Timber University

What do declining pulpwood markets and fewer timber buyers mean for the future of southern forestry? In this episode of Timber University, Shaun and Brady visit with Dr. Derek Dougherty, a consulting forester, researcher, and tree breeder, about the challenges facing timber growers and the possibilities for rebuilding profitable markets. Drawing on more than 30 years in forestry, Derek shares his perspective on mill closures, industry consolidation, and the loss of competition for landowners' timber. We discuss how those changes affect logging businesses and rural communities, then turn to practical decisions landowners can make when establishing their next pine stand. Topics include lower planting densities, wider rows, and matching tree genetics to the site, management system, and available markets. We also explore potential outlets for wood, including biochar, biocarbon for steel production, and wood energy. Derek makes the case for stronger landowner advocacy and discusses manufacturing cooperatives that could give timber growers a greater role in processing and selling forest products. Using examples from Sweden and his own sawmilling experience, he considers what it might take for landowners, loggers, and local entrepreneurs to build new markets. Episode chapters 00:00 — Introduction 00:39 — Meet Dr. Derek Dougherty 03:04 — The motivation behind his papers on timber markets and renewal 07:25 — Comparing pulpwood markets across the South 12:13 — Timber sales then and now: what happened to competition? 17:16 — How mill closures affect landowners and rural communities 20:04 — Rethinking pine planting density, spacing, and genetics 30:59 — Wood quality and thinning in lower-density stands 34:09 — Potential markets for small-diameter wood 36:02 — The role of policy and landowner advocacy 41:30 — Landowner manufacturing cooperatives and lessons from Sweden 46:30 — Local sawmilling, new businesses, and opportunities to get started 50:45 — Closing thoughts on restoring profitability and opportunities for the next generation Papers discussed Read Dr. Derek Dougherty's two papers, including: The Collapse and Potential Renewal of U.S. Timber Grower Stumpage Markets: A Forest Landowner Perspective His follow-up paper on landowner manufacturing cooperatives and collaborations Questions or ideas for a future episode? Email us at [email protected].

Emerald ash borer continues to spread across the South, threatening ash trees in forests, urban areas, and important bottomland hardwood ecosystems. In this episode of Timber University, Dr. Colin Bonser, an entomologist with Forest Health Protection in the USDA Forest Service, joins us to discuss emerald ash borer, how it is detected and monitored, and what its continued spread could mean for southern forests. Dr. Bonser explains how emerald ash borer attacks ash trees by feeding on vascular tissue beneath the bark, eventually girdling and killing the tree. We discuss common signs of infestation, including crown dieback, epicormic branching, D-shaped exit holes, and increased woodpecker activity. The conversation also covers Forest Service monitoring efforts, including the use of prism traps and attractant lures to detect new infestations. Recent detections in Louisiana are particularly important for Mississippi. Bonser discusses new detections in parishes along the Mississippi River and ongoing monitoring on the Mississippi side, including the Delta National Forest. Because ash is an important component of southern bottomland hardwood forests, widespread mortality could significantly alter forest composition and create longer-term ecological consequences. The episode also examines management options. Individual high-value ash trees can sometimes be protected through systemic insecticide treatments, but treating large numbers of trees is costly and generally impractical at the forest scale. We also discuss the economic consequences of losing ash, including impacts on timber value and industries that have historically relied on ash for products such as furniture, flooring, baseball bats, and musical instruments. This episode is a useful listen for forest landowners, consulting foresters, forest health professionals, forestry students, Extension professionals, and anyone interested in invasive species, bottomland hardwood management, and the future of ash in southern forests. Questions for Timber University can be sent to [email protected]

