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
About a quarter of this county drains poorly or only somewhat well.
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
Close to one acre in five has a tight layer within a few feet of the top.
Pine roots stay shallow above it. Those trees crowd early, blow over easier, and should be thinned sooner than the rest of the place.
The Leaf River Bottom
Roughly a fifth of the county floods, most of it low ground along the river.
Hardwood there is a separate sale from your pine. Measure it apart, offer it apart, and 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 tract cruised 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 anything on a stand of timber, have someone measure it who has nothing to gain from the outcome. Contact us to arrange a walk over the property.