The volume of timber in a stand is the primary factory in calculating the value of timber. Ten acres is typically the minimum size that will hold enough mature trees to generate attractive offers.
Accessibility is the next main factor. Loggers will typically bid higher for readily-accessible timber, because less labor and equipment are needed to harvest it.
The final main factors are species and quality. Mature trees of at least 16-inches in diameter at breast-height (DBH) are mature and merchantable, and most trees smaller than this should be left to grow until a future harvest.
Mature black walnut and white oak trees have the most valuable logs of all, and they’re the ones that unethical loggers will invariably under-bid or try to trick you into selling before they’re fully mature.
Timber buyers and loggers can seem friendly and knowledgeable, and some are very good at pretending to be so. But you shouldn’t let them lead you to believe that they’re your friend or ally in the timber business.
Loggers are not paid to get you top dollar for your timber. In fact, every single one of them is incentivized to grab your timber for the lowest possible price they can persuade you to accept.
They also have many ways to trick unwary landowners including: low-balling, high grading, false scaling, deceitful point of cut scams, under-reporting the harvest and more.
And yes, these things happen here in Peebles all the time.
No matter who they are, or how good you think their business reputation is (and even if they drive a horse and buggy) you should never let a logger onto your land without first talking to an experienced independent forester like us.
May 21, 2026 | Timber stand evaluation
A farmer with 13 acres of timber near New Marshfield asked us to administrate a timber sale in Vinton County Ohio
May 20, 2026 | Timber sale negotiation
A farmer called us for help negotiating with a timber buyer in Carroll County Ohio
May 15 2026 | Forest management consultation
A landowner asked us for help finding a consulting forester in Pennsylvania
May 8, 2026 | Timber sale inquiry
A couple in Ashtabula County called us to evaluate selling timber from their 30-acre stand near Ashtabula
May 1, 2026 | Timber sale assistance
A man in Belmont County engaged us to sell 100 acres of timber near Bethesda, Ohio
April 27, 2026 | Timber sale consultation
A man in Carroll County retained us to sell 40 acres of white pine trees near Carrollton, Ohio
