While most were confident fall would improve the stumpage markets, the effects of the Japanese economic recession remained on their minds. In the meantime, many foresters were working on the other management chores, like thinning pine plantations, painting boundary lines and handling storm damaged tracts. Mill buyers were working on harvesting tracts already purchased and bidding on the sales available in this buyers' market. Most reporters noted that the pulpwood market was down significantly, especially hardwood pulpwood. Some pulp mills were also down for maintenance and were not taking shipments for a couple weeks in June.
Quotas are common and markets are tight.
Other Comments Not much Southern Pine Beetle activity has been reported for May and June. Several reporters commented about seeing a little scattered evidence of beetle activity, but generally, to everyone's pleasant surprise, beetle damage has been very light. The worst area reported was central Mississippi around Neshoba County with about 40 spots reported there. We're in the process of clearing out some publications in our warehouse. Some foresters voiced concerns about survival in pine plantations established this spring due to the 5 to 6 week drought through much of May and June in Mississippi.