Georgia Harvest 

and Utilization

Study, 2004

United States

Department of

Agriculture

Forest Service

Southern 

Research Station

Resource Bulletin

SRS–117

James W. Bentley and

Richard A. Harper
The Authors:

James W. Bentley, Resource Forester, and Richard A. Harper, 

Forester, USDA Forest Service, Southern Research Station, 

Knoxville, TN 37919.

July 2006

Southern Research Station

200 W.T. Weaver Blvd.

Asheville, NC 28804
i

Foreword

This resource bulletin describes the principal findings of a 

harvest and utilization study conducted during the eighth 

inventory of Georgia’s forest resources and compares those 

findings with data from the sixth and seventh inventories. 

Inventory crews sampled and measured trees harvested in a 

variety of logging operations, and analysts calculated wood 

volume and percent of wood utilization. Harvest volume 

data and factors for growing-stock and nongrowing-stock 

logging residue are described and interpreted. 

Annual inventories of America’s forest resources are mandated by the Forest and Rangeland Act of 1978. Forest 

inventories and utilization studies are part of a continuing, 

nationwide undertaking by regional experiment stations 

of the Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture. 

Inventories and utilization studies of the 13 Southern States 

(Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, 

Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, 

Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia) and the Commonwealth 

of Puerto Rico are conducted by the Southern Research 

Station, Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) Research Work 

Unit. Unit headquarters is in Knoxville, TN, and FIA has 

operational offices in Asheville, NC, and Starkville, MS. 

The primary objective of these appraisals is to develop and 

maintain resource information needed to formulate sound 

forest policies and programs. More information about Forest 

Service resource inventories is available in “Forest Service 

Resource Inventories: An Overview” (U.S. Department of 

Agriculture Forest Service 1992).

Tabular data included in FIA resource bulletins present a comprehensive array of forest resource statistics, 

but additional information is available to those who 

require more specific information. Access to data for 

the Southern States can be found at www.ncrs.fs.fed.

us/tools-data/mapping-tools.

Acknowledgments

The authors thank Nathan McClure and Tony G. Johnson 

for their review and comments; Carolyn Steppleton for keypunching and processing preliminary data; Anne Jenkins, 

Janet Griffin, and Sharon Johnson for the map, tables, 

graphs, and statistical checking; and Louise Wilde for editorial review, styling, and publication of this report. 

iii

Contents

Page

Introduction............................................................................................................................................. 1

Methods................................................................................................................................................... 1 

Site Stratification and Selection.......................................................................................................... 1

Data Collection ................................................................................................................................... 2 

Highlights................................................................................................................................................ 3 

Characteristics of Harvested Trees in Georgia.................................................................................... 3 

Softwood Removals............................................................................................................................ 6 

Hardwood Removals........................................................................................................................... 7 

Georgia’s Logging Workforce................................................................................................................. 8 

Literature Cited ....................................................................................................................................... 9 

Glossary .................................................................................................................................................. 10 

Appendix................................................................................................................................................. 13 

Index of Tables ................................................................................................................................... 15

Tables A.1–A.17a................................................................................................................................ 17

a All tables in this report are available in Microsoft® Excel workbook files. Upon request, these files will be supplied in the 

format the customer requests.

 The use of trade or firm names in this publication is for reader information and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. 

Department of Agriculture of any product or service.
iv

Dodge

Laurens

Johnson

Treutlen

Emanuel

Jenkins

Screven

Bulloch

Candler Effingham

Chatham Bryan

Liberty

Evans

Tattnall

Toombs Montgomery

Wheeler

Telfair

Jeff Davis

Appling

Wayne

Long

McIntosh

Glynn

Camden

Brantley

Charlton

Pierce

Coffee Bacon

Atkinson

Ware

Clinch

Echols

Dooly

Crisp

Wilcox

Tu Ben Hill rner

Worth Tift

Irwin

Berrien

Lanier

Lowndes

Brooks

Cook

Colquitt

Grad Thomas y

Mitchell

Ea Baker rly

Miller

Seminole Decatur

Harris Talbot

Upson

Pike Lamar

Butts

Monroe

Jasper

Morgan

Putnam

Greene Taliaferro

Wilkes Lincoln

Columbia

Richmond

Burke

Jefferson

Glascock

Mc Duffie

Warren

Washington

Hancock

Jones Baldwin

Wilkinson

Twiggs

Bibb

Crawford

Peach

Houston Bleckley

Pulaski

Macon

Taylor

Schley

Marion

Muscogee

Chattahoochee

Stewart

Webster Sumter

Lee Terrell Quitman Randolph

Clay Calhoun Dougherty

Polk Cobb

Fulton

Forsyth

Hall Banks Franklin Hart

Elbert

Madison

Clar Oglethorpe ke

Oconee

Jackson

Barrow

Walton

Gwinnett

De Kalb

Roc

Newton

kdale

Henry

Clayton

Fayette

Spalding

Troupe

Meriwether

Coweta

Heard

Carroll

Haralson

Douglas

Paulding

Dade Catoosa

Walker Whitfield

Murray

Fannin

Union

Towns Rabun

Chattooga Gordon

Gilmer

Pickens

Dawson

Lumpkin

White

Habersham

Stephens

Floyd Bartow Cherokee

North

North

Central

Southeast

Southwest

Central

Number

23

12

21

14

6

3

5

2

6

2

2

Softwood saw log

Hardwood saw log

Softwood pulpwood

Hardwood pulpwood

Softwood post

Softwood pole

Softwood composite panel

Types of operations

Hardwood fuelwood

Hardwood veneer

Softwood veneer

Hardwood composite panel

Figure 1—Harvest operations, Georgia, 2004.
Introduction

Forest planners and managers have a continuing need for 

information about the timber resource, and the general 

public is expressing increasing interest in the effects of logging. Therefore, current data on the Nation’s forests—and 

how they are changing—are essential to well-informed decisionmaking. Information about the condition of and changes 

in the timber resource of Georgia comes from three primary 

sources: (1) inventory plots, which describe current conditions and quantify changes due to mortality, growth, removals, and land use; (2) mill surveys, which quantify timber 

volume harvested and delivered to primary wood products 

facilities, i.e., sawmills, pulpmills, veneer mills, composite 

panel mills, and pole mills; and (3) logging utilization studies, which characterize harvest operations and quantify the 

timber volume that is cut and utilized, as well as that portion 

that is left in the forest during the harvesting of timber. 

This bulletin presents the findings of a 2004 harvest and 

utilization study in Georgia and compares them to findings 

of 1989 and 1997 studies. The main goal was to provide an 

estimate of softwood and hardwood volume used for wood 

products, and the volume left in the woods as logging residue. Crews randomly selected and measured felled trees 

on 96 active harvest operations throughout Georgia (fig. 

1). This bulletin also provides information on logging in 

Georgia and some general characteristics of trees harvested 

for various products, which includes average diameter at 

breast height (d.b.h.) by product, average bole length by 

product, average heights of residual stumps, and average 

diameter outside bark (d.o.b.) at the end of utilization of the 

main stem. 

Some standard Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) 

Research Work Unit terms are used in this study. Two that 

are particularly important for understanding and interpreting 

study results are growing stock and nongrowing stock. 

