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State of the American Forest

Forests are one of America's most prized natural resources. Although they are faced with issues like disease, pests and human usage, through proper forest management the condition of American forests has actually improved over the last few decades. In the US, many more trees are lost each year to forest fires, insects, blights and other natural causes than are harvested by man for paper and timber. The amount of forestland has remained relatively stable the last 100 years so there are now as many acres of forest as there were at the dawn of the 20th century.

In America, 43% of forested land is public, and private owners manage 57%. Public lands are owned and regulated by national, state and local governments or other public entities. Of privately held land, over 25% of these forests are managed in accordance with a major environmental certification program In addition, conservation practices are becoming increasingly popular among private landowners. These new programs have done a great deal to ensure sustainable forest use.

Over the last five decades, the standing inventory (volume of growing stock) of hardwood and softwood tree species has increased by 49%. At the same time, the rate of net growth of that growing stock increased 75%. A good gauge of sustainable forest usage is the ratio between timber growth and timber harvest As long as the ratio is positive, there is more growth than there is timber removed. In 2006, annual net growth was 38% higher than annual removals. This was 22% higher than in 1996 and an astonishing 400% higher than in 1953. The improvement in overall growth suggests good management and continually improving conditions in American forests.