Other woodcutters serve as part of the watchful eye of illegal cutting operations and can blow the whistle. 

But let's face it, a woodlot owner eight states away that sees his property for two or three times a year, has a castle of lumber growing each year that is increasing in value.  Granted, some years timber values are lower but with heating oil increase per gallon, firewood and hardwood stands are suddenly more valuable.  I know of a woodlot owner in Cary Maine that had timber stolen and he never retreived damages or determined who was running the skidder, chainsaw and log truck that removed the woods.  Local area neighbors can be contacted to keep an eagle eye and report if they see suspicious or any cutting activity as it happens though.  Northern Mainer's especially will stop and ask questions for you..it is not a "don't want to get involved" area.  The local property owners figure they would not want to see their woods stolen, and respect others property the same vigilant way.  Sometimes it is the softwood that is where the value is for papermaking, waferboard and building materials.  But with oil increase, hardwoods to heat a home are increasing in value and many folks are installing pellet stoves to ease the oil cost burden.  My secretary and her husband just bought $1100 dollars worth of tree length wood that was delivered to their home to cut, split, and stack .  That represents about 9 cords of wood or roughly $125 cost a cord, which is 4x4x8 feet in size.  This wood when processed should heat their home for two seasons.  The ideal of outfitting Maine deer and moose with night vision goggles and reward of extra salt licks and treats for information leading to the conviction and arrest of timber loss due to woodlot trespassing and losses might be something worth pushing for too! A cord of drywood has the BTU value of about 200 to 225 gallons of fuel oil.