Muskingum Valley Forest Management

Current Timber Pricing

Market Forces are coming to play that will affect the hardwood timber market in the near future. With housing starts at a 50 year low, a major market for hardwood lumber has dried up. Other markets are starting to pick up again, and the demand for stumpage is improving. With a slumping world economy, the export market for sawn lumber and hardwood logs has slowed, but there is some movement again. Blocking markets show some signs of improving now as are the railroad ties, although fuel prices keep the price to the landowner down. Sawmills are depleting their log inventories and buyers are starting to come back out looking. White oak and sugar maple is starting to  move again, and prices for other hardwood timber is starting to creep upward. The pine market seems to be moving more now with the demand for cabin logs picking up some and the chip market is slowly improving.  Small sales are still hard to move right now, but that seems to be better now that a year ago.

 Timber Management and Carbon Credits

As the cap and trade bill died in the US Senate, the carbon credit market as all but disappeared.  The Carbon Credit Exchange (CCX) folded, their assets bought up by ICE (International Carbon Exchange) from Europe but they seem to show little interest in expanding US markets.  Rural Action is still looking at their program to help pay rural landowner for management plans for future market opportunities.

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White Oak, Quality Red Oak, Poplar, Cherry, and/or Walnut

Now is the time to look closely at your forest management activities.  Do you need to cut grapevines to protect your crop trees listed above? Is crop tree release needed at this time?   Do you have an up to date inventory to have a grasp of what you have to sell once markets improve? Call us to set up an appointment to review your situation.