F&W Regional Timber Market Insights | Summer 2026
This is the second installment of F&W’s quarterly regional timber market series, drawing on first-hand reports from managers across the company’s footprint. As in the spring, this quarter’s commentary is one of contrasts: pulpwood continues to absorb the brunt of mill closures, tightening quotas, and oversupply almost everywhere F&W operates, even as pine sawtimber, chip-n-saw, sawtimber, and poles hold steady or improve in several regions.
Weather played an outsized role again this quarter—drought in Virginia and Northern California, wet conditions slowing logging in Georgia, and a lingering ice storm damage disrupting Mississippi’s timber markets—while fuel costs and a handful of new mill investments shaped the picture nearly everywhere else.
Landowner sentiment ranged just as widely, from opportunistic to cautious to simply waiting things out, a reminder of how local these conditions remain even when the headlines sound familiar from region to region.
Southeast
Timber markets across the Southeast were more mixed in the second quarter of 2026, with conditions improving in parts of Florida and Georgia but turning volatile in South Carolina. F&W managers report that pulpwood remains the weak link across the region, squeezed by mill closures, oversupply, and limited outlets, even as pine sawtimber, chip-n-saw, and poles continue to offer relative strength. Wet weather, the start of hurricane season, and persistent fuel costs added to an already uneven picture.
In Alabama, T.R. Clark of the LaFayette office characterized the quarter as mixed, with prices declining. He pointed to Resolute’s recent closure of its pulp facility in Sylacauga—which also served Childersburg—as the latest blow to an already strained pulpwood market, even as lumber products and poles hold up well. “Buyers are falling all over themselves to purchase solid wood pine products because it is the one place where a logger can make a full week,” Clark said, noting strong, sometimes surprising prices at bid events. His outlook for early thinnings was blunter: “If you have a first thinning that needs to get done, I am telling landowners to pray.”
In Northeast Florida, Bryan Croft of the Orange Park office reported improving conditions and increasing prices, even as the start of hurricane season on June 1 kept many sellers on the sidelines. Solid wood products there held up better than in Southeast Georgia after the IP mill closures, and Croft said nearly every sale is now drawing interest from buyers eager to escape months of quotas and weak demand. “Markets are improving. A new normal is slowly evolving,” he said. “We should start to see more market activity by the end of the year.” His advice: move forward with solid wood sales and treat thinnings as a silvicultural/stand health necessity rather than a for profit operation.
In the Florida Panhandle, Elvis Cook of the Marianna office described conditions as softening, with declining prices tied to limited mill capacity for pulpwood. Small and large pine sawtimber remain the strongest classes thanks to the housing market, while pulpwood struggles under the mill shortage. Cook is advising landowners to hold unless a price opportunity arises, calling the regional outlook “stagnated” and warning that another mill closure is the biggest risk ahead.
Across the state line in Georgia, Chad Hancock and Doug Hall, who jointly cover the Albany office, described the market as mixed with prices increasing, as dealers work through low inventories of contracted pine chip-n-saw and sawtimber. Pine pulpwood remains under the most pressure, with mill closures driving prices down and making it almost impossible to haul pulpwood in some areas of the region. One bright spot: Pine Plantation Products, LLC, is expected to begin processing small-diameter chip-n-saw within the next month. Landowner sentiment is opportunistic—selling when the right opportunity appears, otherwise cautious and holding—and the biggest risk ahead is additional mill closures or reduced consumption. Going into the next quarter, they say weather conditions could dictate how markets respond. Their advice: manage timber through the downturn for continued growth and stand health, and stay ready to respond to market changes to capture price-improvement opportunities.
Further north in the Macon/Eatonton region, Robby Gordon described conditions as stable, with prices normal for the season and weather and mill activity the two main drivers in markets. Landowners there are largely holding their timber, and Gordon sees pine small sawtimber as the best opportunity ahead, with keeping area mills running steadily his top concern. “Hopefully we will continue to see an increase in demand from sawmills,” he said, advising landowners to keep holding and take advantage of spot markets when they occur.
In Southeast Georgia, Wade McDonald of the Statesboro office reported improving conditions, with poles and pine sawtimber the strongest products and pine pulp under pressure. He pointed to one development on the horizon: Hampton Lumber is expected to open a new facility in Fairfax, S.C., in early 2027. Landowners are settling into lower pulp prices while watching for spot opportunities, McDonald said, warning that another mill closure “would be devastating.” For timber damaged by Hurricane Helene, he advises landowners to move forward with spot sales, adding, “Exports are a bona fide market, and we need them to succeed, grow, and compete for wood.”
