Examination of regional hardwood roundwood markets in West Virginia

West Virginia?s large and diverse hardwood resource ranges from oak?hickory forests in the southern and northwestern regions of the state to northern hardwood stands in the northeastern region. West Virginia is home to a diverse group of primary hardwood processing industries including hardwood grade mills, industrial hardwood sawmills, engineered wood-product manufacturers, rustic- fence plants, face-veneer manufacturers, a hardwood plywood mill, and several roundwood and pulpwood concentration yards that supply mills in Ohio and Virginia. Each of these primary hardwood-processing industries has specific roundwood requirements with respect to species and quality resulting in a diverse set of roundwood markets. The diversity of West Virginia?s roundwood markets were examined based on a detailed survey of 30 logging and associated roundwood merchandising operations. The harvesting operations surveyed merchandise roundwood to an average of four markets each. The production of saw logs or peeler logs, however, appears to be driving these operations. Other roundwood markets appear less important or secondary but still influence the profitability of logging operations. Of the species harvested in West Virginia, yellow-poplar is the most versatile because of its use for saw logs, peeler logs, and rustic fencing. Yellow-poplar also is utilized most often in the production of oriented strandboard.

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