United States

Department of

Agriculture

Forest Service

Southern

Research Station

Resource Bulletin

SRS–148

Fluctuations in National Forest 

Timber Harvest and Removals: The 

Southern Regional Perspective

Sonja N. Oswalt, Tony G. Johnson, 

Mike Howell, and James W. Bentley
The Authors:

Sonja N. Oswalt, Forester, Tony G. Johnson, Forester, 

Mike Howell, Forester, and James W. Bentley, Forester, 

U.S. Forest Service, Southern Research Station, Knoxville, 

TN 37919.

May 2009 

Southern Research Station

200 W.T. Weaver Blvd.

Asheville, NC 28804

Front cover:

Harvesting pine in Oklahoma. (photo by Tony G. Johnson)
i

Contents

Page

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

Methods................................................................................................................................................................................... 2

Implications and Discussion.................................................................................................................................................. 3

National Forest System and the Southern Landscape ......................................................................................................... 3

National Forest System Harvest and Sales in the Southern Region.................................................................................... 4

Forest Inventory and Analysis—Removals......................................................................................................................... 5

Removals on Other Ownerships.......................................................................................................................................... 6

Conclusions............................................................................................................................................................................. 7

Acknowledgments.................................................................................................................................................................. 8

Literature Cited...................................................................................................................................................................... 8

Glossary .................................................................................................................................................................................. 9

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

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

Tables A.1–A.25.................................................................................................................................................................. 17
ii

Logging operation on national forests in Arkansas. (photo by Tony G. Johnson)
Fluctuations in National Forest Timber Harvest and 

Removals: The Southern Regional Perspective

Sonja N. Oswalt, Tony G. Johnson, Mike Howell, and James W. Bentley

Abstract

Here, we examine fluctuations in timber harvest and removals on National Forest System (NFS) lands of the Southern 

Region in light of changing societal values and administrative policies. We also present timber product utilization information based on multiple data sources, examine 

NFS removals in the context of standing volume, and 

compare NFS removals with removals on other ownerships. 

Additionally, we compare the estimates generated using the 

Forest Inventory and Analysis inventory with data collected 

and reported in the NFS Timber Cut and Sold reports. Data 

presented in this bulletin will enable NFS managers in the 

Southern Region to take a more indepth look at amounts 

of logging residue left on the ground versus merchantable 

material leaving the forest.

Keywords: FIA, logging residue, National Forest System, 

Region 8, removals, timber harvest, utilization.

_____________________________

Introduction

When established in 1905, the mission of the Forest Service, 

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USFS) and the system of 

public land that collectively comprised the National Forest 

System (NFS) was to ensure a continuous supply of clean 

water and timber for the U.S. population (Bergoffen 1976). 

Since its inception, goals and objectives of the Agency have 

changed with the needs and desires of the people it serves, 

coupled with new scientific knowledge and changing priorities in the American economy, political climate, and societal 

values. This became particularly true in 1960 with passage 

of the Multiple Use-Sustained Yield Act which officially 

broadened the Agency mission to include a variety of ecosystem functions beyond water and timber supply (Joyce 

and others 2008).

Attitudes toward NFS lands have shifted from thinking 

about public forests primarily as reservoirs of a viable 

timber supply to thinking about them as reservoirs for biodiversity, recreation, aesthetics, and other uses (Joyce and 

others 2008). In the early to mid-1990s, Forest Service Chief 

Dale Robertson introduced his “New Perspectives” plan 

for ecosystem management, which placed further emphasis 

on managing NFS lands to meet a variety of desired future 

conditions. The plan also called for an 80-percent reduction 

in clearcutting on NFS lands (Robertson 1992). In the 1980s 

and 1990s, the USFS revised its procedures for planning 

forest management, analyzing proposed actions, and involving the public in planning. New procedures were needed to 

meet requirements of the Endangered Species Act, National 

Forest Management Act, and the National Environmental 

Policy Act. During this period, NFS managers devoted more 

time and resources to analysis and documentation so that 

eventually, planning and analysis became principal activities 

(Bosworth and Brown 2007).

