Buying Land

Forisk Update: May 2011

Wood Demand: Despite low January receipts, pine sawtimber demand increased overall by 2.7% South-wide relative to Q4 2010. Sawmill demand increased 1.3% while plywood plants increased receipts 9.2%. Year-over-year from Q1 2010, pine sawtimber volumes increased 9.8%, recording the highest volumes since Q4 2008. Pine pulpwood and direct chip consumption fell 2.3% for the quarter, though demand increased at OSB plants. South-wide effective sawmill utilization was 71%, while effective capacity utilization at pulp/paper mills fell to 81% from 83% in Q4 2010.

Bioenergy: US-wide, current wood consumption associated with bioenergy projects exceeds 40 million green tons per year. Of the 451 operating and announced wood-using projects (pellet, cellulosic ethanol and electricity/cogeneration), 189 are operational, 35 are under construction and 227 have been proposed. Electricity projects are projected to consume 64% of the wood demand from bioenergy projects by 2021.

Timber REITs: Public timber REITs returned 22.05% as of April 26, 2011 as measured by the Forisk Timber REIT (FTR) Index, compared with 7.12% for the S&P 500. Including Weyerhaeuser, timber REITs comprise 5.82% of total public REIT capitalization.

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About the author

Brooks Mendell, Ph.D.

Brooks Mendell, Ph.D. is President and Founder of Forisk Consulting, a forest industry, timber REIT, bioenergy and timber market research firm. Dr. Mendell has over fifteen years of operating, research, and consulting experience in forest business and finance. Mendell has published over sixty articles and two books on topics related to timber and timberland REITs and markets, forest business management and operations, and communication skills.

1 Comment

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  • My broker buddy has a client that own unencumberd pine timber land in CA that he seeks to sell. Do you know of a Ca Reit that would swap reit shares or pay cash or lease rights? The seller has no need for hurry or cash at this time. He has an interested buyer but he wants no complexities to any title transfers. He needs a simple deal if there is such a thing.This is an information inquiry only i have no authority to offer or negotiate. The broker has that listing . The principle has that authority.

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