A growing-stock tree is a live tree of commercial species 

that either contains or is capable of producing at least one 

12-foot or two 8-foot logs in the saw-log portion of the 

bole. A nongrowing-stock tree is one that does not meet the 

requirements of growing stock due to poor form or rot. For 

growing-stock trees, the growing-stock portion of a tree (5-

inches d.b.h. or larger) includes the volume of sound wood 

between a 1-foot stump and a 4-inch top, d.o.b. Volume in 

the 1-foot stump, volume in the main stem from 4 inches 

d.o.b. to the growing top of the tree, and the volume of 

any limbs 4 inches d.o.b. or larger with at least one 5-foot 

Georgia Harvest and Utilization 

Study, 2004

James W. Bentley and Richard A. Harper

section are considered nongrowing-stock volume by FIA 

standards. Rough or rotten trees were also sampled and 

make up another piece of nongrowing stock (cull). Figure 

2 illustrates a poletimber tree and a sawtimber tree and the 

growing-stock section of each. 

Methods

Site Stratification and Selection

Producing a complete list of Georgia’s timber-harvesting 

operations and ownerships is problematic. Because the 

industry is so complex, it is impossible to list the names and 

locations of all the harvest operations during the timeframe 

considered in this resource bulletin. Many uncontrolled 

factors affect how, when, and where harvesting operations 

will take place, but the most common events that affect 

harvesting operations are weather and timber markets. A 

random sample provides a reasonably accurate estimate of 

utilization.

Sites selected for study were stratified by species group 

and product using the most recent data available from the 

publication “Georgia’s Timber Industry—An Assessment 

of Timber Product Output and Use, 1999” (Johnson 2002), 

which provides county-level output of timber products 

harvested in Georgia by species group. Using those proportions, we designated 63 of the 96 selected sites as softwood 

operations, and the remaining 33 as hardwood operations. 

Harvest operations by product were based along these same 

general guidelines, although some flexibility was given to 

field crews for substitution due to the difficulty of locating 

harvesting operations for some specific products. Table 1 

shows the number of harvest operations and trees by species 

group and product.

After harvest operations were stratified by major species 

group and product, the operations were placed in the appropriate region and county in the State. Using county-level 

product output data from the “Georgia’s Timber Industry—

An Assessment of Timber Product Output and Use, 1999” 

(Johnson 2002) and a map that showed current mill locations, prospective utilization sites were selected based on a 

high probability of being able to locate a harvesting operation for the particular product and species group assigned. 

Figure 1 shows the location of harvest operations for this 

study.
2

Figure 2—Stem sections of poletimber and sawtimber trees.

1-foot stump

Growing-stock

volume (cubic feet)

Growing-stock

volume (cubic feet) 4.0 inches d.o.b.

Top

Top

4.0 inches d.o.b.

Softwood = 7.0 inches d.o.b.

Hardwood = 9.0 inches d.o.b.

Sawtimber

volume (cubic feet)

Poletimber tree 

Softwood = 5.0 – 8.9 inches d.b.h.

Hardwood = 5.0 – 10.9 inches d.b.h.

Sawtimber tree 

Softwood = at least 9.0 inches d.b.h.

Hardwood = at least 11.0 inches d.b.h.

Data Collection

During the eighth inventory, field crews were trained to collect data on felled trees at harvest locations. Using the list 

of operations and a map of sites, crews visited local mills 

and talked to county personnel to help locate active harvest 

sites. From January 2000 to August 2004 they visited active 

harvesting operations and collected data by county for the 

particular species group and designated product(s). 

At each harvest operation site, crew members talked to the 

logger or the person in charge of operations. Those contacts provided vital information about product(s) utilized, 

specific diameters, and log lengths the receiving mill(s) 

would accept, along with minimum diameters at the cutoff 

points for specific products. Crews also noted the type of 

logging equipment being used. This information was used 

to determine the level of mechanization for each harvesting 

operation. 

On each harvest operation site, the crew’s goal was to measure 25 to 30 trees for each product to ensure an adequate 

representation of overutilization and underutilization for 

a given type of harvest operation. Trees were randomly 

selected and had to be at least 5-inches d.b.h. and alive prior 

to harvest. Although they often had been bucked, limbed, 

and topped, the main bole of each tree selected for measurement had to be intact to be measured for utilization. The 

State, unit, county, and location number were recorded for 

each site. Each tree was assigned a number and identified by 

species, d.b.h., tree class, product, bole length, and percent 

cull if rot was detected. Each tree was measured from the 
3

Table 1—Number of operations and 

trees by product and species group, 

Georgia, 2004

Product and 

species group Operations Trees

number

Saw logs

Softwood 23 611

Hardwood 12 244

Total 35 855

Veneer logs

Softwood 6 124

Hardwood 3 45

Total 9 169

Composite panels

Softwood 6 143

Hardwood 2 47

Total 8 190

Pulpwood

Softwood 21 546

Hardwood 14 412

Total 35 958

Poles

Softwood 5 108

Hardwood 0 0

Total 5 108

Posts

Softwood 2 49

Hardwood 0 0

Total 2 49

Fuelwood

Softwood 0 0

Hardwood 2 39

Total 2 39

All products

Softwood 61 1,581

Hardwood 35 787

Total 96 2,368

top of the cut stump to the end of utilization. Measurements 

were made along the main stem in sections no longer than 

16 feet until the end of utilization. The end of utilization 

usually is determined by the sawyer, according to particular 

specifications set by the receiving mill(s). These specifications rarely match the FIA growing-stock standard of a 

1-foot stump to a 4-inch d.o.b. top. Therefore, trees that are 

cut off above a 1-foot stump and/or below 4-inches d.o.b. 

would be considered underutilized, and that volume not 

utilized would be considered growing-stock residue. On the 

other hand, by FIA standards, trees cut below a 1-foot stump 

and/or above a 4-inch d.o.b. top are considered 100-percent 

utilized, and those portions below and above are considered 

overutilization. A myriad of combinations actually occurs 

on active harvest operations. The aggregated volume from 

measured trees provide overutilization and underutilization 

factors that can be applied to statewide inventory results for 

an estimate of growing-stock and nongrowing-stock logging 

residues. Other required measurements, besides d.b.h and 

the end of utilization of the main stem, are the top of the 

sawtimber portion (7.0 inches in softwoods and 9.0 inches 

in hardwoods). Those measurements allow calculation of 

the sawtimber and poletimber portion of the growing-stock 

section. 

Highlights

Characteristics of Harvested Trees in Georgia

Results of this study have identified several key characteristics of trees harvested, which cannot be obtained from a typical field inventory or a forest industry survey that supplies 

product output data only. Characteristics such as average 

d.b.h. by product, average bole length by product, average 

residual stump height, and average d.o.b. at the end of utilization contribute important information. The integration of 

this data with FIA inventory and timber product output mill 

surveys offers a better understanding of the complex nature 

of timber removals based on the level of harvest mechanization, stand species and product mix, and other unforeseen 

variables. Averages discussed in this section are based on 

the measurement of 2,368 trees. Of those, 1,581 (67 percent) 

were softwood, and 787 (33 percent) were hardwood. 

