The Forest Landowners Association (FLA) welcomed bipartisan, bicameral legislation introduced yesterday in the U.S. House (H.R. 8538) and to be introduced today in the Senate that would help private forest landowners recover reforestation costs more quickly after natural disasters. FLA says current tax rules slow down replanting after major losses.
Read MoreDavis Timber Company, Inc. announced it will invest $1.9 million to expand its Beauregard Parish operations with new production capabilities that will enhance efficiency and strengthen Louisiana’s timber industry.
Read MoreThe House of Representatives has passed Congresswoman Julia Letlow’s bill to protect Louisiana’s signature timber industry by cutting red tape for forest landowners, while also strengthening support for impacted livestock producers.
Read MoreAt the Advanced Bioeconomy Leadership Conference, U.S. Department of Agriculture Administrator for the Rural Business and Cooperative Service J.R. Claeys announced the U.S. Department of Agriculture is guaranteeing $115.2 million across eight states through the Timber Production Expansion Guaranteed Loan Program (TPEP) to ensure sawmills and other wood processing facilities have the necessary funding to establish, reopen, expand, or improve their operations.
Read MoreA forest fire near Hudson and Sikes in Winn Parish burned thousands of acres on March 18, forcing approximately 250 residents to evacuate before crews fully contained it by 8:30 p.m.
Read MoreA Red Flag Warning and Wind Advisory are in effect as more than three dozen wildfires ignited across Louisiana over the weekend, fueled by drought conditions and strong winds.
Read MoreTimber prices are a cornerstone of Louisiana’s forestry sector, which plays a vital role in the state’s economy. Fluctuations in timber prices directly impact landowners, timber mills, and the broader forest products industry. This article examines quarterly timber prices in Louisiana from 2010 to 2025, compares them to the Southern regional average, and explores the recent market trends. By understanding historical and projected price movements, stakeholders can make informed decisions in an evolving market.
Read MoreWhile most young entrepreneurs are just beginning their careers, William Manuel, owner of HLA Tree Service in Hessmer, LA, has already established himself as a dominant force in the Central Louisiana arboriculture industry.
Read MoreLouisiana timber titan Roy O. Martin III, who's retiring as CEO of his family's century-old forestry products empire Jan. 1, was honored for his ongoing advancement of the industry with an honorary doctorate of humanities from Louisiana Tech University.
Read MoreThe Louisiana Forestry Association teamed up with the LSU AgCenter to give fifth graders across Rapides Parish a hands-on lesson in forestry.
Read MoreU.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins issued a new memorandum to modernize and strengthen America's wildfire prevention and response system. This policy direction enacts common-sense reforms that modernize and streamline federal wildfire system. Concurrently, U.S. Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum issued his own memorandum to streamline capabilities and strengthen federal, state, and local partnerships.
Read MoreW.H. Ward Properties Inc., a group of 48 shareholders in descendants of William H. Ward, have been selected the 2025 Outstanding Louisiana Tree Farmer by the Louisiana Forestry Association.
Read MoreThe U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service announced it is investing more than $2.1 million in four projects across nine states in the Southern Region to restore state and private forestlands. These investments directly support the agency’s efforts to reduce wildfire risk, increase timber production, and expand rural economies, while providing critical support to landowners across management jurisdictions as they work to promote healthy, productive forests that benefit rural communities.
The investments, totaling more than $7 million nationwide, are being delivered as competitive grants through the Landscape Scale Restoration program. Of the total funding, $600,000 will support two projects for federally recognized tribes.
Read MoreCrews are making good progress on the Backbone Fire in the Kisatchie Hills Wilderness Area in Natchitoches Parish. Jim Caldwell with the U.S. Forest Service says as of yesterday evening, the 2,400-acre fire was just under 60% contained.
“Our lines are certainly holding. There’s still a very small amount of fire out there, but things are going completely to plan, and we think it will soon be out,” Caldwell said.
Read MoreBuck Vandersteen joins the show from the LegisGator Conference to discuss the state of Louisiana’s forestry industry, highlighting its vast forest coverage—over 15 million acres, mostly privately owned. Historically, early 20th-century logging led to deforestation, but reforestation efforts over the past 75 years have reversed that trend. Today, Louisiana grows 70% more wood than it harvests, creating a surplus of timber, especially small-diameter wood from first thinnings.
Traditionally, this surplus fed the pulp and paper industry, but declining newspaper demand and mill closures—like International Paper in Pineville—have left millions of tons of wood without a market.
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