U.S. Forest Service employee Mike Howell instructs field personnel 

on the use of data recorders for logging operations before entering 

the woods in Florida. (photo by Tony G. Johnson)
2

Within most of the recently revised Southern Region Land 

and Resource Management Plans, harvests for the purpose 

of timber production and sale, once a primary function of 

the Nation’s public forests, have become a minor component. Nonetheless, NFS lands still contribute to the timber 

supply and economy of the Southern States, and their contributions are infrequently studied within the context of the 

overall southern wood supply. Here, we examine timber 

harvest and removals on NFS lands in the Southern Region, 

considering changing societal values, administrative policies, and budget restrictions. We also present timber product 

utilization information based on multiple data sources, 

examine NFS timber removals in the context of standing 

volume, and compare NFS timber removals with other ownerships. Additionally, we compare estimates generated using 

the Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) inventory with data 

collected and reported in the NFS Timber Cut and Sold 

(NFS-CS) reports.

Methods

This study focused on the 13 Southern States inventoried 

by the USFS-FIA program, including Alabama, Arkansas, 

Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North 

Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and 

Virginia. NFS Region 8, also known as the Southern Region, 

corresponds geographically with the southern FIA region. 

Southwide data related to forest land area and timberland 

area came from 2007 Resources Planning Act tables that 

were produced using the latest available FIA data at the time 

of table creation (available online at: http://www.fia.fs.fed.

us/program-features/rpa/).

Two data sources were used to explore harvests and removals from NFS lands. The NFS is unique in that it maintains 

annual, publicly available NFS-CS reports for timber sales 

conducted on NFS lands (available online at: http://www.

fs.fed.us/forestmanagement/reports/sold-harvest/index.

shtml). These reports track the volume and value of timber 

sold, as well as the volume of timber that is cut, based on 

a presale cruise by USFS personnel, and any additions or 

subtractions that might occur during logging. Occasionally, 

sale units are defaulted and not cut. In such cases, the 

amount sold is greater than the amount cut. NFS-CS reports 

for Region 8 (excluding volume harvested on the George 

Washington National Forest and reported in West Virginia) 

were compiled and averaged for the years 1995 through 

2006 to provide volumes harvested for that time period. 

Data from 1990 through 1994 were used to track trends in 

Logger and forester discuss procedures on a harvesting operation in Oklahoma. (photo by Tony G. Johnson)
3

harvest levels, but were not used in further analysis. Prior 

to 2001, cubic foot volumes were not reported in NFS-CS 

reports. A factor of 5.5 board feet was used for all cubic foot 

volumes reported from 1990 to 2000. Beginning in 2001, the 

NFS reported volumes in cubic feet. Thus, comparisons of 

conversion factors in this report will produce slightly different estimates.

FIA estimates of volume and removals for all ownerships 

were generated using the most current estimates of all-live 

and growing-stock standing volume and all-live removals 

for the 13 Southern States (U.S. Department of Agriculture 

2007). Data collection timeframes ranged from 1990 

through 2006 based on the date of each State’s most recent 

inventory. 

The FIA sample on NFS includes a relatively small number 

of inventory plots, and estimates may differ significantly 

from harvest volumes reported in individual NFS-CS 

reports. In addition, removals from all inventory plots 

include volume that is cut and not utilized for a product, 

logging residues, and standing volume reclassified to a 

reserved status or to another land use change. The removal 

values generated by FIA represent an approximate average 

annual value for the years 1995 through 2006, and represent 

broad estimates only. Though less accurate than the NFS-CS 

reports, the removals data collected by FIA can be used in 

conjunction with other FIA data in a more seamless fashion. 

t

Rita Blanca 

National 

Grassland

Caddo National 

Grassland

Angelina/ 

Sabine 

National 

Forest

Lyndon B. 

Johnson National 

Grassland

Black Kettle 

National 

Grassland

Holly Springs 

National Forest

Saint 

Francis 

National 

Forest

Ozark 

National 

Forest

Ouachita 

National Forest

Conecuh 

National Forest

Homochitto 

National 

Forest

Sam 

Houston 

National 

Forest

Davy Crockett 

National Forest

DeSoto 

National 

Forest

Bienville 

National Forest

Cherokee/Nantahala/

Pisgah National 

Forests

Tombigbee 

National 

Forest

Kisatchie 

National 

Forest

Delta 

National 

Forest

William B. 

