Stinking Creek South

Location

Stinking Creek South is located in the upper coastal plain of southeast Alabama, where you begin to have some rolling hills but not to the extent of further north. This area can have very productive sandy loam soils and is often the most sought-after land for timber production. 

This tract is on County Road 316, just about six-tenths of a mile off County Road 21. It lays roughly at the halfway point between the towns of Troy and Elba, Alabama. 

The neighboring properties on all sides are rural timberlands with a small bit of pastureland to the south. There are very few residences within a mile radius of this property. Most nearby residences have a Glenwood address, as this small community has a post office about 6 miles from the property. For quick provisions and fuel, the small community of Henderson has a gas station at the intersection of County Roads 6 and 21, about 6.5 miles to the northeast of the tract. The city of Troy is 18 miles to the northeast, and County Road 21 will take you directly to the "main drag" of US 231. Troy offers hotels, multiple dining options, a major hospital, and a small-scale airport. 

Located 65 miles to the east is Lake Eufaula, one of the southeast's premier fisheries. The Dothan Regional Airport and the Montgomery Regional Airport are just over an hour's drive from the property. The closest major airport is in Columbus, Georgia, which is only 2.5 hours away. 

Access

Most recently, Stinking Creek South has served as a timber-producing property, providing a system of woods roads and trails that make it accessible.

The tract has an approximate quarter mile of frontage along Coffee County Road 316. There are currently two access point to the property on CR 316. This tract also has direct access to power.

Approximately 1.2 miles of logging roads exist on the tract for internal access. Most of this distance is traversable by 2x4 with good ground clearance but may require 4x4 during wet periods. Some portions of these roads may now require ATV or UTV but are still accessible for such. In addition, there are also multiple ATV or UTV trails running through the tract. These trails and paths make the existing merchantable timber accessible and provide easy access to hunting areas. The trails also get you close to Stinking Creek.

Site Description

Stinking Creek South features rolling terrain with elevations ranging from about 300 feet above sea level along the East fork of Stinking Creek up to 435 feet at the highest points. The soils are well-drained and very productive for timber.

The east fork of Stinking Creek runs from north to south across the eastern most “40” of this tract. This stream holds water during all seasons and eventually feeds into the Pea River. The acreage around Stinking Creek is bottomland hardwood with a strong representation of acorn-producing white oak timber.

With direct access to power this tract presents opportunities for a residence, cabin, or "high class" hunt camp are real possibilities.

This tract is exceptionally well balanced for wildlife and recreational experience. Diversity is key for land to be preferred by wildlife. This tract has everything required to be an exclusive home for the critters. Stinking Creek provides water, the two-year-old cut-over provides cover habitat, and plenty of food sources headlined by the nut-bearing species throughout the lowland hardwood stands.

In addition to wildlife, this tract can offer nature walks through various environmental types, trail riding, camping, etc.

Timber

The stumpage values were assigned by F&W Forestry Services, Inc. in December of 2022, producing a property-wide merchantable timber value estimate of $47,000.

The property has both immediate and future potential if timber production is part of an owner's objectives. 

The property has about 16 - 17 acres of 31-year-old loblolly pine plantation along CR 316 on the west side of the tract. In terms of financial readiness, this timber stand is fully mature and can be harvested anytime. Since it is roadside and on good ground, it would be attractive to the market for its volume, ease of access, and operability for wet periods. If a buyer wants to sell the timber, it should provide a nice profit. This stand could also be thinned or placed in a burning program to enhance its wildlife value. At present, it serves to add visual security to the interior of the tract.

In 2021 an approximately 110-acre portion of this tract was clear-cut. The reforestation process is currently in motion. This area was treated with herbicide to control woody competition and will be planted with improved loblolly pine this winter. The current plan is to deploy a loblolly family native to the area with a high probability of producing sawtimber and pole quality timber. It will be planted at 545 trees per acre. This plantation should be ready for commercial thinning at or near age 15 (or the year 2038). Thinnings are indeed income-producing events. However, their purpose is typically geared toward keeping the plantation healthy and growing well. A second thinning may be considered if needed at age 21 or 22. Loblolly stands in this region reach full financial maturity between the ages of 25 and 32. We believe this regional timber market will be pine dominated for the foreseeable future. We recommend following any final harvests with loblolly reforestation for the best returns in the long run.   In terms of wildlife, this plantation will provide some browse and will be excellent cover habitat during the early years. After thinning, the amount of available browse will increase substantially, and burning can then be introduced to further enhance wildlife value.

As they currently stand, the hardwood-dominated areas are contributing to the diversity of this tract in a significant way and have immense wildlife value. There are approximately 18 - 20 acres of lowland hardwood-dominated stands along Stinking Creek. There are other patches of natural hardwood dominated stands scattered across this tract. If timber production is one's sole objective, much of this timber is available for harvest. Keep in mind that harvesting will be restricted to some extent on some of this specific acreage due to either terrain or to protect the integrity of the streams to adhere to Best Management Practices for Forestry.