Softwood and hardwood saw-log volume together accounted 

for 41 percent of the total product output for the State 

(Johnson 2002). This utilization study classified 611 trees 

as softwood saw log averaging 11.6 inches d.b.h., down 

slightly from previous studies in 1989 (12.0 inches d.b.h.) 

and 1997 (12.4 inches d.b.h.). It classified 244 hardwood 

trees as saw log averaging 14.9 inches d.b.h., down from an 

average d.b.h of 15.2 inches in 1997. Veneer and plywood 

constitute another important component of the product mix 
4

Table 2—Average diameter at breast height 

by product, species group, and survey year, 

Georgia, 1989 to 2004

Year

Product and

species group 1989 1997 2004

inches

Saw logs

Softwood 12.02 12.35 11.63

Hardwood 14.25 15.22 14.85

Veneer logs

Softwood 13.66 14.94 13.99

Hardwood 15.99 17.71 16.73

Composite panels

Softwood — 9.33 7.64

Hardwood — 10.10 9.09

Pulpwood

Softwood 7.26 7.35 7.04

Hardwood 9.24 8.64 7.88

Poles

Softwood 11.35 15.29 12.85

Hardwood — — —

Posts

Softwood 6.53 7.21 6.11

Hardwood — — —

Fuelwood

Softwood — — —

Hardwood — 10.80 7.41

— = no sample for the cell.

Table 3—Average bole length by product, 

species group, and survey year, Georgia, 

1989 to 2004

Year

Product and

species group 1989 1997 2004

feet

Saw logs

Softwood 59.06 59.94 58.37

Hardwood 57.38 60.92 57.81

Veneer logs

Softwood 65.00 70.00 63.00

Hardwood 81.00 76.00 61.00

Composite panels

Softwood — 46.14 35.95

Hardwood — 38.50 34.94

Pulpwood

Softwood 36.88 34.93 32.21

Hardwood 39.84 36.10 34.65

Poles

Softwood 55.88 71.63 66.98

Hardwood — — —

Posts

Softwood 27.69 34.28 24.43

Hardwood — — —

Fuelwood

Softwood — — —

Hardwood — 40.07 33.21

— = no sample for the cell.

for Georgia. Based on 124 trees measured for softwood 

veneer, the average d.b.h. was 14.0 inches, a drop from 14.9 

inches d.b.h. in 1997. Of 546 softwood trees measured for 

pulpwood, the average d.b.h. was 7.0 inches, down from an 

average d.b.h of 7.4 inches in 1997. The study classified 412 

trees measured for hardwood pulpwood, the average d.b.h. 

was 7.9 inches, a slight decrease from the average d.b.h. of 

8.6 inches in 1997. Table 2 shows the breakdown of average 

d.b.h. for each product by species group and survey year. 

Bole length is the distance between a 1-foot stump and a

4-inch d.o.b. top. Trees harvested for solid wood products 

tend to have longer average bole lengths than trees harvested 

for pulpwood or composite panel products. The average 

bole length for both softwood and hardwood trees measured 

for saw logs was 58 feet. In comparison, trees measured for 

pulpwood had average bole lengths of 32 and 35 feet for 

softwoods and hardwoods, respectively. Softwood veneer 

trees had an average bole length of 63 feet, while hardwood 

veneer trees had an average bole length of 61 feet. Average 

bole lengths by product are comparable to the average bole 

lengths by product from the two previous surveys. Table 3 

shows the average bole length by species group and survey 

year.

Planted sites constituted a subset of the total number of trees 

measured. Trees measured in planted stands, with the exception for softwood veneer, tend to have shorter bole lengths 

than those measured in the natural stands. Table 4 shows the 

average bole length for each product by species group and 

stand origin.

Residual stump height is a key component in determining utilization rates for harvested trees. By FIA standards, 
5

Table 4—Average bole length by species group, stand origin, and product, 

Georgia, 2004

Product

Species group

and stand origin

Saw

logs

Composite

 panels

Pulpwood Poles PostsFuelwood

feet

Softwood

Natural 61.58 43.37 34.64 66.98 — —

Planted 53.88 28.21 31.37 — 24.43 —

Hardwood

Natural 57.86 43.48 34.76 — — 33.21

Planted 53.67 28.04 33.77 — — —

— = no sample for the cell.

the stump is that portion of the tree measured at ground 

level from the uphill side of the tree to 1 foot up the bole. 

Loggers try to maximize volume harvested by cutting the 

tree as close to the ground as possible. Residual stump 

heights across the products ranged from 0.28 to 0.71 feet; 

however, most softwood trees harvested had an average 

residual stump height of about 0.4 of a foot, while hardwood 

trees harvested averaged slightly higher residual stumps. In 

softwoods and across all products, this accounted for about 

52 percent of the 1-foot stump volume being used. In hardwoods and across all products, about 27 percent of stump 

volume was used. Stump volume for both hardwood and 

softwood contributed to utilization of the nongrowing-stock 

portion of trees, i.e., overutilization. The average residual 

stump heights across all products since the 1997 survey have 

decreased slightly. Table 5 shows the average residual stump 

heights for each product by species group.

The final component used to determine use rates was diameter outside bark at the end of utilization. Tops and limbs 

constitute most of the nongrowing-stock volume, although 

they accounted for 32 percent of the nongrowing-stock portion that was utilized. The average end of utilization for 

softwood saw logs was 5.6 inches, and for hardwood saw 

logs 9.5 inches. For veneer logs it was 5.9 and 9.0 inches for 

softwood and hardwood, respectively. Average end of utilization for pulpwood products averaged 3.0 and 4.1 inches 

for softwoods and hardwoods, respectively. Average end of 

utilization by product is comparable to the average end of 

utilization by product from the two previous surveys. Table 

6 shows the average end of utilization by the different products and species group.

Table 5—Average stump height by product, 

species group, and survey year, Georgia, 

1989 to 2004

Year

Product and

species group 1989 1997 2004

feet

Saw logs

Softwood 0.51 0.57 0.43

Hardwood 0.90 0.78 0.71

Veneer logs

Softwood 0.51 0.59 0.51

Hardwood 0.98 0.84 0.68

Composite panels

Softwood — 0.53 0.38

Hardwood — 0.50 0.46

Pulpwood

Softwood 0.46 0.52 0.36

Hardwood 0.72 0.61 0.47

Poles

Softwood 0.53 0.90 0.35

Hardwood — — —

Posts

Softwood 0.41 1.00 0.28

Hardwood — — —

Fuelwood

Softwood — — —

Hardwood — 0.58 0.40

— = no sample for the cell.
6

Total 30.4 thousand cubic feet

Not utilized

(residue)

14%

Utilized

86%

Figure 3—Disposition of total softwood harvest volume, 2004.

Table 6—Average end of utilization by

 product, species group, and survey year, 

Georgia, 1989 to 2004

Year

Product and 

species group 1989 1997 2004

inches

Saw logs

Softwood 5.49 4.60 5.64

Hardwood 9.01 8.61 9.46

Veneer logs

Softwood 6.17 4.81 5.85

Hardwood 9.01 8.89 8.98

Composite panels

Softwood — 3.33 3.08

Hardwood — 4.88 4.59

Pulpwood

Softwood 3.12 2.68 2.92

Hardwood 5.25 4.30 4.08

Poles

Softwood 5.28 4.16 5.35

Hardwood — — —

Posts

Softwood 3.33 2.92 4.17

Hardwood — — —

Fuelwood

Softwood — — —

Hardwood — 6.03 5.00

— = no sample for the cell.

growing-stock portion of trees. By the same merchantability 

standards, that volume is considered overutilization (tables 

A.2 and A.3).