In South Carolina, Matthew Malone of the Fountain Inn office reported a somewhat volatile quarter with stable to declining prices, pointing to a lack of end-use markets as most mills run well below capacity and unseasonably dry weather conditions. Pine sawtimber and large pine poles remain the strongest products, while pine small sawtimber is under the most pressure. Malone flagged a string of mill developments: Boise Cascade in Chester has moved to only purchasing 40-year-old wood starting June 1; a reopened mill in Washington, Ga., is now purchasing small sawtimber a couple days a week with anticipated large sawtimber line to come; and Enviva in Greenwood has further made reductions to suppliers. He called the outlook “challenging” with daily wood orders likely to tighten further as we enter summer months. “Looking at historical trendlines, we are holding, but a mill closure would be devastating,” Malone said, adding that he sees no clear sign of a significant turnaround ahead.
West Gulf
Timber markets across the West Gulf region—Arkansas, Mississippi, Oklahoma, and Texas—were largely stable in the second quarter, though pulpwood remains the clear weak spot everywhere F&W operates. Managers point to dry spring weather, mill quotas, and rising fuel costs as the common threads, even as a handful of mill investments offer pockets of optimism.
In Arkansas, Eric Sumner of the El Dorado office described conditions as mixed, with prices normal for the season despite a drier-than-normal spring that’s kept mills full. Pine sawtimber has held up, but both hardwood and pine pulpwood are under pressure after Clearwater Paper announced a 50 percent production cut at its Arkansas City mill. Canfor’s El Dorado mill is taking a six-to-eight-week shutdown in August to upgrade before moving to two shifts. Sumner’s advice: thin pulpwood regardless of price, and if you have good sawtimber on high ground, wait for rain to lift stumpage prices.
In Corinth, Miss., Jason Potts called the market stable but prices declining, with pine pulpwood mills running slow but steady under quotas. Hardwood sawtimber is under the most pressure as the tie market has collapsed, prompting several small hardwood tie mills in Tennessee to close. Salvage efforts following this year’s ice storm have flooded the market with damaged timber, further weakening demand, and landowners are largely holding. Potts flagged a looming risk of a southern pine beetle outbreak following the storm damage. His advice: “Be patient about the markets and be on the lookout for pine beetles.”
In Antlers, Oklahoma, Chuck Beck described conditions as stable with prices normal for this time of year, helped by Twain Lumber’s addition of a second shift and recent wet conditions. Landowners are active sellers, though Beck expects drying conditions this quarter to push logging into the flatwoods and could tighten mill quotas as inventories build. His outlook: “Markets don’t appear to improve for a period longer.”
In Huntsville, Texas, Chris Bartley reported stable conditions with prices normal for the season, though pine sawtimber remains the only product moving regularly—pulpwood is essentially unsellable under current quotas. Owners are selling when feasible, and some are turning to higher-and-better-use real estate sales as an alternative. Bartley summed up the outlook bluntly: “The same as it’s been for a couple of years now. Bad.” His advice: hold if you can and expect no profit on thinnings.
Central Hardwoods
Timber markets in the Central Hardwoods region softened further in the second quarter, with prices declining, according to Rick Sluss, who manages F&W’s Clinton, Tenn., office. The March closure of McCreary Hardwoods—the region’s largest hardwood tie producer—has left fewer mills competing for logs, and Sluss said it may or may not reopen.
Dry weather and slower mill production have left sawmills full of inventory even as species performance stays uneven. White oak, chestnut oak, and hard maple remain the only bright spots, while lower-grade hardwood is under the most pressure as limited tie purchases flood mat and pallet log markets. Landowner sentiment is cautious, with most holding inventory, and Sluss sees another mill closure as the biggest risk ahead—though Clinch River Hardwoods is expected to reopen in Thornhill, Tenn., later this year.
“Hopefully no further downturns or mill closures” occur, Sluss said, predicting a possible turnaround later in the year. For now, his advice is simple: “Hold off selling timber unless the species mix matches the market.”
Mid Atlantic
Timber markets in the Mid Atlantic region are softening, with prices declining, according to Glen Worrell manager of the Charlottesville, Va., office. Mill activity is running lower than in previous summers, and no timber products are performing particularly well. He noted that product inventory levels are high, attributing the buildup to dry weather, as most of Virginia remains in a severe to extreme drought.
Pulpwood facilities have tightened quotas, with some mills taking downtime for maintenance. Pine sawmills have raised their top diameter specs and cut quotas as lumber inventories continue to build. Higher fuel costs are also affecting logging expenses, which has put downward pressure on stumpage prices.
Landowner sentiment is cautious, and Worrell is holding most sales until mid-to-late summer. His outlook hinges on lumber markets, weather, and the Iran conflict. “Wait and see,” he said.
Northeast
Timber markets across the Northeast were largely mixed to stable in the second quarter, with prices normal for the season across most of the region and declining in Pennsylvania. Mud season limited early-quarter activity in Maine and northern New York, and fuel costs remain a persistent concern from Maine to Pennsylvania, with managers noting loggers are either absorbing higher costs or exiting the industry altogether. Hardwood sawtimber—particularly sugar maple, white ash, and oak—is the strongest product class across the region, while pulpwood and low-grade material are under pressure nearly everywhere.
