How to Assess--and When to Sell--Damaged Timber

The most important incentive for timberland owners to assess timber damage promptly is that current prices, especially for sawtimber, are depressed. An immediate assessment of the extent of the damage will ensure that landowners, many of whom have spent years managing their timber for financial returns, are able to capture as much value from the damaged timber as possible. To do this, timberland owners will want to hold off selling their timber, if possible, until sawtimber prices fully recover from their recessionary lows. And to maximize this value, a professional forester should be consulted before making any final decisions regarding damaged timber.

During an assessment, damaged timber is generally assigned one of three rankings that help in the decision making process.

1. Severe Damage: Damage is critical and widespread; in this case, the timber should be sold as quickly as possible.

Severe damage to the majority of timber on a property will lead to the most undesirable option, selling timber right after a storm. Prices during this time period plummet because of an influx of timber being cut and sent to market. Trees that need to be cut as quickly as possible are windblown trees with the majority of roots out of the ground, large trees leaning at least 45 degrees, and trees that have lost 75% or more of their live crown. These trees will begin to deteriorate quickly and lose value. If the majority of a stand has suffered severe damage and a salvage treatment would cause the stand to be understocked, the best option is usually a salvage clearcut followed by site preparation and replanting the following fall/winter.

2. Moderate to Severe Damage: Extensive damage is found, but the majority of damaged trees will survive 6 months to 1 year; in this case, the sale can be postponed until better market conditions prevail.

In this circumstance, though timber has suffered considerable damage and needs to be harvested, harvesting can be put off until market conditions recover from the initial surge of salvaged timber. This category includes trees with broken tops that have four or more living limbs remaining, small trees that are leaning less than 45 degrees and windblown trees with the majority of roots still in the ground. All of these can survive into the foreseeable future.  Harvesting this type of damaged timber can be put off by 6 months to 1 year in order to avoid markets that are inundated with salvaged timber. Landowners should be wary about leaving damaged pines that have pitch flow, however, as this could attract bark beetles and cause an outbreak that leads to even greater damage to a timber stand.

3. Light to Moderate Damage: The stand as a whole has little damage, and the majority of affected trees will be able to recover within one or two growing seasons. No sale is needed, as the stand will recover with time.

Many young trees showing damage immediately following a storm can recover if given the opportunity. Two types of temporary tree damage are broken tops and bent trees. Young trees with broken tops but an adequate amount of live crown (>50%) still remaining, will sprout one or more new leaders and continue to grow. Continue to monitor this process, though, since trees that recover from broken tops are susceptible to forking when one dominant leader does not emerge.

Research has also shown that loblolly pine trees in the Southeast that are bent less than 40 degrees can recover completely after two years. Trees bent 40-60 degrees also recover, though with varying amounts of crook and sweep. Only trees that were bent 60 degrees or more were not able to recover.

Regardless of the extent of the damage sustained by timber during storms, the key to reclaiming as much of the value of the trees as possible and preventing further damage from pests and disease is rapid response. As soon as the weather clears and conditions are safe, timberland owners should survey the damage and modify their management plans and harvest schedules accordingly.