Softwood volumes and percentages are broken down further 

by poletimber and sawtimber, and by the various products 

measured (tables A.2 through A.7). Trees harvested for 

pulpwood had above average rates of utilization for the 

merchantable portion of the tree (98 percent) and the highest 

rates of overutilization (11.3 percent). This means that more 

of the nongrowing-stock portion of the tree was being used 

for product(s) and less was left as logging residue. 

Softwood percentages and volumes presented in these tables 

represent just trees measured in this study of 96 active 

harvest operations. However, it is possible to apply the percentages to inventory data from Georgia’s eighth survey1

 to 

estimate total softwood logging residues for the State. From 

FIA inventory data annual softwood removals from all live 

trees was 1,159 million cubic feet. Softwood growing-stock 

removals were 1,154 million cubic feet, or 99.6 percent of 

the live tree total. Applying the factors from this study to 

total utilized softwood removals, in addition to volume from 

whole trees cut and left on site, provide an estimate of 229.2 

million cubic feet of total annual softwood residue. Of the 

total residue, 77.6 million cubic feet, or 34 percent, was considered growing-stock residue. The remaining 66 percent, 

or 151.6 million cubic feet, was nongrowing-stock residue 

from stumps, tops, and limbs, and cull trees not used.

1 Harper, Richard A., Forester. Georgia’s forests, 2004. Manuscript in 

preparation. Author can be reached at U.S. Department of Agriculture 

Forest Service, Southern Research Station, Forest Inventory and Analysis, 

4700 Old Kingston Pike, Knoxville, TN 37919.

Softwood Removals

Results from this study document 30,359 cubic feet of softwood volume, of which 26,021 cubic feet, or 86 percent, 

was used for product(s). Fourteen percent, or 4,338 cubic 

feet, was left onsite as logging residue (fig. 3). Thirty-four 

percent of the residue volume came from the growing-stock 

portion of the tree, while 66 percent, 2,870 cubic feet, came 

from the nongrowing-stock portion (stumps, tops, and 

limbs) (fig. 4) (table A.1).

The total softwood growing-stock volume measured was 

26,487 cubic feet. Of that total, 94 percent was utilized, and 

6 percent was logging residue (fig. 5). By FIA merchantability standards, the logging residue generated from growing-stock trees is underutilized volume. Of the total utilized 

volume, 1,002 cubic feet, or 3.9 percent, was from the non-
7

1.5 thousand cubic feet

Growing stock

Upper

stems

49%

Saw

logs

51%

2.9 thousand cubic feet

Nongrowing stock

Stumps

21%

Tops/

limbs

79%

Growing

stock

34%

Total 4.3 thousand cubic feet

Nongrowing

stock

66%

Figure 4—Softwood residue by volume type, 2004.

Hardwood Removals

Results from this study document 17,859 cubic feet of hardwood volume, of which 13,144 cubic feet, or 74 percent, 

was utilized for product(s). Twenty-six percent, or 4,715 

cubic feet, was left onsite as logging residue (fig. 6). Fortytwo percent of residue volume came from the growing-stock 

portion of trees, and 58 percent came from the nongrowingstock portion (stumps, tops, and limbs) (fig. 7) (table A.1).

Total 26.5 thousand cubic feet

Not

utilized

(residue)

6%

Utilized

94%

Figure 5—Disposition of softwood growing-stock volume, 2004.

The total hardwood growing-stock volume measured was 

14,764 cubic feet. Of that total, 87 percent was used, and 

13 percent was logging residue (fig. 8). By FIA merchantability standards, the logging residue portion is underutilized 

volume. Of the total utilized volume, 345 cubic feet, or 2.6 

percent, was from the nongrowing-stock portion of trees. By 

the same merchantability standards, that volume is considered overutilization (tables A.10 and A.11). 

Figure 6—Disposition of total hardwood harvest volume, 2004.

Total 17.9 thousand cubic feet

Not utilized

(residue)

26%

Utilized

74%
8

Figure 7—Hardwood residue by volume type, 2004.

2.0 thousand cubic feet

Growing stock

Saw

logs

38%

Upper

stems

62%

Total 4.7 thousand cubic feet

Nongrowing

stock

58%

Growing

stock

42%

2.8 thousand cubic feet

Stumps

25%

Tops/

limbs

75%

Nongrowing stock

Figure 8—Disposition of hardwood growing-stock volume, 2004.

Total 14.8 thousand cubic feet

Not

utilized

(residue)

13%

Utilized

87%

Hardwood volumes and percentages also were measured for 

poletimber and sawtimber, and differentiated by the various 

products they provided (tables A.10 through A.15). Those 

trees measured for pulpwood were more fully utilized at 93 

percent. Also, 6.5 percent of the nongrowing-stock portion 

of pulpwood trees was used. Trees measured for hardwood 

saw logs and veneer were the least utilized of all, although 

they have the most nongrowing-stock material. 

Hardwood percentages and volumes presented in the tables 

represent just trees measured in this study of 96 active harvest operations. However, it is possible to apply the percentages to inventory data from Georgia’s eighth survey (see 

footnote 1) to provide an estimate of total hardwood logging residue for the State. From FIA inventory data, annual 

hardwood removals from all live trees totaled 453.7 million 

cubic feet. Hardwood growing-stock removals totaled 418.9 

million cubic feet, or 92 percent of that total. Applying the 

factors from this study to total utilized hardwood removals in addition to volume from whole trees cut and left on 

site provides an estimate of 184.0 million cubic feet total of 

annual hardwood residue. Of that total, 76.6 million cubic 

feet, or 42 percent, was considered growing-stock residue. 

The remaining 58 percent, or 107.3 million cubic feet, was 

nongrowing-stock residue from stumps, tops, and limbs, and 

rough or rotten trees that were not used.

Georgia’s Logging Workforce

In 2004, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported 5,185 

loggers working in 664 Georgia logging firms (Georgia 

Department of Labor, Workforce 2001–2004). This represents a decline from 2001 (fig. 9). There has been a general trend of increasing productivity (tons per worker) in 

logging, as a result of industry’s focus on increased cost 

efficiency. This trend is supported by data presented in this 

bulletin. Only 3 of the 96 sites visited were considered low 
9

Figure 9—Employment in logging, Georgia, 2004.

Year

2001 2002 2003 2004 2005

Number of firms

630

640

650

660

670

680

690

700

Number of employees

5,120

5,130

5,140

5,150

5,160

5,170

5,180

5,190

Firms

Employees 

mechanization; i.e., those on which logging crews were 

using chainsaws to fell trees. Although chainsaws are used 

on high-mechanization sites for bucking and limbing, they 

typically are not used there for felling. Improved productivity has come from increasing mechanization and improved 

equipment capabilities. The most common logging system 

in the South is currently a feller buncher working with two 

grapple skidders, which is capable of producing about 10 

loads per day of tree-length wood (Rummer 2002). 

Literature Cited

Georgia Department of Labor, Workforce. 2001–2004. Annual quarterly 

census of employment and wages. http://explorer.dol.state.ga.us/default.

asp. [Date accessed unknown].

