Arkansas Standing Timber Value (Pricing Guide)
Standing timber in Arkansas has no single dependable statewide price. Its stumpage value depends on species, usable volume, log grade, buyer demand, haul distance, access, and sale terms. Get a forester’s inventory and current written bids from several buyers. Compare bids only after matching units, log rules, products, costs, and contract conditions.
Would you like to know what your trees could bring before agreeing to a sale? The soundest answer starts with a measured inventory, not an online price or a neighbor’s story. I approach timber as a property asset: first determine what is there, then invite comparable bids, and finally protect the sale with clear terms.
Arkansas Timber Valuation: Tract Inventory and Sale Preparation
Stumpage value is the amount offered for standing timber before it is cut. To estimate it, you need a tract-specific inventory, current buyer bids, and a clear account of sale costs and terms. A statewide figure cannot reliably predict what a particular Arkansas tract will earn.
Define the sale before estimating value
Start by confirming ownership, acreage, boundaries, access points, and any restrictions that may affect harvesting. Decide whether you want the highest immediate return, a thinning to improve the remaining stand, or a harvest that supports a longer-term forest plan. Those goals can lead to different sale designs.
Mark or map areas that should be protected, such as streamside zones, steep ground, roads, fences, and trees you want left standing. Check applicable local requirements and ask the Arkansas Forestry Commission, your county, or a qualified forester about rules that may apply. Requirements can vary by location and activity.
A consulting forester can help plan a sale, measure timber, and seek bids. A forester who represents you may have a different role from a buyer’s forester, so ask who the forester works for and how fees are paid. Get the scope and fee in writing.
Build an inventory you can compare with bids
A timber cruise is a measured estimate of trees and saleable products on a tract. Ask the forester to record species, merchantable volume, product class or grade, acreage, measurement method, and the log rule or weight basis. The report should also explain how the sample was taken and where estimates may be uncertain.
Separate sawtimber, veneer, and pulpwood where these products are present and accepted by buyers. Product categories matter because a tree may contain more than one product, and buyers may value those portions differently. Ask how the inventory handles defect, tree size, and material that may not meet a mill’s specifications.
The useful result is not simply “X acres of timber.” You want volumes by species and product, with measurement units that bidders can understand. A cruise is an estimate, not a guarantee of the amount a mill will accept after harvest.
Next step: Confirm the sale area and objectives, then obtain a written cruise before asking buyers to price the timber.
Species, Product Classes, Log Rules, and Buyer Bids
Species, product class, and measurement method shape the offer a buyer can make. A price is meaningful only when you know what it covers and how volume is measured. In Arkansas, local mill demand and haul distance can change what buyers will pay for the same kind of timber.
Match units before comparing offers
Buyers may quote dollars per 1,000 board feet (MBF), per ton, or per cord. One MBF equals 1,000 board feet. These units measure timber in different ways, so do not compare a per-ton bid directly with a per-MBF bid unless the volumes have been converted on a sound, agreed basis.
For board-foot estimates, confirm the log rule: Doyle, Scribner, or International ¼-inch are examples. The same log can scale to different board-foot totals under different rules. A price per MBF without its rule is incomplete.
| Bid basis | What to confirm | Comparison check |
|---|---|---|
| Dollars per MBF | Species, product, log rule, and scaling point | Match the rule and product |
| Dollars per ton | Weighing method, included material, and scale location | Confirm the same weight basis |
| Dollars per cord | Cord definition and products included | Confirm dimensions and contents |
Estimate gross and net proceeds
Estimated gross stumpage value is the sum of each product’s volume multiplied by its matching bid price. Net proceeds are what you keep after any seller-paid costs, taxes, fees, or deductions in the contract. Ask bidders to state both the unit price and how the final payment will be calculated.
The figures below are invented examples to show the math. They are not Arkansas market prices or a prediction of value.
| Hypothetical product | Cruised volume | Example bid | Gross estimate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sawtimber, quoted by MBF | 20 MBF | $300 per MBF | $6,000 |
| Pulpwood, quoted by ton | 40 tons | $12 per ton | $480 |
| Total example gross | $6,480 |
In this example, the arithmetic is straightforward, but the bids use different units and cannot be compared as if they were one product. The actual sale may also include different volumes, products, costs, and payment terms.
Ask for current, comparable written bids
Give each qualified buyer the same inventory, maps, sale area, and written terms. Ask each to identify products, prices, measurement basis, payment timing, and any costs or work included. Seek multiple bids where practical; an unusually high unit price can still lead to poor proceeds if the volume estimate, scaling method, or contract favors a different outcome.
There is no reliable statewide price that applies to every tract. Prices shift with date, species, quality, product, mill demand, haul distance, tract size, access, and sale conditions. A generic online price or nearby sale is context, not a substitute for bids on your timber.
Next step: Put every offer into the same unit and product format, then compare estimated total receipts and contract terms.
Sale Contract, Harvest Oversight, and Post-Harvest Inspection
A timber-sale contract turns an offer into enforceable instructions for payment, harvest, and property protection. It should identify the sale area, products, measurement and payment terms, schedule, insurance, damage rules, cleanup duties, and completion standards. Have a qualified forester or attorney review unclear or high-value terms before signing.
