About Us
Columbia Timber Company was established by Jib A. Davidson and Norman I. McRae in December 1989. It was a logical extension of the timber consulting business originally founded as Florida Forestry Services by Jib Davidson in 1984. Norman McRae joined Florida Forestry Service in 1987.
As a timber consulting company, Florida Forestry Services managed timberland and sold timber on a client fee basis. The company's services included timber appraisals, timber market analysis, developing forest management plans, analyzing timber investment opportunities, site preparation and overseeing the planting of thousands of acres, bought and sold timberland for their customers, analyzed landowner timber tax situations and sold timber. The focus was primarily on private landowners and industrial timberland.
In early 1989, Florida Forestry Services added an important dimension to its timber management program. As a consulting forestry company, it was obvious that Florida Forestry Services was unnecessarily charging timber sale fees and, as a consultant, its timber market information was somewhat out of touch with the timber industry. As such, Columbia Timber Company was born in December, 1989, by Jib and Norman. Columbia Timber Company integrated thinnings and harvesting with the land management. This has resulted in better timing of timber sales, better timber market analysis, and most importantly, direct responsibility for all logging and harvesting operations. While the two companies ran concurrently, most landowners saw the cost benefits of working with a timber company rather than a consulting company, and now are managed by TIP. Columbia Timber Company has based its reputation on exemplary customer service, and providing scientific as well as financial approaches to forest management and expert timber harvesting.
Columbia Timber has long focused on private landowners. This focus, with the addition of becoming a timber dealer, led to the development of TIP. TIP is a unique program that incorporates Jib's forest management and finance experience with Norman's timber management and logging skills. Both hold college degrees in their respective fields of expertise. However, emphasis is on forest management with financial analysis, as this is an important attribute that Jib brings to the private landowner. The result is better managed timberlands for private landowners.
Today, Columbia Timber Company uses a financial and biological approach to forest management based on constant information from the forest products industry.
Through our commitment, experience, and expertise, Columbia Timber Company has established a business relationship with our customers that will last a lifetime!
Jib received a Bachelor of Science in Forest Resources and Conservation with a major in Forest Management from the University of Florida in 1978. Continuing his education, he earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a major in Finance and minor in Real Estate and Accounting from the University of Florida in 1983.
He began his career as a forester working for Georgia-Pacific Corporation in 1977. Initially, he worked in timber procurement, then transferred
to land management, where he managed 117,611 acres of timberland for the company.
In 1984, along with partner Don Post, Jib started Florida Forestry Services Company in Gainesville, Florida, specializing in forest management, timber appraisals, timber investment analysis, timber sales, reforestation, site preparation, timber taxation, timber and timberland acquisitions and sales, and other forest management services for private landowners, industry and government. In 1989, Jib and Norman formed Columbia Timber Company.
Jib specializes in forest finance, taxation, investment analysis, and real estate transactions. Jib has served as an instructor for forest management courses at the University of Florida and Community Education through Santa Fe Community College. He is a Certified Forester and Master Logger and holds memberships in the Society of American Foresters, Florida Forestry Association, American Forest Institute Tree Farm Program, Forest Farmers Association, International Society of Arboriculture, and Financial Management Association. In addition to his many civic and fraternal activities, Jib is also a Licensed Florida Real Estate Broker. Contact Jib at jib@columbiatimber.com.
Norman I. McRae
Graduating in 1982 from the University of Florida with a Bachelor of Science in Forest Resources and Conservation, Norman began his forestry career working for the Florida Division of Forestry as a Forest Ranger. After being promoted to County Forester, and subsequently to Forest Area Supervisor for the Division, Norman went to work for F&W Forestry Services in 1986 as the Branch Manager. In this capacity, he performed land and timber appraisals, wrote and administered wildlife and land management plans.
In 1987, Norman joined Jib Davidson at Florida Forestry Services Company. As a Forest Management Specialist, he performed timber appraisals, timber market analysis, authored and administered forest management plans, timber sales, reforestation, site preparation, growth and soil studies, timber and timberland acquisitions and sales, hardwood control, thinning, control burning, hunting lease evaluations. 
When Columbia Timber Company was born in 1989, Norman added timber harvesting and thinning to his arsenal of skills. Norman specializes in forest operations, primarily timber harvesting, thinning, road building, logging supervision and reforestation activities. Norman is a Certified Forester and Master Logger and Licensed Florida Real Estate Salesperson and holds memberships in the Florida Forestry Association, American Forest Institute Tree Farm Program, and International Society of Arboriculture, You can contact Norman at norman@columbiatimber.com.
