A Century of FORESTRY SUCCESS
Landowner Family’s History Shows How Industry Has Changed, Persevered
By John Casey
Winter 2023
Jim Parker
showcases a turkey
from his property.
Georgia’s forest lands have the most fertile soil for pine trees in the world. The state’s annual timber harvest is America’s largest by volume and forest product exports. All the while 48% more timber by volume is planted than harvested each year. The foundation of that invaluable industry for Georgia is keeping those forests in the hands of private landowners. More than 91% of Georgia forests are owned by private landowners. That’s well above any other state in the nation. For Jim Parker, a legacy forestry landowner, that means something special — and his family’s story explains why.
Getting the Lay of the Land
Parker owns nearly 6,000 acres of forestland nestled along the Altamaha River in Long County, GA. It’s been in his family for generations, with the first tract of land coming from a land grant to his ancestors for serving in the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War. Since then, the family’s land has grown, with the bulk of the acreage being added in the 1920s and 1930s as his grandfather built up his turpentine business.
Every acre is covered in trees. Both planted and natural pine woods cover the majority of the property. A few hundred acres of river swamp in the lowest levels of the floodplain boast gorgeous native cypress and hardwoods.
The wildlife is abundant, with deer and turkey throughout the property. In the 1930s and 1940s, before the deer population boomed and became widespread throughout the state, the Parker family operated a large hunting camp at the center of the property. People from throughout the South would travel by train to the slice of outdoorsman heaven, equipped with cabins and even a mess hall that still stands today.
Getting the Lay of the Land
Parker owns nearly 6,000 acres of forestland nestled along the Altamaha River in Long County, GA. It’s been in his family for generations, with the first tract of land coming from a land grant to his ancestors for serving in the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War. Since then, the family’s land has grown, with the bulk of the acreage being added in the 1920s and 1930s as his grandfather built up his turpentine business.
Every acre is covered in trees. Both planted and natural pine woods cover the majority of the property. A few hundred acres of river swamp in the lowest levels of the floodplain boast gorgeous native cypress and hardwoods.
The wildlife is abundant, with deer and turkey throughout the property. In the 1930s and 1940s, before the deer population boomed and became widespread throughout the state, the Parker family operated a large hunting camp at the center of the property. People from throughout the South would travel by train to the slice of outdoorsman heaven, equipped with cabins and even a mess hall that still stands today.
Jim’s late
grandfather, James
Parker, Jr., who
authored A History
of Georgia Forestry
The Industry that Started it All
While the property had always been used for forestry to some extent, the Parker family made its big entry into the industry in the 1900s with the boom of the turpentine industry. With over 40,000 acres of forestland, the Howard-Parker Company became a key producer of turpentine in the region. Through the first half of the 20th century, the product was used for a wide array of purposes, ranging from fuel to medicine.
“They used to say that you could walk from the Altamaha River all the way to Fort Stewart and you’d never step a foot off of Howard-Parker Company property,” said Parker.
Often referred to as “dipping gum,” the process of collecting the resin that would be distilled into turpentine was laborious. On one end of the property stood shotgun homes for laborers who would spend much of their summers chipping away at the pines to remove bark and create channels for the pine sap to flow into containers affixed at the base. Some of the homes still stand today, including the original homes of Parker’s grandparents built in the 1930s.
Turpentine is still used in a number of products in the chemical industry, but the scope of its uses reduced significantly in the mid-1900s, and as a result, the industry as a whole scaled down. In the wake of these changes, the HowardParker Company decided to close up shop for good, selling off the majority of their land and splitting the remaining property between the two families.
When One Door Closes, Another Opens
Just as the turpentine business was winding down, a new opportunity arose — the extensive pine forests of South Georgia had attracted all kinds of forestry industry, with facilities popping up from Savannah to Valdosta. Still with nearly 6,000 acres of prime pine forest, the next generation of the Parker family jumped on the chance to start a new business venture harvesting timber.
Decades later, business is booming. In 2020 and 2021, as lumber market prices touched some of the highest rates in history, the Parker family cut and harvested nearly 30,000 tons of wood.
Aside from one long-term lease on a few hundred acres by Weyerhaeuser, the rest of the property is solely managed by family operations. Parker cuts as he goes by gauging the market and avoids touching any of the natural forests, hardwoods or pines, sticking solely to the planted pines for harvests. On occasion, the natural pine woods need thinning to mitigate fire risks and ensure healthy forests, but beyond that, they remain free of human interference. “The property is some of the premier ground for growing loblolly pine in the world. The growth is so much faster than anywhere else you’ll see,” said Parker.