Forest management decisions are made under biological, financial, and market conditions that can change considerably during the life of a stand. In this episode of Timber University, Dr. Adam Polinko, formerly of Mississippi State University (now at Northern Arizona University), joins us to discuss two applied research projects examining how landowners and foresters can respond to those challenges: chemical thinning in overstocked pine stands and the long-term development of mixed cherrybark oak and sweetgum plantings. Dr. Polinko's research focuses broadly on silviculture and forest stand dynamics, including how forests respond to disturbances such as thinning, harvesting, and other management interventions. The first part of the conversation examines whether chemical thinning could help landowners manage dense pine stands that can no longer be commercially thinned because of weak pulpwood markets. Dr. Polinko explains how a modified "hack-and-squirt" treatment can be used to thin a stand from below by killing smaller trees in place, opening growing space for larger trees, and accelerating a process that would otherwise occur gradually through natural self-thinning. We discuss how chemical thinning differs from conventional row thinning and why it may be particularly useful on smaller properties where logging access, tract size, or limited markets make a commercial thinning difficult. Because the work can be completed by people on foot using relatively simple equipment, it could give some landowners a practical way to place an overstocked stand back on a more productive growth trajectory. The episode also explores the risks and trade-offs of killing trees in place. The research team is examining how treatment timing affects Ips engraver beetles, southern pine beetles, tree stress, and mortality. The study will also evaluate how standing dead trees, dry needles, fallen woody material, and changing fuel loads may influence wildfire behavior. At the same time, increased sunlight reaching the forest floor could stimulate vegetation that provides additional forage and habitat benefits for wildlife. The second half of the episode turns to a mixed-species study established in the early 1980s to examine the development of planted cherrybark oak and sweetgum. The study was designed to test observations from natural stands suggesting that sweetgum may initially grow as fast as, or faster than, cherrybark oak, while the oak eventually overtakes it. Recent measurements indicate that sweetgum remained highly competitive for approximately the first 25 years, after which its height growth began to level off, and the cherrybark oak pulled ahead. The result today is a stand containing large, high-quality cherrybark oak and much smaller sweetgum. Dr. Polinko explains that sweetgum may provide a valuable "training effect" for cherrybark oak. Competition between the species can help the oak maintain apical dominance, straighter stems, smaller branches, and better overall form than might develop in a widely spaced, single-species oak planting. The study also provides a rare opportunity to compare mixed stands directly with nearby pure sweetgum and mostly pure cherrybark oak stands on the same site. The conversation highlights why mixed-species forestry may offer more than biological benefits. Growing different species together can diversify future management options, reduce dependence on a single timber market, and give landowners greater flexibility when deciding which species to thin, retain, or manage as the final crop. Because forest rotations are long and markets can change much faster than stands can be replaced, this kind of biological and financial diversification may become increasingly valuable. This episode is a useful listen for forest landowners, consulting foresters, wildlife managers, forestry students, researchers, Extension professionals, and anyone interested in pine thinning, mixed-species management, stand dynamics, forest health, and the challenge of managing forests under changing market conditions. Questions for Timber University can be sent to [email protected]

Forest inventory and timber cruising provide the information landowners and foresters need to understand what is growing on a property, how much timber is present, and how that timber should be managed or valued. In this episode of Timber University, Dr. Josh Granger from Mississippi State University joins us to discuss the different methods used to measure forests and why a well-designed inventory can be one of the most important investments a forest landowner makes. Dr. Granger is an Associate Professor in Mississippi State University's Department of Forestry, where he teaches dendrology, forest measurements, and forest description and analysis. His work helps students develop the practical skills needed to identify trees, measure forest resources, design timber cruises, and use inventory data to support forest management decisions. In this conversation, we discuss why the purpose of an inventory should determine how it is designed. Dr. Granger explains the differences among fixed-area plots, prism or variable-radius sampling, strip cruises, nested plots, and 100-percent inventories. He also discusses why no single method is best for every situation and how foresters often combine methods to efficiently collect the information needed. We also explain basal area, trees per acre, total height, merchantable height, and the level of precision needed for different types of forestry work. The conversation explores why a diameter measurement to the nearest tenth of an inch may be useful for research, growth monitoring, or carbon accounting, while broader diameter classes may be adequate for some operational timber cruises. The episode also emphasizes the financial importance of obtaining a reliable inventory before buying or selling timber. Without an independent estimate of timber volume, quality, and product composition, landowners may have little basis for determining whether an offer reflects the true value of their timber. Forest inventories can also support property appraisals, timber-basis calculations, casualty-loss documentation, carbon projects, wildlife management, invasive-species monitoring, and long-term assessments of forest growth and condition. This episode is a useful listen for forest landowners, consulting foresters, forestry students, timber buyers, land managers, appraisers, extension professionals, and anyone interested in understanding how forests are measured and valued. Questions for Timber University can be sent to [email protected].

Can forest landowners deduct residual soil fertility as some farmers do? In this episode, Shaun and Brady examine the growing interest in the residual fertility tax deduction, explain the relevant IRS tax provisions, and discuss why these strategies may apply to agriculture but generally not to forestry. They also cover the legal uncertainty surrounding aggressive soil nutrient deductions and what forest landowners should know before pursuing them. Special Thanks to Dr. Yanshu Li at The University of Georgia for providing section code interpretation and Kristine Tidgren, Director of the Center for Agricultural Law and Taxation, for her very helpful work in this area that was used for the background and relevant cases discussed in the episode.  Have Questions? If you've encountered this issue in practice or have experience with residual fertility deductions in forestry or agriculture, the hosts would love to hear from you. Email: [email protected]

In this Q&A episode, Brady and Shaun answer listener and landowner questions on three practical forestry topics: whether diesel or dish soap should be used as surfactants in herbicide applications, what landowners should consider before converting industrial timberland into recreational or early successional habitat, and how soil properties influence which tree species can successfully grow on a site. The episode emphasizes a recurring Timber University theme: forestry decisions depend on objectives. A practice may be silviculturally possible, but that does not mean it is legal, consistent, financially sound, or appropriate for a specific landowner's long-term goals.

