 Timber Sale Administration
Current Price Trends
The relatively lower value of the US Dollar increases the foreign demand for our logs and lumber. Hardwood exports to Canada and China have increased dramatically over the last few years. The cost to domestic producers to export (container) logs to foreign ports has been reduced dramatically in recent years, making it more cost effective to export logs (in some cases) than to mill them. Couple this with the fact that the northeastern United States produces some of the highest quality hardwoods in the world market today and you have a win-win situation for private forestland owners.
Logging conditions annually are key to the supply-side of the equation. In 2003, conditions in the northeast were extremely wet making logging difficult. When the supply is limited coming to the mill and the demand is unchanged, the value per thousand tends to increase. Some of the highest prices paid annually for selected species occur during the “mud season” in Spring where the frost has left the ground, the ground is saturated, and nothing good (ecologically speaking) can come from logging in this time period. Fortunately for producers (sawmills, etc) winter 2004 was cold enough to allow them to build inventories prior to “mud season”. Prices for timber are currently favorable and holding steady and should remain at the current level through the summer months provided that logging conditions are “typical” this summer.
Quality timber always brings the best price in the marketplace. Well-managed forests provide some of the highest quality timber on an annual basis. Increase your bottom-line; start managing your forest today.
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