Selling Timber

Why Sell Timber? (American Forest Foundation, My Land Plan)
Landowners have many reasons for choosing to sell their timber. Whatever the reason or combination of reasons, a harvest that’s well-planned and sustainably done can leave your forest healthier than it was before.

First…See a Forester (NC State Forestry Extension)
More than 60 percent of North Carolina is forested, but much of this valuable resource is not actively managed. Properly managed forests can generate extra money from the sale of timber products; improve wildlife habitat, aesthetics, recreation, and water quality; and increase land value. By seeking the assistance of a professional forester, you can maximize the return on your forestlands.

How to Sell Your Timber (American Forest Foundation, My Land Plan)
If you’ve sold a house, a car, or any other piece of property, then you know that selling can be tricky. Selling timber is like that too—there are several steps to the process, many of which may be new to you. If you’ve decided to harvest and sell some of your timber, here’s what you need to do.

The Value of Your Trees (American Forest Foundation, My Land Plan)
There isn’t a simple formula for the value of your trees. What kinds of trees you have, how large and healthy they are, how many you have, whether they’re easy to reach and cut, your local market conditions—all of these factor in to your timber’s value.

Timber Sales: A Planning Guide for Landowners (N.C. State Extension Forestry)
Years of growth and value are accumulated in a mature timber stand, and the combined annual income from all those years is frequently marketed in a single transaction. When and how you sell your timber can influence how much money you make, your overall financial plans, the cost of forest regeneration, and other management objectives.

Woodland Stewards Webinar Series – Understanding the Financial Aspects of Woodland Management (video) (N.C. State Extension Forestry)
Part of a webinar series for landowners, this session provides and overview of financial factors that affect your woodland management such as when to re-plant, when to thin, when to harvest, when to use cost-share programs and more.

Are You Growing Your Best Timber? (video) (Forestry Webinars)
Timber is an asset to the owner, and can accumulate significant value if managed appropriately. This webinar will cover some of the core strategies to increase the volume and value of timber on private woodlands.

Timber Sales: Is it Time to Sell (webinar) (N.C. State Extension Forestry)
Learning from experience can be very expensive when it comes to timber sales, many of which are once – or twice – in-a-lifetime occurrences. Robert Bardon, PhD. Professor of Forestry and Extension Specialist, NC State University, will explain how timber is sold and give tips on seeking professional help. Rajan Parajuli, PhD. Assitant Professor of Forest Economics and Extension Specialist, NC State University will explain markets and provide insight into managing for flat timber prices. By using this information, you can make your next (or first) timber sale both a pleasant and prfitbale experience.

Selling Timber: What a Landowner Needs to Know (University of Missouri Extension)
Like your financial planner who helps ensure your retirement and estate goals will be met and your family doctor who prescribes the proper care to ensure your long-term health, a professional forester helps ensure your timber sale will be financially and ecologically successful.

Markets for Longleaf Pine (American Forest Foundation)
Longleaf pines grow straighter and stronger than many other pines, including loblolly pine. That means they’re suited for higher-value markets and can return more profit.

Cutting at Financial Maturity: Maximizing the Economic Return of Your Woodland (N.C. State Extension Forestry)
Woodland owners harvest trees for financial and personal reasons. Deciding when is the optimal time to harvest is difficult for most woodland owners. However, this important decision strongly dictates future condition, growth, and composition of the next stand of trees and, ultimately, your bottom line.

Quarterly Price Report (N.C. State Extension Forestry)
Standing timber price information is reported on a quarterly basis for North Carolina. The price report provides state-wide, average standing timber prices for pine, oak, and mixed hardwood sawtimber, pine chip-n-saw, and pine and hardwood pulpwood.

Planning Your Harvest (American Forest Foundation, My Land Plan)
The time you invest in planning your timber sale and harvest is time well-spent. It will make for greater income, healthier woods and more peace of mind as you go through the actual sale process.

Top Ten Things Not to Do When Selling Timber ( Iowa Department for Natural Resources)
Fact sheet that describes hot to avoid some common mistakes.

Timber Harvesting: An Essential Management Tool (Penn State Extension)
This article discusses how you can use harvesting as a management tool to improve your woodlands while also safeguarding against poor harvesting practices. This bulletin is for private forest landowners who don’t intend to use their forestland primarily for timber production, but who may be considering a timber sale now or in the future. The bulletin is not about conducting a timber sale, but about the benefits of harvesting timber and its importance in woodland stewardship.

To Cut or Not Cut- Deciding When to Harvest Timber (Penn State Extension)
This article discusses financial decisions to harvest timber, including how to determine and calculate when to cut timber to maximize financial returns.

Harvesting Trees (Penn State Extension)
This article explains why we harvest trees, the harvesting process, environmental issues, and aspects of different harvesting techniques. It is part of an educational series for youth.

Let’s Talk Money…What is the Return on Timber? (Women Owning Woodlands)
Well, literally no one can tell you the exact dollar figure (and if they do – run – because they’re lying.) There are just tooo many factors to consider: future local markets (supply + demand), your acreage, the stand’s products, and inflation rate. Inflation rate is probably one of the bigger factors (in my opinion) on why a dollar amount can’t, and shouldn’t, be stated.