In Maine, Harold Burnett of the Winthrop office reported stable conditions, with crews returning to the woods following mud season. Stumpage prices appear to be holding despite fuel costs, he said, as loggers absorb the increase rather than pass it through. Three mill developments stand out: Lumbra Hardwoods in Milo and Pride Manufacturing’s birch mill in Burnham both closed in April, while Robbins Lumber’s pine sawmill in Searsmont suffered a fire in late May but resumed production within two weeks. Burnett is advising landowners to presalvage ash and beech ahead of emerald ash borer and beech leaf disease mortality, and otherwise to hold steady.
In Vermont, Charlie Stabolepszy of the Montpelier office described a mixed quarter with prices normal for the season. Sugar maple and white ash sawlogs and veneer are very strong, hardwood mat log markets are solid, and red maple has improved slightly, while chipwood pricing is weak and yellow birch is only fair. The mill situation is currently stable. Stabolepszy said the outlook is favorable for landowners with northern hardwood stands heavy in sugar maple and white ash, and is advising those clients that now may be a good time to harvest.
In Tupper Lake, New York, Tom Gilman described a mixed quarter, with hardwood sawlogs generally stable and softwood pulpwood difficult to move, while white pine sawlog demand remains soft. Hardwood pulpwood, which was in demand most of the quarter, has since softened, with some loggers now facing delivery quotas. Logging capacity is a limiting factor, he said—the region could use more experienced loggers. Gilman characterized landowner sentiment as split between those selling for income and those waiting for better markets. His advice: “As long as markets stay where they are now, it may be wise to harvest now while prices are fair and timber’s moving.”
Also in New York, Lukas Myers of the Herkimer office reported improving conditions, with hardwood sawtimber and red pine utility poles the strongest products and pulpwood and low-grade material under the most pressure. Landowner sentiment is cautious, though some owners need income. Myers sees softwood sawtimber as the greatest opportunity ahead and named contractor availability as the biggest risk.
In Pennsylvania, John Helmers of the New Oxford office described a mixed market with declining prices, driven by inventory levels and fuel costs. Oak and walnut are the strongest products, while pulpwood and low-grade material are under the most pressure. Landowner sentiment is cautiously optimistic, and Helmers remains upbeat on quality timber. “There is still some good demand for timber, which is still allowing us to get a good price for timber sales,” he said.
Inland Northwest
Timber markets in the Inland Northwest remained stable in the second quarter, with prices normal for this time of year, according to Garrett Kleiner, manager of F&W’s Sandpoint, Idaho, office. Inventory levels and housing demand are the main drivers, with softwood sawtimber and poles the strongest products and pulp and pine under the most pressure. No notable mill developments were reported this quarter.
Landowners are active but cautious, Kleiner said, with fire risk and the housing market the biggest threats ahead and sawtimber and poles offering the clearest opportunity. He described the outlook as stable with a slight decline as inventories build. His advice: “This is a great time for forest management activities that include a commercial element. The market is not high overall, but management projects can still be completed and generate revenue, putting landowners in a better position to either maintain a healthy forest or harvest for revenue.”
Northern California
Timber markets in Northern California held stable in the second quarter, although prices declined following the closure of the Roseburg veneer mill in Weed. The closure removed approximately 40,000 MBF of annual log consumption from the region’s wood basket, according to John Vona, who manages F&W’s California operations out of Redding.
Prices immediately fell after the closure was announced in December but have since stabilized. Vona said the strongest products this quarter were 6-inch-plus or 8-inch-plus sawlogs or veneer logs. He is closely watching Sierra Pacific Industries’ planned sawmill in Eugene, Ore., roughly 225 miles to the north, which is slated to open later this year. While the facility is unlikely to draw logs directly from his service area because of the four-hour haul distance, it could put upward pressure on local log prices.
Landowners are holding, Vona said, and the possibility of another mill closure is his biggest concern. If Timber Products’ veneer mill in Yreka were to close, it would send a fresh shock through regional log markets. His outlook: markets are holding steady after a 10 to 15 percent drop in log pricing, with hope that “another shoe” doesn’t drop. His advice to landowners: “Hang in there.”
Closing Thoughts
As these regional updates show, conditions on the ground vary widely—what’s true in the Florida Panhandle or coastal South Carolina looks little like what’s happening in the Adirondacks or Northern California, even as familiar themes, including mill closures, fuel costs, and tight quotas, keep resurfacing across the map.
F&W’s regional managers remain the best resource for translating these national and regional trends into decisions that make sense for each property and ownership objective. We’ll continue sharing their on-the-ground perspectives each quarter, and thank our managers for taking the time to contribute amid an already demanding season.