Southern Timber's Structural Shift: The End of a Foundational Economy

A historic wave of pulp and paper-mill closures has fundamentally reshaped the South's forest economy, posing the most significant rural threat since King Cotton's decline.

The timber industry in the American South, once a bedrock of regional prosperity, has experienced a profound market collapse. This isn't merely a cyclical downturn; it is characterized by a historic run of pulp and paper-mill closures that have, in no uncertain terms, crushed the forest economy.

The implications extend far beyond commodity prices. When an industry described as

Raghida Rihani

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