If they have a contract on the timber, they own the rights to the timber. Period. Your only real option is to buy the timber rights back from them. If the timber contract was not formally disclosed at the time of sale, get a RE attorney and see if he can get a stay put on it, but most likely, the judge will allow the timber company to harvest it anyway, due to the fact that they have a valid contract and legal ownership of the timber, that precedes your ownership of the property. If it was a failure to disclose, you'll just have a damages claim against the individual that sold the property to you. Also, I wouldnt play any games with endangered species claims etc. All the big timber companies have their own biologists and attorneys and if you make a fraudulent claim that halts their ability to pursue their contract and make money, you'll end up paying them damages, that could be far in excess of the value of the timber. I know if you tried to pull that crap with me, I'd hammer you over it and try to break you. The only other thing you can do is get a copy of the actual timber contract. Most have an expiration date by which the timber has to be removed from the property. Once that date hits, they lose their rights to harvest it. Lastly, when they come in to cut, and they will, unless you negotiate to buy them out, be sure to make them bond the roads. That way if the crew fails to fix them to your satisfaction, you at least have some recourse.