What Paper Mill Closures Mean for Forest Landowners in the Carolinas

The closures of major paper mills, including International Paper's Georgetown Mill in South Carolina and Evergreen Packaging's Canton Mill in North Carolina, have had a significant impact on forest landowners throughout the Carolinas. For those who have relied on timber income for decades, the sudden loss of major markets has created uncertainty that few could have imagined.

As someone who has spent my entire career managing timberland and working with private landowners, it has been difficult to watch. We have gone from an environment of strong competition for wood to one where landowners are asking whether it still makes sense to actively manage their forests.

The good news is that while the situation has certainly changed, it has not eliminated the value of good forest management.

Your Options Depend on Your Local Markets

Every property is different. The best management decisions depend largely on where your land is located and what forest product markets remain within a reasonable hauling distance. Some areas have experienced much greater impacts than others.

Although stumpage prices have declined in many regions, there are still mills purchasing sawtimber, chip-n-saw, poles, and pulpwood. Prices may not be what anyone wants to see, but for many landowners they are still sufficient to justify continuing sound forest management.

Consider Your Long-Term Objectives

When evaluating whether to continue managing timberland, the most important question is often:

What is the realistic alternative use for the property?

For many rural properties, remaining in forest or agricultural production continues to be the highest and best long-term use. Timberland still offers benefits beyond periodic income, including wildlife habitat, recreation, aesthetics, family legacy, and potential long-term appreciation.

While there has been considerable discussion about alternative land uses such as solar developments, carbon markets, wetlands mitigation, or residential development, those opportunities are not available—or appropriate—for every property. Each should be evaluated carefully against your family's long-term objectives.

Expect Management to Require More Patience

One reality many landowners are experiencing is that management activities simply take longer than they once did.

With fewer logging crews, reduced mill capacity, and longer hauling distances, scheduling timber harvests has become more challenging. At the same time, the costs of forestry services have not declined. Consulting foresters, loggers, equipment operators, and contractors still must operate profitable businesses in order to continue providing quality service.

As a result, landowners should expect projects to require additional planning and greater patience than they did just a few years ago.

Don't Make Decisions Based on Today's Market Alone

Timber has always been a long-term investment. Markets have experienced cycles before, and they will again.

While today's environment is certainly difficult, making permanent land-use decisions based solely on a temporary downturn can have lasting consequences. A well-managed forest remains a valuable asset, and thoughtful management today can position your property to benefit when markets improve.

The current market requires flexibility, realistic expectations, and careful planning—but it does not mean that active forest management has come to an end.

Working with an experienced consulting forester or land specialist who understands both timber markets and rural land values can help ensure that your property continues to meet your financial and personal goals despite today's challenges.

Looking at Alternative Land Uses

One of the most important factors influencing rural land values today is the potential for alternative land uses. As South Carolina continues to be one of the nation's fastest-growing destinations for new residents, demand for rural property has increased significantly. Landowners have benefited from higher land values, particularly in areas surrounding Greenville, Charleston, Myrtle Beach, and the Charlotte metropolitan area.

This growth has created strong demand for rural homesites, small farms, and recreational properties. In many cases, land that was once valued primarily for timber production now has additional development or investment potential.

At the same time, many landowners have begun looking beyond traditional forestry for new sources of income. The challenges facing portions of the timber industry, particularly weaker pulpwood markets, have encouraged owners to explore opportunities such as solar energy projects, wetland mitigation, conservation easements, carbon credit programs, and other emerging land uses.

These opportunities can provide value under the right circumstances, but they are not appropriate for every property. Many alternative land uses have specific location requirements, regulatory considerations, or long-term contractual commitments that should be carefully evaluated before moving forward. In some cases, the opportunity may be substantial. In others, it may never materialize despite initial interest.

Landowners should remember that many of these emerging markets are businesses themselves. Their success depends on economic conditions, government policies, and changing market demand. What appears to be an attractive opportunity today may look very different several years from now.

For that reason, it is wise to evaluate every opportunity carefully. Understanding both the potential benefits and the long-term commitments is an important part of making sound decisions for your property.

There is no question that rural land is more valuable today than it has ever been. Even at today's higher prices, many investors continue to view well-managed land as a desirable long-term asset. Forestry remains one of the few land uses that can generate periodic income while allowing owners to maintain wildlife habitat, recreational opportunities, and the long-term productivity of the property.

The way we think about forestry may continue to evolve as markets change, but landowners should be cautious about abandoning traditional land uses simply because a new opportunity has emerged. The best decisions are usually those that balance immediate financial returns with the long-term value, flexibility, and stewardship of the land.

Every property is unique. Before making significant changes in land use, it is important to evaluate all available options and understand how each one supports your long-term goals as a landowner.

Working with People: The Foundation of Long-Term Success

One of the most valuable lessons I've learned during my career in forestry and real estate has very little to do with timber, contracts, or land values. It has everything to do with people.

Throughout my years working with landowners, buyers, sellers, loggers, foresters, attorneys, surveyors, and countless others, I've come to appreciate what makes someone a good person to work with. Over time, you begin to recognize that some people consistently build trust, communicate well, and honor their commitments. Others create unnecessary conflict and make even simple transactions more difficult than they need to be.

When I first entered the forestry profession, I noticed there were always people you looked forward to working with and others you hoped you wouldn't encounter. That observation has stayed with me throughout my career.