Johnson, T.G.; Wells, J.L. 2002. Georgia’s timber industry—an assessment of timber product output and use, 1999. Resour. Bull. SRS–68. 

Asheville, NC: U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service, Southern 

Research Station. 40 p.

Rummer, B. 2002. Forest operations technology. In: Wear, D.N.; Greis, 

J.G., eds. Southern forest resource assessment. Gen. Tech. Rep. 

SRS–53. Asheville, NC: U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service, 

Southern Research Station: 341-353. Chapter 15.

U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service. 1992. Forest Service 

resource inventories: an overview. Washington, DC. 39 p.
Glossary

Board foot. Unit of measure applied to roundwood. It 

relates to lumber that is 1-foot long, 1-foot wide, and 1-inch 

thick (or its equivalent).

Composite products. Roundwood products manufactured 

into chips, wafers, strands, flakes, shavings, or sawdust and 

then reconstituted into a variety of panel and engineered 

lumber products.

Drain. The volume of roundwood removed from any geographic area where timber is grown.

Growing-stock removals. The growing-stock volume 

removed from poletimber and sawtimber trees in the timberland inventory. (Note: Includes volume removed for roundwood products, logging residues, and other removals.)

Growing-stock trees. Living trees of commercial species 

classified as sawtimber, poletimber, saplings, and seedlings. 

Growing-stock trees must contain at least one 12-foot or two 

8-foot logs in the saw-log portion, currently or potentially (if 

too small to qualify). The log(s) must meet dimension and 

merchantability standards and have, currently or potentially, 

one-third of the gross board-foot volume in sound wood.

Growing-stock volume. The cubic-foot volume of sound 

wood in growing-stock trees at least 5.0 inches d.b.h. from a 

1-foot stump to a minimum 4.0-inch top d.o.b. of the central 

stem.

Hardwoods. Dicotyledonous trees, usually broadleaf and 

deciduous.

Soft hardwoods. Hardwood species with an average specific gravity of 0.50 or less, such as gums, yellow-poplar, 

cottonwoods, red maple, basswoods, and willows.

Hard hardwoods. Hardwood species with an average specific gravity greater than 0.50, such as oaks, hard maples, 

hickories, and beech.

Industrial roundwood products. Any primary use of the 

main stem of a tree, such as saw logs, pulpwood, and veneer 

logs, intended to be processed into primary wood products, 

such as lumber, wood pulp, and sheathing, at primary woodusing mills.

International 1⁄4-inch rule. A log rule or formula for estimating the board-foot volume of logs, allowing 1⁄2-inch of 

taper for each 4-foot length. The rule appears in a number of 

forms that allow for kerf. In the form used by FIA, a 1⁄4-inch 

of kerf is assumed. This rule is used as the Forest Service 

standard log rule in the Eastern United States.

Log. A primary forest product harvested in long, primarily 

8-, 12-, and 16-foot lengths.

Logging residues. The unused merchantable portion 

of growing-stock trees cut or destroyed during logging 

operations.

Merchantable portion. That portion of live trees 5.0 inches 

d.b.h. and larger between a 1-foot stump and a minimum 

4.0-inch top d.o.b. on the central stem. That portion of primary forks from the point of occurrence to a minimum 4.0-

inch top d.o.b. is included.

Merchantable volume. Solid-wood volume in the merchantable portion of live trees.

Noncommercial species. Tree species of typically small 

size, poor form, or inferior quality that normally do not 

develop into trees suitable for industrial wood products.

Nonforest land. Land that has never supported forests and 

land formerly forested where timber production is precluded 

by development for other uses.

Nongrowing-stock sources. The net volume removed from 

the nongrowing-stock portions of poletimber and sawtimber 

trees (stumps, tops, limbs, cull sections of central stem) and 

from any portion of a rough, rotten, sapling, dead, or nonforest tree. 

Other forest land. Forest land other than timberland and 

productive reserved forest land. It includes available and 

reserved forest land that is incapable of producing annually 20 cubic feet per acre of industrial wood under natural 

conditions because of adverse site conditions such as sterile 

soils, dry climate, poor drainage, high elevation, steepness, 

or rockiness.

Other products. A miscellaneous category of roundwood 

products, e.g., cooperage, excelsior, shingles, and mill residue byproducts (charcoal, bedding, mulch, etc.).

Other removals. The growing-stock volume of trees 

removed from the inventory by cultural operations such as 

timber stand improvement, land clearing, and other changes 

in land use, resulting in the removal of the trees from 

timberland.

Other sources. (See: Nongrowing-stock sources.)

Poletimber-size trees. Softwoods 5.0 to 8.9 inches d.b.h. 

and hardwoods 5.0 to 10.9 inches d.b.h.

10
Posts, poles, and pilings. Roundwood products milled (cut 

or peeled) into standard sizes (lengths and circumferences) 

to be put in the ground to provide vertical and lateral support 

in buildings, foundations, utility lines, and fences. May also 

include nonindustrial (unmilled) products.

Primary wood-using plants. Industries that convert roundwood products (saw logs, veneer logs, pulpwood, etc.) into 

primary wood products, such as lumber, veneer or sheathing, 

and wood pulp. 

Pulpwood. A roundwood product that will be reduced to 

individual wood fibers by chemical or mechanical means. 

The fibers are used to make a broad generic group of pulp 

products that includes paper products, as well as chipboard, 

fiberboard, insulating board, and paperboard.

Rotten trees. Live trees of commercial species not containing at least one 12-foot saw log, or two noncontiguous saw 

logs, each 8 feet or longer, now or prospectively, primarily 

because of rot or missing sections, and with less than onethird of the gross board-foot tree volume in sound material.

Rough trees. Live trees of commercial species not containing at least one 12-foot saw log, or two noncontiguous saw 

logs, each 8 feet or longer, now or prospectively, primarily 

because of roughness, poor form, splits, and cracks, and 

with less than one-third of the gross board-foot tree volume 

in sound material; and live trees of noncommercial species.

Roundwood (roundwood logs). Logs, bolts, or other round 

sections cut from trees for industrial manufacture or consumer uses.

Roundwood chipped. Any timber cut primarily for industrial manufacture, delivered to nonpulpmills, chipped, and 

then sold to pulpmills for use as fiber. Includes tops, jump 

sections, whole trees, and pulpwood sticks.

Roundwood products. Any primary product, such as 

lumber, poles, pilings, pulp, or fuelwood that is produced 

from roundwood.

Roundwood product drain. That portion of total drain used 

for a product.

Salvable dead trees. Standing or downed dead trees that 

were formerly growing stock and considered merchantable. 

Trees must be at least 5.0 inches d.b.h. to qualify.

Saplings. Live trees 1.0 to 5.0 inches d.b.h.

Saw log. A roundwood product, usually 8 feet in length or 

longer, processed into a variety of sawn products such as 

lumber, cants, pallets, railroad ties, and timbers.

Saw-log portion. The part of the bole of sawtimber trees 

between a 1-foot stump and the saw-log top.

Saw-log top. The point on the bole of sawtimber trees above 

which a conventional saw log cannot be produced. The 

minimum saw-log top is 7.0 inches d.o.b. for softwoods and 

9.0 inches d.o.b. for hardwoods.

Sawtimber-size trees. Softwoods 9.0 inches d.b.h. and 

larger and hardwoods 11.0 inches d.b.h. and larger.

