The U.S. is now losing more timber to mortality than it harvests, largely due to declining demand for hardwood products and a shrinking sawmill industry. Since 1996, hardwood harvest has dropped 29%, leaving forests increasingly overmature and declining. Reviving consumer demand for wood products is essential to maintain healthy, actively managed forests.

What NOT to do - Selling on shares (percentage of mill check) does not qualify for capital gains. IRS sees this as you selling logs, not standing timber—so it's ordinary income, reported on Schedule C or F.