The people who leave the greatest impression are not always those who negotiate the hardest or talk the most. They are the ones who are dependable, honest, prepared, and willing to work toward solutions that benefit everyone involved.

Whether we're brokering a land sale, marketing a timber harvest, or providing forestry consulting services, I believe the best transactions are those where all parties leave feeling they were treated fairly and with respect. A successful deal should create value for everyone involved—not just one side.

I've also found that long-term relationships are built on consistency. Returning phone calls, communicating openly, following through on commitments, and treating people with professionalism are habits that build confidence over time. Those qualities are often remembered long after the details of a transaction have faded.

In our business, reputation is earned one relationship at a time. That's why we believe it's important to work with people who share similar values and who strive to do what they say they will do. Those relationships create better outcomes for our clients and make our profession more rewarding.

At the end of the day, land and timber transactions are about more than property—they're about people. When trust, integrity, and mutual respect guide the process, everyone has the opportunity to succeed.

The Value of Experience

Buying or selling rural land is very different from buying or selling a home. These properties often involve timber, agriculture, wildlife habitat, conservation considerations, recreational opportunities, and long-term investment potential. Having someone who understands those assets can make a meaningful difference throughout the transaction.

Many landowners choose to work with professionals they know and trust when it's time to buy or sell property. While there are many real estate companies that market themselves as land specialists, it's worth taking the time to evaluate the experience and credentials of the people who will actually represent your interests.

There are many real estate professionals who are highly skilled in contracts, negotiations, and the transaction process. However, relatively few have spent years working directly with rural land and the natural resources that influence its value.

At Frontier Forestry Group and Mossy Oak Properties Land Professionals Group, our team brings decades of practical experience in forestry, wildlife management, agriculture, and rural land stewardship. Long before we became licensed real estate professionals, we were helping landowners manage timber, improve wildlife habitat, evaluate investments, and make informed decisions about their properties.

That experience provides value throughout the buying and selling process. We understand how timber quality, soils, topography, access, wildlife habitat, water resources, and land management history can affect both value and marketability. We can help sellers present these features effectively and help buyers better understand the opportunities and limitations of a property before making an investment.

Rural land buyers are often making decisions that extend well beyond the closing table. They may be purchasing property for timber production, hunting, farming, recreation, conservation, or as a long-term investment. Having guidance from professionals who have worked in these fields provides an added level of confidence that goes beyond completing a real estate transaction.

Professional foresters, wildlife specialists, and individuals with agricultural backgrounds bring practical knowledge that helps buyers and sellers evaluate rural properties from multiple perspectives. This combination of technical expertise and real estate experience allows us to provide advice that is grounded in years of working with the very types of properties we represent.

When choosing a land professional, it's worth asking not only about their real estate experience, but also about their experience working with the land itself. In many cases, that knowledge can be just as valuable as understanding the contract.

Strategies for Success in Today's South Carolina Timber Market

One of the most common questions we hear from forest landowners today is:

"How do weaker timber markets affect my ability to generate income from my forest?"

It's an important question. South Carolina has experienced a significant shift in timber markets over the past several years, affecting the pricing and demand for nearly every forest product. While opportunities still exist, today's market requires more planning and a thoughtful marketing strategy than it did when demand was stronger.

One of the most important services we provide is staying in close contact with logging contractors, mills, and forest products companies to understand where markets remain active and where opportunities still exist for our clients. There was a time when finding a buyer for timber in South Carolina was relatively straightforward. Today, however, successfully marketing timber often depends on identifying the right buyer for the specific products your property has to offer.

Planning has become more important than ever. If you don't understand current market conditions before beginning a timber sale, you may find it difficult to achieve your management objectives or generate the income you expected. Equally important is evaluating the capacity of the company you choose to work with. In today's market, it's not enough for a company to simply offer a competitive price—they must also have the ability to move the products and successfully complete the harvest.

One trend we're seeing across much of South Carolina is that sawtimber markets have remained more stable than pulpwood markets. Many logging contractors are eager to purchase sawtimber, but fewer have consistent outlets for pulpwood. As a result, logging capacity for pulpwood is often limited.

This becomes especially important when planning first thinnings. First thinning operations typically produce a high percentage of pulpwood, so landowners should ask an important question before hiring a logger:

"What is your plan for moving the pulpwood from this tract?"

The answer can make the difference between a successful project and one that struggles to move forward.

In today's environment, the most attractive timber sales often contain a combination of products, including sawtimber, chip-n-saw, and pulpwood. A diversified product mix gives buyers greater flexibility and generally creates more competition for the sale.

For landowners with multiple properties or larger timber holdings, combining harvests can also be an effective strategy. Pairing a tract with strong sawtimber value alongside another property containing more pulpwood may create a more balanced sale that is attractive to a broader range of logging contractors.

In our experience, most logging companies can move some pulpwood, but many are limited to approximately 20 percent of their overall hauling capacity. When a timber sale consists primarily of pulpwood, it is often more successful to work with contractors or companies whose primary business is handling that type of material.

Every timber tract is different, and every landowner has unique objectives. Successful timber marketing today requires understanding current market conditions, matching the right buyer to the products available, and developing a strategy that meets both short-term income goals and long-term forest management objectives. While today's markets present challenges, careful planning and professional guidance can help landowners continue to achieve successful outcomes.