Sawtimber volume. Growing-stock volume in the saw-log 

portion of sawtimber-sized trees in board feet (International 

1⁄4-inch rule).

Seedlings. Trees <1.0 inch d.b.h. and >1 foot tall for hardwoods, >6 inches tall for softwood, and >0.5 inch in diameter at ground level for longleaf pine.

Softwoods. Coniferous trees, usually evergreen, having 

leaves that are needles or scalelike.

Standard cord. A unit of measure applied to roundwood, 

usually bolts or split wood. It is a stack of wood 4 feet high, 

4 feet wide, and 8 feet long encompassing 128 cubic feet of 

wood, bark, and air space. This usually translates to approximately 75.0 to 81.0 cubic feet of solid wood for pulpwood, 

because pulpwood is more uniform.

Standard unit. A unit measure applied to roundwood 

timber products. Board feet (International 1⁄4-inch rule) is 

the standard unit used for saw logs and veneer; cords are 

used for pulpwood, composite panel, and fuelwood; hundred 

pieces for poles; thousand pieces for posts; and thousand 

cubic feet for all other miscellaneous forest products.

Timberland. Forest land capable of producing 20 cubic feet 

of industrial wood per acre per year and not withdrawn from 

timber utilization.

Timber products. Roundwood products and byproducts.

Timber products output. The total volume of roundwood 

products from all sources plus the volume of byproducts 

recovered from mill residues (equals roundwood product 

drain).

Timber removals. The total volume of trees removed from 

the timberland inventory by harvesting, cultural operations 

such as stand improvement, land clearing, or changes in land 

11
use. (Note: Includes roundwood products, logging residues, 

and other removals.)

Tree. Woody plant having one erect perennial stem or 

trunk at least 3 inches d.b.h., a more or less definitely 

formed crown of foliage, and a height of at least 13 feet (at 

maturity).

Upper-stem portion. The part of the main stem of sawtimber trees above the saw-log top and the minimum top diameter of 4.0 inches outside bark, or to the point where the main 

stem breaks into limbs. 

Utilization studies. Studies conducted on active logging 

operations to develop factors for merchantable portions of 

trees left in the woods (logging residues), logging damage, 

and utilization of the unmerchantable portion of growingstock trees and nongrowing-stock trees.

Veneer log. A roundwood product either rotary cut, sliced, 

stamped, or sawn into a variety of veneer products such as 

plywood, finished panels, veneer sheets, or sheathing.

Weight. A unit of measure for mill residues, expressed as 

oven-dry tons (2,000 oven-dry pounds).

12
Appendix

15

Index of Tables

Table A.1—Harvest and utilization volume by species 

group, source, and volume type, Georgia, 2004

Table A.2—Volume of softwood growing stock by product 

and utilization for sawtimber and poletimber, Georgia, 2004

Table A.3—Percent of overutilization and underutilization 

for softwood growing stock by product for sawtimber and 

poletimber, Georgia, 2004

Table A.4—Volume of softwood growing stock by product 

and utilization for sawtimber, Georgia, 2004

Table A.5—Percent of overutilization and underutilization 

for softwood growing stock by product for sawtimber, 

Georgia, 2004

Table A.6—Volume of softwood growing stock by product 

and utilization for poletimber, Georgia, 2004

Table A.7—Percent of overutilization and underutilization 

for softwood growing stock by product for poletimber, 

Georgia, 2004

Table A.8—Volume of softwood cull by product and 

utilization, Georgia, 2004

Table A.9—Percent of overutilization and underutilization 

for softwood cull by product, Georgia, 2004

Table A.10—Volume of hardwood growing stock by product 

and utilization for sawtimber and poletimber, Georgia, 2004

Table A.11—Percent of overutilization and underutilization 

for hardwood growing stock by product for sawtimber and 

poletimber, Georgia, 2004

Table A.12—Volume of hardwood growing stock by product 

and utilization for sawtimber, Georgia, 2004

Table A.13—Percent of overutilization and underutilization 

for hardwood growing stock by product for sawtimber, 

Georgia, 2004

Table A.14—Volume of hardwood growing stock by product 

and utilization for poletimber, Georgia, 2004

Table A.15—Percent of overutilization and underutilization 

for hardwood growing stock by product for poletimber, 

Georgia, 2004

Table A.16—Volume of hardwood cull by product and 

utilization, Georgia, 2004

Table A.17—Percent of overutilization and underutilization 

for hardwood cull by product, Georgia, 2004

17

Table A.1—Harvest and utilization volume by species group, source, and volume type, Georgia, 2004

Growing stock Nongrowing stock

Saw log Upper stem Stumps Tops/limbs

Species group 

and source

Total tree 

volume Total Utilized

Not 

utilized Utilized

Not 

utilized Total Utilized

Not 

utilized Utilized

Not 

utilized

cubic feet

Softwood

Sawtimber 25,776.89 22,748.80 20,077.76 752.85 1,241.41 676.78 3,028.09 499.75 508.06 47.57 1,972.71

Poletimber 4,582.12 3,737.74 — — 3,699.00 38.74 844.38 157.45 107.56 297.66 281.71

Total 30,359.01 26,486.54 20,077.76 752.85 4,940.41 715.52 3,872.47 657.20 615.62 345.23 2,254.42

Hardwood

Sawtimber 14,245.99 11,898.07 9,555.08 748.07 531.23 1,063.69 2,347.92 144.48 550.72 2.20 1,650.52

Poletimber 3,612.84 2,865.47 — — 2,712.26 153.21 747.37 114.99 133.37 83.29 415.72

Total 17,858.83 14,763.54 9,555.08 748.07 3,243.49 1,216.90 3,095.29 259.47 684.09 85.49 2,066.24

Numbers in rows and columns may not sum to totals due to rounding.

— = no sample for the cell.

Table A.2—Volume of softwood growing stock by product and utilization for sawtimber and poletimber, Georgia, 2004

Growing stock

Nongrowing 

stock 

utilized

Saw-log portion

Product

Total 

volume 

utilized Total Utilized

Not 

utilized Total Utilized

Cull

utilized

Not

utilized

cubic feet

Saw logs 14,222.11 14,860.36 13,857.62 1,002.74 364.49 13,003.45 12,476.91 526.55 —

Veneer logs 4,191.62 4,331.28 4,099.67 231.61 91.95 4,072.55 3,966.80 103.59 2.16

Composite panels 959.81 903.86 878.18 25.68 81.63 210.60 197.02 13.59 —

Pulpwood 3,249.12 2,937.01 2,882.14 54.87 366.98 438.50 416.94 21.56 —

Poles 3,239.04 3,308.69 3,156.84 151.85 82.20 3,105.48 3,020.08 81.69 3.71

Posts 158.88 145.34 143.71 1.63 15.17 — — — —

Fuelwood — — — — — — — — —

Total 26,020.58 26,486.54 25,018.16 1,468.38 1,002.42 20,830.58 20,077.75 746.98 5.87

Numbers in rows and columns may not sum to totals due to rounding.

