The US South remains one of the world's most important timber-producing regions, but the picture on the ground has become increasingly uneven. Mill closures, weaker wood demand, longer haul distances and the loss of pulpwood and residual markets are putting pressure on loggers and landowners even as new sawmill investment continues across the region.

GWMI spoke with Michael Campbell, President & CEO of the South Carolina Timber Producers Association, about the state of Southern timber markets, the gap between installed mill capacity and actual wood consumption, the impact of closures on logging contractors and where the next sources of demand could come from.

Campbell has 35 years of experience in the forest industry, working across wood procurement, logging equipment, sales and product support for contractors and forest-products manufacturers. He has led the South Carolina Timber Producers Association since 2025.