Analysis of private timber sale transactions and landowner revenues in evolving markets in the U.S. South

Private land timber sale transactions are vitally important to the forest industry in the U.S. South with many states approaching 90% private ownership. I conducted a survey of forestry consultants in eleven southern states to examine timber sale marketing and administration practices and analyzed timber value recovery of tracked processors in the production of prime-length timber. Two-thirds of consulting firms used lump sum, sealed bid sales for regeneration harvests. Thinnings are more likely to be negotiated on a pay-as-cut basis. Firms averaged 1.2 timber theft incidents in the last three years and total monetary losses were less than 1% of total timber sale value. Tree-length specifications provide the greatest value potential in simulations, but in practice, processors consistently outperformed conventional systems in value recovery, timber utilization and defect compliance. Consultants provide valuable marketing and administration services and landowners are unlikely to be harmed when processors are used on their timber sales.