Bankhead National Forest

Tuskegee 

National Forest

Talladega 

National Forest

Jefferson 

National Forest

Oconee 

National Forest

Sumter National Forest

George 

Washington 

National 

Forest

Daniel 

Boone 

National 

Forest

Francis Marion 

National 

Forest

Croatan 

National 

Forest

Osceola 

National 

Forest

Apalachicola 

National Forest

Ocala 

National 

Forest

Chattahoochee 

National Forest

Uwharrie 

National 

Forest

Figure 1—National Forest System lands in the South.

In addition, felled-tree utilization studies are conducted 

across the South to determine underutilization factors that 

are applied to the removals volume. These studies are used 

to refine the logging residue estimates. The most current 

studies show that about 95 percent of the merchantable bole 

for softwoods is utilized, while 87 percent of the merchantable hardwood bole is actually utilized for products (Bentley 

and Johnson 2006). The merchantable portion is defined 

as the portion of live trees ≥5.0 inches diameter at breast 

height (d.b.h.) between a 1-foot stump and a minimum 4.0-

inch top on the central stem. Volume defined as utilized for 

products was therefore determined by adjusting the merchantable utilized volume by these known percentages in 

order to account for underutilization. 

Implications and Discussion

National Forest System and the Southern 

Landscape

Southern forests occupied 215 million acres on the landscape and supported 326 billion cubic feet of timber, 89 

percent of which was growing stock (tables A.1 and A.3). 

National forests occupied 6 percent of the total southern 

forest area, 6 percent of timberland area (table A.2, fig. 1), 

and they accounted for about 9 percent of the standing-live 

and growing-stock volume on timberland. Standing-live 
4

volume on NFS timberland for softwood and hardwood 

combined was 28 billion cubic feet, and growing-stock 

volume totaled 25 billion cubic feet (tables A.3 and A.4). 

To put that in perspective, standing-live volume on all NFS 

timberland in the South is roughly equal to the standinglive volume on timberland in the entire State of Arkansas, 

or seven times the standing-live volume on timberland in 

the State of Oklahoma. Although NFS timberland occupies 

a seemingly small proportion of the southern landscape, it 

clearly remains an important component of the southern 

forest resource.

National Forest System Harvest and Sales in the 

Southern Region

Southern NFS-CS reports for 1995 through 2006 showed 

an average annual harvest of >93.6 million cubic feet 

(508.6 million board feet) (table A.5). Volume cut and sold 

on NFS land from 1995 through 2006 ranged from 50.7 

million cubic feet (278.8 million board feet) in 2003 to 

153.8 million cubic feet (846.0 million board feet) in 1996. 

Harvest volume averaged 125.4 million cubic feet from 

1995 through 1999 and then dropped to an average of just 

70.9 million cubic feet from 2000 through 2006. Overall, 

from 1990 through 2005, harvest volume on NFS land 

declined 74 percent from 257.8 million cubic feet to 66.1 

million cubic feet (fig. 2). This overall downward trend in 

harvests reflects the increased involvement of the Agency in 

revisions of land management plans and associated appeals 

and litigation, as well as reductions in overall operating 

budgets. Harvest volume experienced an upswing in 2006 to 

129.0 million cubic feet; still 50 percent less than the 1990 

NFS harvest. This upswing occurred right after Hurricanes 

Katrina and Rita pummeled the coastline of the Gulf States. 

Most of the increase can be attributed to harvests and 

salvage logging that occurred in response to the catastrophic 

storms. Harvesting on national forests in Mississippi jumped 

from 11.9 million cubic feet in 2005 to 58.4 million cubic 

feet in 2006 (table A.14), while harvests on national forests 

in Texas increased from 4.6 million cubic feet in 2005 to 

11.6 million cubic feet in 2006 (table A.19). 

Between 1995 and 2006, revenues generated from harvest 

sales on NFS land totaled >$798.4 million, or an average 

of $66.5 million per year (table A.5). This amounted to an 

average of $131.12 per thousand board feet over the period. 

