Walter “Chip” Gibbes III, MAI,
learned about land conservation by managing land
settled by his family shortly
after the Civil War.
It’s difficult to say exactly how many trophy
whitetail deer inhabit the property, but Gibbes annually performs at least two motion camera surveys
in an attempt to collect rough population counts
and other herd management data, which helps him
determine future management strategies.
Estimates from 2011 surveys showed populations in the realm of 350 deer in all age classes.
From that count, 15 percent were bucks 5 years or
older, which places them in trophy class. While he
doesn’t have any favorites, Gibbes said he’s able to
identify a few based on antler characteristics.
already love the land about as much as I do. My
5-year-old is right at my heels every time we’re
there,” Gibbes says. “Having land and being outdoors gives me a great chance to spend quality
time with my boys without television or iPods.”
FUN AND GAMES … AND
WORK
Although sections of the Gibbes’
land are actively used for
timber production as part of
its land management strategy,
Twelvemile Creek has a series
of interior roads and trails that
provide access to a variety of outdoor activities: hiking, camping,
horseback riding and four-wheel-ing. Ponds and creeks provide
ample fishing opportunities.
“I love the outdoors. I love to
hunt and fish. I feel as though I
have been charged with being
a good steward of the land for
future generations,” Gibbes says.
“There is a force inside that
drives me to improve habitat,
conserve wildlife and work
toward land preservation. It’s a
place of endless enjoyment for my
entire family.”
Gibbes will be the first to
admit that the land isn’t all fun
and games. Timber and wildlife
management is a 365-days-a-year commitment,
and implementing strategies — such as applying
chemicals to remove undesirable vegetation and
engaging in controlled burning and large-scale tree
planting — requires a significant monetary and
time commitment.
While his father continues to be responsible
for on-site, day-to-day management and decision-making regarding the land, Gibbes has assumed
the role of designated site manager and conservationist. Gibbes says his primary focus is habitat and
herd management of trophy whitetail deer, as well
as various small-game fowl.
BALANCING ACT
When he first entered the valuation profession
in 1999, Gibbes immediately joined the Appraisal
Institute. During the first few years of his career,
Gibbes subcontracted for various companies
before opening his own firm, Gibbes Valuation
Consultants in McComb, Miss., in 2005.
Gibbes received his MAI designation in 2009
and noted that a new world of opportunities
opened up for him: “I started receiving bid
requests and assignment opportunities on a
weekly basis that, without my designation and
overall association with the Appraisal Institute,
I never would have received.”
Gibbes says it’s a constant struggle to allocate
sufficient time to his appraisal practice, his family
and his church, as well
as keep up his manage-
ment duties at Twelvemile
Creek, but it all works out
in the end.
“My family and my
business come before
time spent on my land, but
I use every opportunity
to be there. I have two
VALUING LAND AND CONSERVATION
As a commercial appraiser for the past 12 years
with an extensive background in land valuation,
Gibbes says that his determination, his love of
the outdoors, his Bachelor of Science degree in
environmental geology from Millsaps College,
Jackson, Miss., and his ongoing Appraisal
Institute continuing education opportunities
have equipped him well for the challenges he frequently encounters when valuing land, especially
when it comes to conservation easements.
“As a land appraiser, I’m constantly exposed
to a wide spectrum of habitats and timber
stands. I also get to know fellow landowners
and other professionals, such as wildlife biolo-
gists, foresters and land brokers,” Gibbes says.
“Through these associations, I have acquired
valuable insight and ideas regarding timber and
wildlife management. I get to observe firsthand
the results they achieve, positive or negative.”
Gibbes says that the demand for recreational
and timberland has increased dramatically in his
region over the past decade, and as a result, land
The H.D. Gibbes and
Sons general store in
Learned, Miss., dates
to the 1880s and is still
owned and operated by
Chip Gibbes’ parents.