Compare the whole offer, not the headline price
A higher price per unit is not always the better sale. The cruise may overstate merchantable volume, the buyer may use another log rule, or a quoted price may apply only to a narrow product class. Reconcile volume, unit, scaling method, and product specifications before you sign.
| Contract item | What to put in writing |
|---|---|
| Sale boundary | Map, marked lines, access routes, and areas excluded |
| Timber to cut | Species, products, marked trees, and reserve trees |
| Measurement | Unit, log rule or weight basis, scaling location, and records |
| Payment | Amount, timing, deposit if any, and method for final settlement |
| Property care | Road use, stream and soil protection, fence repair, and damage |
| Closeout | Cleanup, removal of equipment, and completion date or conditions |
Confirm who carries required insurance and what proof you will receive. State who is responsible for road work, gates, culverts, and damage to fences or other property. Mark boundaries and reserve trees before work begins, and document existing road or fence conditions with dated photos.
Monitor the harvest and settle accounts
Agree on a way to inspect operations and review scale tickets or load records, where relevant to the payment method. Keep copies of the contract, cruise, maps, bids, payment records, and inspection notes. If actual harvest records differ from the estimate, ask the buyer or forester to explain the difference in writing.
Harvesting brings serious equipment and tree-felling hazards. Make sure the operator follows applicable safety requirements, including relevant OSHA rules. ANSI Z133 addresses arboricultural operations and may be relevant to tree work, but it is not a substitute for rules that apply to logging operations.
A price is only one part of a good sale. Clear boundaries, documented measurement, and a practical inspection plan help protect the value you negotiated.
Next step: Do not authorize cutting until the contract, boundaries, insurance, and payment method are clear.
Reforestation, Stand Recovery, and Records
A completed harvest changes the stand, but it does not end the landowner’s job. Reforestation means helping the next forest grow, whether through natural regeneration, planting, or another plan suited to the site. The right approach depends on the harvest, species, soils, and your long-term goals.
Check the site after harvest
Walk the tract with the forester or operator when work is complete. Compare the result with the contract: confirm the boundary was respected, reserved trees remain, agreed cleanup is done, and any documented damage is addressed. Note exposed soil, blocked drainage, rutting, or road issues and agree on any required repair.
Ask a forester whether natural regeneration is likely to meet your goals or whether planting or other steps may be needed. Do not assume that every harvested area needs the same treatment. Site conditions and the species you want to grow matter.
Keep sale records for future decisions
Store the cruise, contract, maps, scale or weight records, receipts, and harvest dates together. These records help explain what was sold and provide a baseline for future management. Ask a tax professional how to report proceeds and whether your records affect timber basis or other tax matters; tax treatment depends on your circumstances.
Next step: Close out the sale in writing, document the site, and make a regeneration plan before the next growing season.
Frequently Asked Questions
These answers cover common questions about estimating timber value and comparing offers in Arkansas. A forester’s cruise and current bids remain the best way to value a specific tract. Check details such as units, product classes, measurement rules, and sale terms before relying on any estimate.
How much is standing timber worth per acre in Arkansas?
There is no dependable statewide per-acre value. Timber mix, volume, quality, access, acreage, and buyer demand vary by tract. Ask a forester to estimate saleable products and seek current written bids for your property.
What is stumpage value?
Stumpage value is the amount offered for standing timber before it is harvested. The owner’s net proceeds can differ from the gross offer because of costs, taxes, fees, and contract terms.
What is one MBF?
One MBF equals 1,000 board feet. Confirm the log rule used to estimate those board feet, since Doyle, Scribner, and International ¼-inch can produce different volumes for the same logs.
Should I accept the highest price per MBF?
Not without checking the whole offer. Compare species, product specifications, log rule, estimated volume, payment terms, deductions, property protection, and completion duties. A high unit price may not produce the best net return.
How many timber buyers should I contact?
Seek bids from multiple qualified buyers when practical. Give each the same inventory and sale terms so you can compare offers fairly. A forester can help identify likely buyers and manage the bid process.
Do I need a forester to sell timber?
A forester is not required for every sale, but a qualified forester can estimate volume, classify products, prepare sale terms, and help compare bids. Ask who the forester represents and what services and fees are included.
Why do buyers use different units?
Logs and wood products may be measured by board feet, weight, or cord, depending on the product and buyer. These units are not directly interchangeable. Confirm the measurement basis before comparing bids.
Can I use a neighbor’s sale price to value my trees?
Use it only as rough context. A nearby sale may differ in species, grade, volume, haul distance, timing, measurement rule, and contract terms. Current bids based on your inventory are more useful.
What should a timber-sale contract include?
At minimum, it should state the sale area, timber covered, measurement and payment method, schedule, insurance, property-protection duties, damage terms, and cleanup or completion requirements. Have unclear terms reviewed before signing.
What should I do after harvest?
Inspect the site against the contract, document any damage, retain sale and payment records, and ask a forester about regeneration. Your next steps depend on the land, the remaining trees, and your goals for the stand.
(This article was written by one of our staff writers, Victor Dempsey. Visit our Meet the Team page.)
