NH's Business: The impact of tariffs on the timber industry

January 25, 2026 - 23:52

The health of New Hampshire’s working forests and the economic vitality of the timber industry are facing a period of uncertainty due to the potential for new international tariffs. In a recent discussion, Jasen Stock, Executive Director of the New Hampshire Timberland Owners Association, highlighted the significant challenges these trade policies could create.

New Hampshire’s forestry sector is a cornerstone of the state’s economy, supporting thousands of jobs in logging, sawmilling, and secondary manufacturing. The industry is deeply integrated into a global market, with a substantial portion of its wood products, particularly high-grade hardwood, being exported. The imposition of tariffs threatens to disrupt these crucial trade relationships, making New Hampshire products less competitive overseas.

Stock emphasized that such a decline in export markets would have a direct and negative ripple effect. Reduced demand for timber would lower stumpage prices—the value paid to landowners for harvested wood. This decrease in revenue could discourage sustainable forest management, a practice vital for forest health, wildlife habitat, and recreational access. The concern is that financial pressure on landowners might lead to the fragmentation or sale of woodlands for development, permanently altering New Hampshire’s landscape.

Industry leaders are urging for careful consideration of these long-term consequences, arguing that policies affecting trade must also account for the stewardship of the state’s natural resources and the rural economies that depend on them. The coming months will be critical in determining the trajectory for this traditional yet globally connected sector.