The primary driver in the local market is the pulpwood industry — timber that is primarily used for making wood pulp for paper production. In southeast Georgia alone, there are six major pulp and paper mill facilities, many lining rivers for easier transportation, including one just on the other side of the Altamaha River from the Parker property.
“I think this industry is one of the most important things we have in this country and we need to do everything we can to protect it and make sure it prospers.” — Jim Parker
Challenges on the Horizon
Parker has the ability to see the full picture of the challenges the industry faces as he’s not only a landowner and manager of the Parker property, but also works as a procurement forester for Pierce Timber Company. Across the industry, available labor is dropping fast – simply put, there just aren’t enough workers from top to bottom to sustain the continuously growing demand for forest products. “It scares you to look at the lack of trucks on the road hauling wood, how much harder it is to find trucks, how much harder it is to train people to drive trucks, and the lack of labor in the woods. Those are huge challenges we’re facing,” said Parker.
As inflation continues to increase, the underlying cost of operations follows. The expensive heavy machinery required for harvest operations is only getting pricier, and the gas that powers it is just the same.
“The money has to come from somewhere, and it’s typically coming out of the pockets of the landowners. I can look at it from both ways — working as a procurement forester buying timber and working with mills, as well as a landowner. We’re all in it together. The landowner, the logger, the mills, we all have to lean on each other to make it all work,” said Parker.
There’s Something Special About Georgia
Fortunately, the industry has a tremendous ally in the place they call home. Leaders in Georgia’s state government have led the way for the success of the forestry industry here, setting a standard of excellence.
“Hats off to the state of Georgia. You look at the national average of privately owned forest land versus publicly owned, Georgia kills everybody. Georgia’s business climate makes managing and keeping land much easier for us. The state sets a great example for the rest of the nation to follow,” said Parker.
The state continues to look for ways to support the industry. Just last fall, voters chose to pass a referendum that will provide an annual ad valorem (property) tax exemption for equipment used for managing, harvesting and replanting forests.
What makes forestry so unique compared to other industries is that it can be seen almost everywhere you look in your daily life. “
The light poles that hold up the power lines to your homes, the beams in the walls that support your home, the paper on your desk — there’s something to do with forest products in nearly anything and everything we do if you really think about it,” said Parker. “I think this industry is one of the most important things we have in this country and we need to do everything we can to protect it and make sure it prospers.” ■
John Casey is a strategic communications consultant with a primary focus on journalism, politics and public policy.
Parker has the ability to see the full picture of the challenges the industry faces as he’s not only a landowner and manager of the Parker property, but also works as a procurement forester for Pierce Timber Company. Across the industry, available labor is dropping fast – simply put, there just aren’t enough workers from top to bottom to sustain the continuously growing demand for forest products. “It scares you to look at the lack of trucks on the road hauling wood, how much harder it is to find trucks, how much harder it is to train people to drive trucks, and the lack of labor in the woods. Those are huge challenges we’re facing,” said Parker.
As inflation continues to increase, the underlying cost of operations follows. The expensive heavy machinery required for harvest operations is only getting pricier, and the gas that powers it is just the same.
“The money has to come from somewhere, and it’s typically coming out of the pockets of the landowners. I can look at it from both ways — working as a procurement forester buying timber and working with mills, as well as a landowner. We’re all in it together. The landowner, the logger, the mills, we all have to lean on each other to make it all work,” said Parker.
There’s Something Special About Georgia
Fortunately, the industry has a tremendous ally in the place they call home. Leaders in Georgia’s state government have led the way for the success of the forestry industry here, setting a standard of excellence.
“Hats off to the state of Georgia. You look at the national average of privately owned forest land versus publicly owned, Georgia kills everybody. Georgia’s business climate makes managing and keeping land much easier for us. The state sets a great example for the rest of the nation to follow,” said Parker.
The state continues to look for ways to support the industry. Just last fall, voters chose to pass a referendum that will provide an annual ad valorem (property) tax exemption for equipment used for managing, harvesting and replanting forests.
What makes forestry so unique compared to other industries is that it can be seen almost everywhere you look in your daily life. “
The light poles that hold up the power lines to your homes, the beams in the walls that support your home, the paper on your desk — there’s something to do with forest products in nearly anything and everything we do if you really think about it,” said Parker. “I think this industry is one of the most important things we have in this country and we need to do everything we can to protect it and make sure it prospers.” ■
John Casey is a strategic communications consultant with a primary focus on journalism, politics and public policy.
|
Georgia Forestry Magazine is published by HL Strategy, an integrated marketing and communications firm focused on our nation's biggest challenges and opportunities. Learn more at hlstrategy.com
|
|
|