Softwoods accounted for 85 percent of total volume harvested and sold (79.4 million cubic feet), while hardwoods 

accounted for the remaining 15 percent (14.2 million cubic 

feet) (table A.6). 

Average annual volume harvested as sawtimber for saw 

logs processed into lumber and veneer products totaled 54.6 

million cubic feet (296.0 million board feet) and accounted 

for 58 percent of harvest (tables A.6 and A.7). Softwood 

sawtimber made up 88 percent, or 47.9 million cubic feet, 

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

1990

1991

1992

19931994

19951996

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

Year

Volume (million cubic feet)

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

Sales (million dollars)

MMCF

Value 

Figure 2—Annual harvests and sales on National Forest System land, 1990–2006.
5

while hardwood volume accounted for the remaining 12 

percent, or 6.7 million cubic feet. Volume sold for pulpwood 

totaled 37.2 million cubic feet (202.7 million board feet) and 

accounted for 40 percent of harvest. At 31.1 million cubic 

feet, softwood accounted for 84 percent of the pulpwood 

harvested. Domestic firewood cut on southern NFS land 

amounted to 1.4 million cubic feet, or about 2 percent of 

total harvest volume. Most of the volume harvested for firewood was hardwood. 

Tables A.8 through A.20 provide individual State level 

NFS-CS reports for the years 1990 to 2006. We analyzed 

1995 to 2006 data in order to coincide with FIA removals 

data periods. For those years, the NFS-CS reports indicate 

that 50 percent of the volume harvested on southern NFS 

land came from Arkansas and Mississippi. Therefore, 

one-half the total harvest volume came from 30 percent 

of the land base (table A.1). When combined, these States 

accounted for an average of $37.3 million, or 56 percent, of 

total dollars generated from sales, annually. 

Forest Inventory and Analysis—Removals

FIA inventory data from 1995 through 2006 showed that 

total average annual removals of all live trees across all ownerships in the South equaled 11.2 billion cubic feet, of which 

61 percent was softwood and 39 percent was hardwood 

(table A.21). About 86 percent of live-tree removal volume 

Southwide was considered by FIA inventory crews to have 

been utilized. Across all ownerships in the South, Georgia, 

Alabama, and North Carolina accounted for the highest 

proportion of total all-live removals, with 14 percent, 12 

percent, and 11 percent of the Southwide total, respectively.

Between 1995 and 2006, FIA inventory data showed that 

average annual all-live removals from the South’s national 

forests totaled 178.9 million cubic feet (715.6 million board 

feet of sawtimber), or 0.7 percent of the standing all-live 

volume on southern NFS land per year (table A.22). As 

stated earlier, removals from inventory data include volume 

utilized for products, volume left unutilized as logging 

residue, and volume reclassified to a reserved status or 

another land use such as campgrounds. 

Log landing at harvest operation in Arkansas. (photo by Tony G. Johnson)
6

Volume classified as utilized on southern NFS lands by FIA 

inventory crews totaled 109.2 million cubic feet for softwoods and hardwoods combined. This volume is reported 

from a 1-foot stump to a 4-inch top. Felled-tree utilization 

studies conducted across the South show that about 95 

percent of the merchantable softwood bole is utilized for 

products, while 87 percent of the merchantable hardwood 

bole is utilized. Therefore, the remainder of FIA-derived 

removals, described below, have been adjusted. With this 

in mind, the utilized volume was adjusted to 102.3 million 

cubic feet utilized for products to account for underutilization. Of this volume, 77.1 million cubic feet (75 percent) 

was softwood volume and 25.1 million cubic feet (25 

percent) was hardwood volume. 

Unutilized volume due to logging residues totaled 21.2 

million cubic feet, or 12 percent of total southern NFS 

removals. Softwoods accounted for 9.9 million cubic feet 

(47 percent), while hardwoods accounted for 11.3 million 

cubic feet (53 percent) of logging residue. Volume removed 

as a result of reclassification (e.g., reclassified from timberland to reserved land) totaled 55.4 million cubic feet, or 31 

percent of total all-live removals and about 72 percent of all 

nonutilized wood. Hardwoods accounted for 68 percent, or 

37.6 million cubic feet of removals due to reclassifications. 

