Woodland Roots

By Steve Bowers, OSU Extension – Timber Harvesting Specialist

Last time we spoke, it was raining cats & dogs. This time we’re coming out of the 2017 Ice Age. And you might be thinking to yourself, “Man-o-man, with all this inclement weather, I bet log prices are really doing their thing.” Well, they are doing their thing, just as they always do around this time of year. Bad weather. No access. Low mill inventories. Speculation on the upcoming building season. All of the above should factor-in to some pretty decent log values.

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By Steve Bowers, OSU Extension – Timber Harvesting Specialist

Holy raindrops, Batman! All the talk about drought these past couple years and we have a record rainfall in October. That would be a good news/bad news scenario. The good news is it caused the local mills to scramble for wood in what is typically a reasonably dry month. Bad news is landowners couldn’t access their wood through the mud puddles. Continue reading →

By Steve Bowers, OSU Extension – Timber Harvesting Specialist

Well, look whose back: the Lane County forestry agent. But this one is a new, improved version of the former occupant. Things are looking up: a thinly veiled, pusillanimous effort at some sort of transition into log prices.

We’re glad you ask. The past couple years we’ve seen a substantial volatility in the log market. Why, you ask? Our guess is regional mills listen to the economists (1^st mistake), drive-up prices in anticipation of a more robust building season (2^nd mistake) only to be left with too much lumber manufactured from logs they paid too much money (3^rd mistake).

The ramifications for woodland owners is to see that seasonal spike coming earlier in the year, followed by declining values with the progression of summer. And every year you hear about fire season and prices might rise due to logging restrictions. Occasionally, this can result in a leveling-off of values, or possibly a very slight increase. But in all the years we’ve been logging and working for extension, a person can count “shut-downs” on one hand.

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