Show Notes Geographic information systems, remote sensing, and spatial data are becoming everyday tools for forestry and natural resource management. In this episode of Timber University, Dr. Michael Crosby from Louisiana Tech University joins us to discuss how GIS can help foresters, landowners, students, and natural resource professionals better understand forests, make maps, analyze management decisions, and connect field observations to landscape-scale patterns. Dr. Crosby is an Associate Professor in Louisiana Tech's School of Agricultural Sciences and Forestry, where his work connects forestry, spatial modeling, forest health, invasive species, weather, and climate. He has also co-authored Geographic Information System Skills for Foresters and Natural Resource Managers, a textbook focused on helping foresters and land managers apply GIS to real-world data and management problems. In this conversation, we discuss why GIS matters in modern forestry and how mapping tools can move beyond "pretty pictures" into practical decision support. Dr. Crosby explains how spatial data can help answer questions about forest condition, access, disturbance, risk, invasive species, and management planning. The episode also touches on how students and working professionals can build confidence with GIS, even if they are not coming from a technical background. We also discuss the growing role of remote sensing, aerial imagery, and spatial analysis in forestry education and practice. From identifying patterns on the landscape to supporting better field decisions, these tools are increasingly important for foresters, land managers, consultants, researchers, and students preparing to work in natural resources. This episode is a useful listen for forestry students, consulting foresters, land managers, extension professionals, GIS users, and anyone interested in how spatial tools are changing the way we understand and manage forests. You can contact Dr. Michael Crosby at [email protected] Additional resource: Geographic Information System Skills for Foresters and Natural Resource Managers Dr. Crosby co-authored this GIS textbook for foresters and natural resource managers.

Hurricanes are often seen as purely destructive, but new research reveals their vital role in shaping longleaf pine ecosystems. Dr. Jeffrey Cannon from the Jones Center at Ichauway joins the Timber University podcast to discuss how his research explores how these storms influence forest structure, stimulate reproduction, and act as natural restorers. Discover how hurricanes increase biodiversity, create complex forest structures, and reinforce fire regimes, offering ecological benefits often overlooked.  We also discuss how remote sensing tools like LiDAR are transforming our understanding of storm impacts, from tree architecture adaptations to fuel patterns affecting fire behavior. Dr. Cannon provides practical advice on managing forest diversity to bolster resilience against future hurricanes, crucial for landowners and restoration practitioners. This episode is perfect for land managers, conservationists, and anyone interested in the nuanced role of disturbances. It challenges conventional views and sparks innovative thinking about storm ecology and forest resilience. You can contact Dr. Cannon directly at [email protected] A tutorial on using Lidar tools for forestry data https://lab.jonesctr.org/cannon/resources/ If you want to hear a broader discussion with Dr. Cannon and others on research needs for hurricane-disturbed forests, click below.  https://forestrywebinars.net/webinars/future-directions-for-hurricane-disturbed-forests/?sr=wp~ondemand

In this episode, Brady and Shaun talk about the recent ice storms across much of the Eastern US, with some states reporting substantial timber damage. They discuss how landowners can assess damage from the ice storms and what the next steps are for their forest property. As always make sure to reach out to private consultants, Extension, and your State forestry comission for help in taking those next steps. See the link for some leads on assistance in the wake of the storms https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/IN12644

Today we discuss arguably the most important topic facing our working forests, that of the excess supply of small-diameter timber. Shaun and Brady are joined by Dr. Matthew Pelkki, Director of the Center for Forest Business at the University of Arkansas at Monticello. He discusses the consequences of not finding market outlets for this material, both economic and ecological, and walks us through several alternative futures that could help in dealing with this wicked problem that will require multiple solutions to ultimately bring our forests back in balance in the near and longer term. The purpose is to provide the listener with items that they promote to their policymakers and legislators to help smooth the expansion of existing and creation of new end use markets that utilize already developed technologies that are ready to scale.  For More on UAM''s Center for Forest Business, please click the link below.  https://www.uamont.edu/academics/CFANR/acfb.html