Jones County is flat to gently rolling pine ground. There is almost no steep land here, which sounds easy until the first wet winter.
Southeast Forestlands works only for the landowner. We do not buy timber and we are not paid by mills.
Flat Ground Does Not Shed Water
Poorly drained areas need to be identified on the tract before planning harvest access.
Level land holds rain instead of running it off. That is what stops a job here, not hills.
Build the Road Up
A road cut into flat ground becomes a ditch and then a bog.
Build the travel way above the surrounding grade, crown it, and put rock on the stretch nearest the county road.
A Hard Layer Under Part of the County
A firm subsoil layer may restrict rooting; check the profile on the tract.
Where a firm subsoil layer limits rooting, assess rooting depth and wind exposure along with stocking and tree condition before setting thinning timing and intensity.
The Leaf River Bottom
Low ground along the Leaf River can flood.
Hardwood there is a separate product from your pine. Cut it only when the ground is hard.
Timing the Sale
Because so much of this ground is wet in winter, the working season is shorter than the calendar suggests.
Get the timber inspected and offered early so the crew arrives while the ground will still carry it.
Protect the Ground in Writing
Level, soft ground rewards a careful crew and punishes a rushed one.
Put a rut limit and a stop-work rule in the contract. Add a closeout date for water breaks and seeding.
Jones County, Mississippi
Landowners in Jasper, Wayne, Covington, and Forrest counties are served as well. Scheduling depends on tract location, weather, and current fieldwork.
Get a Second Opinion First
Before signing a timber sale agreement, have an independent forester inspect the timber and assess the sale; we cruise timber where the stand calls for it. Contact us for a free initial online property review. A signed Forestry Services Agreement is required before a property inspection.