Selling Timber In Alabama

Timber has been one of the most consistent investments over time, and a great hedge against inflation. According to value investor Jeremy Grantham, it's risen 3% more than inflation for more than 90 years. Timberland has also beaten the stock market over the long run, and with less volatility.

To estimate the value of your timber, take the volume, divided by 1,000, and multiply it by the price quoted in your states standing timber stumpage report.

The seller will receive the total payment before the timber is cut. In a per-unit sale the seller and buyer negotiate a price per unit of timber harvested. This type of sale results in the seller receiving payment as the timber is cut.

Depending on the type of trees and the market when the timber is sold, you could earn $500 to $2000 per acre (at $1500, you would be looking at $60 per year in income if you were to annualize it over 25 years).

It's generally much easier to sell trees in a woodlot harvest, where many trees are sold and harvested at the same time. To cut down your tree, a timber buyer must bring in laborers, a log truck, skidder, loader, and other equipment. The buyer must cut the logs and haul them to the mill to sell.

The term "timber sale" is used to refer to any significant harvest of wood products involving an exchange of monies. Timber sales may involve sales of trees used to make lumber (sawtimber), fuelwood, whole tree chips, pulp, or any combination of these products.

The Timber Harvesting Plan (THP) is the environmental review documents submitted by landowners to CAL FIRE outlining what timber he or she wants to harvest, how it will be harvested, and the steps that will be taken to prevent damage to the environment.

For these reasons, it's not uncommon for a tree grower to net $40,000 to $60,000 per acre every year producing high quality trees that are healthy and bring premium prices in the marketplace.