— = no sample for the cell.
18

Table A.3—Percent of overutilization and underutilization for softwood growing stock by product for sawtimber and 

poletimber, Georgia, 2004

Overutilization Underutilization Saw-log portion

Product

Growing

stock utilized/

total volume

utilized

Nongrowing

stock utilized/

total volume

utilized

Growing stock

utilized/total

growing-stock

volume

Growing stock

not utilized/

total growingstock volume

Saw log

utilized/

total saw-log

volume

Cull utilized/

total saw-log

volume

Saw log

not utilized/

total saw-log

volume

percent

Saw logs 97.44 2.56 93.25 6.75 95.95 4.05 —

Veneer logs 97.81 2.19 94.65 5.35 97.40 2.54 0.05

Composite panels 91.50 8.50 97.16 2.84 93.55 6.45 —

Pulpwood 88.71 11.29 98.13 1.87 95.08 4.92 —

Poles 97.46 2.54 95.41 4.59 97.25 2.63 0.12

Posts 90.45 9.55 98.88 1.12 — — —

Fuelwood — — — — — — —

All products 96.15 3.85 94.46 5.54 96.39 3.59 0.03

— = no sample for the cell.

Table A.4—Volume of softwood growing stock by product and utilization for sawtimber, Georgia, 2004

Growing stock

Nongrowing

stock

utilized

Saw-log portion

Product

Total

volume

utilized Total Utilized

Not

utilized Total Utilized

Cull

utilized

Not

utilized

cubic feet

Saw logs 13,681.29 14,328.57 13,337.93 990.64 343.36 13,003.45 12,476.91 526.55 —

Veneer logs 4,155.30 4,295.67 4,065.15 230.52 90.15 4,072.55 3,966.80 103.59 2.16

Composite panels 249.35 261.29 241.27 20.02 8.08 210.60 197.02 13.59 —

Pulpwood 541.49 554.57 517.96 36.61 23.53 438.50 416.94 21.56 —

Poles 3,239.04 3,308.69 3,156.84 151.85 82.20 3,105.48 3,020.08 81.69 3.71

Posts — — — — — — — — —

Fuelwood — — — — — — — — —

Total 21,866.47 22,748.79 21,319.15 1,429.64 547.32 20,830.58 20,077.75 746.98 5.87

Numbers in rows and columns may not sum to totals due to rounding.

— = no sample for the cell.
19

Table A.5—Percent of overutilization and underutilization for softwood growing stock by product for sawtimber, Georgia, 2004

Overutilization Underutilization Saw-log portion

Product

Growing stock

utilized/

total volume

utilized

Nongrowing

stock utilized/

total volume

utilized

Growing stock

utilized/total

growingstock volume

Growing stock

not utilized/

total growingstock volume

Saw log

utilized/

total saw-log

volume

Cull utilized/

total saw-log

volume

Saw log

not utilized/

total saw-log

volume

percent

Saw logs 97.49 2.51 93.09 6.91 95.95 4.05 —

Veneer logs 97.83 2.17 94.63 5.37 97.40 2.54 0.05

Composite panels 96.76 3.24 92.34 7.66 93.55 6.45 —

Pulpwood 95.65 4.35 93.40 6.60 95.08 4.92 —

Poles 97.46 2.54 95.41 4.59 97.25 2.63 0.12

Posts — — — — — — —

Fuelwood — — — — — — —

All products 97.50 2.50 93.72 6.28 96.39 3.59 0.03

— = no sample for the cell.

Table A.6—Volume of softwood growing stock by product and utilization for 

poletimber, Georgia, 2004

Growing stock

Product

Total

volume

utilized Total Utilized

Not

utilized

Nongrowing

stock

utilized

cubic feet

Saw logs 540.82 531.79 519.69 12.10 21.13

Veneer logs 36.32 35.61 34.52 1.09 1.80

Composite panels 710.46 642.57 636.91 5.66 73.55

Pulpwood 2,707.63 2,382.44 2,364.18 18.26 343.45

Poles — — — — —

Posts 158.88 145.34 143.71 1.63 15.17

Fuelwood — — — — —

Total 4,154.11 3,737.75 3,699.01 38.74 455.10

Numbers in rows and columns may not sum to totals due to rounding.

— = no sample for the cell.
20

Table A.7—Percent of overutilization and underutilization for softwood growing stock by 

product for poletimber, Georgia, 2004

Overutilization Underutilization

Product

Growing stock

utilized/

total volume

utilized

Nongrowing

stock utilized/

total volume

utilized

Growing stock

utilized/total

growing-stock

volume

Growing stock

not utilized/

total growingstock volume

percent

Saw logs 96.09 3.91 97.72 2.28

Veneer logs 95.04 4.96 96.94 3.06

Composite panels 89.65 10.35 99.12 0.88

Pulpwood 87.32 12.68 99.23 0.77

Poles — — — —

Posts 90.45 9.55 98.88 1.12

Fuelwood — — — —

All products 89.04 10.96 98.96 1.04

— = no sample for the cell.

Table A.8—Volume of softwood cull by product and utilization, Georgia, 2004

Nongrowing stock

Merchantable

Product

Total volume

utilized Total Utilized

Not

utilized

Unmerchantable

utilized

 cubic feet

Saw logs — — — — —

Veneer logs — — — — —

Composite panels 140.46 133.80 133.39 0.41 7.07

Pulpwood 114.73 106.82 105.94 0.88 8.79

Poles — — — — —

Posts — — — — —

Fuelwood — — — — —

Total 255.19 240.62 239.33 1.29 15.86

Numbers in rows and columns may not sum to totals due to rounding.

— = no sample for the cell.
21

Table A.9—Percent of overutilization and underutilization for softwood cull by product, 

Georgia, 2004

Overutilization Underutilization

Product

Merchantable

utilized/

total volume

utilized

Unmerchantable

utilized/

total volume

utilized

Merchantable

utilized/total

merchantable

volume

Merchantable

not utilized/

total merchantable

volume

percent

Saw logs — — — —

Veneer logs — — — —

Composite panels 94.97 5.03 99.69 0.31

Pulpwood 92.34 7.66 99.18 0.82

Poles — — — —

Posts — — — —

Fuelwood — — — —

All products 93.79 6.21 99.46 0.54

— = no sample for the cell.

Table A.10—Volume of hardwood growing stock by product and utilization for sawtimber and poletimber, Georgia, 

2004

Product

Total

volume

utilized

Growing stock

Nongrowing

stock

utilized

Saw-log portion

Total Utilized

Not

utilized Total Utilized

Cull

utilized

Not

utilized

cubic feet

Saw logs 7,741.22 9,159.51 7,635.92 1,523.59 105.30 7,666.48 7,004.27 624.78 37.43

Veneer logs 2,030.39 2,201.23 2,002.27 198.96 28.12 1,977.16 1,935.64 41.52 —

Composite panels 385.95 395.25 364.36 30.89 21.59 149.93 140.74 9.19 —

Pulpwood 2,810.71 2,824.04 2,628.52 195.52 182.19 475.90 442.20 33.69 —

Poles — — — — — — — — —

Posts — — — — — — — — —

Fuelwood 175.24 183.48 167.48 16.00 7.76 33.67 32.22 0.24 1.21

Total 13,143.51 14,763.51 12,798.55 1,964.96 344.96 10,303.14 9,555.07 709.42 38.64

Numbers in rows and columns may not sum to totals due to rounding.

