terrain and vegetation
density.
Finding and
marking your boundary lines with paint can be enjoyable and helpful. The best
time of year to do this is when the leaves are off the trees. Once located, it
is best to re-paint every 5-7 years to keep the marks fresh and easy to locate.
Marked property lines are a sign of good forest management. They protect you
from trespass, make forest management activities possible, and reduce the
potential for accidental timber theft from neighbors. To view a short video on boundary
line marking you can watch a Penn State Extension video here.
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