— = no sample for the cell.
22

Table A.11—Percent of overutilization and underutilization for hardwood growing stock by product for sawtimber and 

poletimber, Georgia, 2004

Overutilization Underutilization Saw-log portion

Product

Growing stock

utilized/

total volume

utilized

Nongrowing

stock utilized/

total volume

utilized

Growing stock

utilized/total

growingstock volume

Growing stock

not utilized/ 

total growingstock volume

Saw log

utilized/

total saw-log

volume

Cull utilized/

total saw-log

volume

Saw log not

utilized/

total saw-log

volume

percent

Saw logs 98.64 1.36 83.37 16.63 91.36 8.15 0.49

Veneer logs 98.62 1.38 90.96 9.04 97.90 2.10 —

Composite panels 95.40 5.59 92.18 7.82 93.87 6.13 —

Pulpwood 93.52 6.48 93.08 6.92 92.92 7.08 —

Poles — — — — — — —

Posts — — — — — — —

Fuelwood 95.57 4.43 91.28 8.72 95.69 0.71 3.59

All products 97.38 2.62 86.69 13.31 92.74 6.89 0.38

— = no sample for the cell.

Table A.12—Volume of hardwood growing stock by product and utilization for sawtimber, Georgia, 2004

Product

Total

volume

utilized

Growing stock

Nongrowing

stock

utilized

Saw-log portion

Total Utilized

Not

utilized Total Utilized

Cull

utilized

Not

utilized

cubic feet

Saw logs 7,385.45 8,783.33 7,289.78 1,493.55 95.67 7,666.48 7,004.27 624.78 37.43

Veneer logs 2,030.39 2,201.23 2,002.27 198.96 28.12 1,977.16 1,935.64 41.52 —

Composite panels 185.95 205.24 180.90 24.34 5.05 149.93 140.74 9.19 —

Pulpwood 593.77 664.09 576.02 88.07 17.75 475.90 442.20 33.69 —

Poles — — — — — — — — —

Posts — — — — — — — — —

Fuelwood 37.42 44.16 37.33 6.83 0.09 33.67 32.22 0.24 1.21

Total 10,232.98 11,898.05 10,086.30 1,811.75 146.68 10,303.14 9,555.07 709.42 38.64

Numbers in rows and columns may not sum to totals due to rounding.

— = no sample for the cell.
23

Table A.13—Percent of overutilization and underutilization for hardwood growing stock by product for sawtimber, Georgia, 

2004

Overutilization Underutilization Saw-log portion

Product

Growing

stock utilized/

total volume

utilized

Nongrowing

stock utilized/

total volume

utilized

Growing stock

utilized/total

growing-stock

volume

Growing stock

not utilized/

total growingstock volume

Saw log

utilized/

total saw-log

volume

Cull utilized/

total saw-log

volume

Saw log

not utilized/

total saw-log

volume

 percent

Saw logs 98.70 1.30 83.00 17.00 91.36 8.15 0.49

Veneer logs 98.62 1.38 90.96 9.04 97.90 2.10 —

Composite panels 97.28 2.72 88.14 11.86 93.87 6.13 —

Pulpwood 97.01 2.99 86.74 13.26 92.92 7.08 —

Poles — — — — — — —

Posts — — — — — — —

Fuelwood 99.76 0.24 84.53 15.47 95.69 0.71 3.59

All products 98.57 1.43 84.77 15.23 92.74 6.89 0.38

— = no sample for the cell.

Table A.14—Volume of hardwood growing stock by product and utilization for 

poletimber, Georgia, 2004

Growing stock

Product

Total

volume

utilized Total Utilized

Not

utilized

Nongrowing

stock

utilized

 cubic feet

Saw logs 355.77 376.18 346.14 30.04 9.63

Veneer logs — — — — —

Composite panels 200.00 190.01 183.46 6.55 16.54

Pulpwood 2,216.94 2,159.95 2,052.50 107.45 164.44

Poles — — — — —

Posts — — — — —

Fuelwood 137.82 139.32 130.15 9.17 7.67

Total 2,910.53 2,865.46 2,712.25 153.21 198.28

Numbers in rows and columns may not sum to totals due to rounding.

— = no sample for the cell.
24

Table A.15—Percent of overutilization and underutilization for hardwood growing stock 

by product for poletimber, Georgia, 2004

Overutilization Underutilization

Product

Growing stock

utilized/

total volume

utilized

Nongrowing

stock utilized/

total volume

utilized

Growing stock

utilized/total

growing-stock

volume

Growing stock

not utilized/

total growingstock volume

percent

Saw logs 97.29 2.71 92.01 7.99

Veneer logs — — — —

Composite panels 91.73 8.27 96.55 3.45

Pulpwood 92.58 7.42 95.03 4.97

Poles — — — —

Posts — — — —

Fuelwood 94.43 5.57 93.42 6.58

All products 93.19 6.81 94.65 5.35

— = no sample for the cell.

Table A.16—Volume of hardwood cull by product and utilization, Georgia, 2004

Product

Total volume

utilized

Nongrowing stock

Merchantable

Total Utilized

Not

utilized

Unmerchantable

utilized

cubic feet

Saw logs — — — — —

Veneer logs — — — — —

Composite panels 127.20 125.92 124.83 1.09 2.37

Pulpwood 350.84 347.21 327.02 20.19 23.82

Poles — — — — —

Posts — — — — —

Fuelwood 63.17 72.14 59.95 12.19 3.22

Total 541.21 545.27 511.80 33.47 29.41

Numbers in rows and columns may not sum to totals due to rounding.

— = no sample for the cell.
25

Table A.17—Percent of overutilization and underutilization for hardwood cull by product, 

Georgia, 2004

Overutilization Underutilization

Product

Merchantable

utilized/

total volume

utilized

Unmerchantable

utilized/

total volume

utilized

Merchantable

utilized/total

merchantable

volume

Merchantable

not utilized/

total merchantable

volume

percent

Saw logs — — — —

Veneer logs — — — —

Composite panels 98.14 1.86 99.13 0.87

Pulpwood 93.21 6.79 94.19 5.81

Poles — — — —

Posts — — — —

Fuelwood 94.90 5.10 83.10 16.90

All products 94.57 5.43 93.86 6.14

— = no sample for the cell.



Bentley, James W.; Harper, Richard A. 2007. Georgia harvest and utilization study, 2004. Resour. Bull. SRS–117. Asheville, NC: U.S. Department 

of Agriculture Forest Service, Southern Research Station. 25 p.

In 2004, a harvest and utilization study was conducted on 96 operations 

throughout Georgia. There were 2,368 total trees measured, 1,581 or 67 percent were softwood, while 787 or 33 percent were hardwood. Results from 

this study showed that 86 percent of the total softwood volume measured 

was utilized for a product, while the other 14 percent was left as logging 

residue. Seventy-four percent of the total hardwood volume measured was 

utilized for a product, while 26 percent was left as logging residue.

Keywords: FIA, growing stock, logging residue, nongrowing stock, overutilization, product, removals, underutilization.
The Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), 

is dedicated to the principle of multiple use management of the 

Nation’s forest resources for sustained yields of wood, water, 

forage, wildlife, and recreation. Through forestry research, 

cooperation with the States and private forest owners, and management of 

the National Forests and National Grasslands, it strives—as directed by 

Congress—to provide increasingly greater service to a growing Nation.

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basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, and where applicable, sex, 

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Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250–9410 

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