The difference between total FIA inventory removals (178.9 

million cubic feet) and the 93.6 million cubic feet reported 

in the NFS-CS reports was attributed to: (1) unutilized material in the form of logging residues (21.2 million cubic feet), 

(2) volume reclassified to another land use or as reserved 

(55.4 million cubic feet), and (3) error rates associated with 

FIA removals data (8.7 million cubic feet). The statistical 

error for total all-live removals on national forests is + 23 

percent at a 99 percent confidence level, which means 

that we are 99 percent certain that the true volume of all 

removals from NFS lands falls between 137.8 and 220.0 

million cubic feet. Assuming that the error rate is similar 

for adjusted utilized removals on southern NFS land, values 

would fall between 78.8 and 125.8 million cubic feet, well 

within the range of NFS-CS values.

National forests in Mississippi and Arkansas accounted for 

the largest proportion of southern NFS removals recorded 

by FIA, with 24 percent and 23 percent of all-live removals, 

respectively. Softwood volume comprised the majority of 

removals on NFS land in most southern-tier States such as 

Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, South 

Carolina, and Texas. Conversely, hardwood volume comprised the majority of removals on the mountainous NFS 

lands of Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, Tennessee, and 

Virginia. National forest land accounted for 2 percent of alllive removals, Southwide.

Removals on Other Ownerships

In the South, other public lands such as national, State, or 

local parks and forests accounted for 7 percent of forest 

land area, 6 percent of timberland area, and about 8 percent 

of timberland growing-stock standing volume. Total alllive tree removals on other public lands equaled about 430 

million cubic feet, or 4 percent of all-live tree removals 

(table A.23). That amounts to more than twice as much 

volume compared to NFS land, even though the timberland 

area available for harvest is nearly the same. Like NFS 

removals, 57 percent of removals on other public lands were 

utilized, and the majority of unutilized material was hardwood. Seventy-three percent of all live utilized removals on 

other public land came from softwoods. 

Forest industry, or private corporate ownerships, made 

up about 28 percent of timberland area in the South, and 

accounted for 22 percent of total all-live tree removals 

(tables A.2 and A.24). Only about 5 percent of industrial 

removals were not utilized, and the unutilized material was 

split about evenly between softwood and hardwood material. 

Tombigbee National Forest in Mississippi. (photo by Sonja N. 

Oswalt)
7

Eighty-two percent of industrial all-live tree removals were 

softwood species.

Nonindustrial private forest land (NIPF) made up 60 percent 

of southern forest land and timberland area, and accounted 

for 72 percent of all-live tree removals (tables A.1 and 

A.25). About 15 percent of removals on NIPF were not utilized. Seventy-three percent of unutilized material was hardwood, while 56 percent of utilized material was softwood. 

Georgia, Alabama, North Carolina, and Mississippi had the 

highest NIPF removals volumes, for the period studied.

Conclusions

The NFS was originally designated as a continuing source 

of timber for the United States. Since its inception, however, 

the mission of the NFS has evolved to represent the changing needs of the Nation, and the desires of its people. The 

NFS mission was particularly changed by the environmental 

movements that began in the mid-1970s and continue to 

the present. The effect of changing NFS values is apparent 

in the South when examining the large decrease in harvest 

volumes from 1990 through 2006. The decline in harvesting 

on southern NFS land becomes even more noticeable when 

compared with harvest levels on other public lands (e.g., 

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service land, State parks, etc.), which 

comprise a similar land area, but harvested nearly 2.5 times 

as much material during the period studied.

This study illustrates the compatibility of FIA removal 

volumes with NFS-CS reports. However, the reader should 

keep in mind that direct comparison of any individual 

NFS-CS report year with average annual removal estimates 

from FIA data are not valid and could lead to erroneous 

conclusions. One benefit of being able to confirm the compatibility between the NFS-CS reports and FIA removals 

data is the subsequent ability to segment FIA removals data 

into utilized and nonutilized material based on FIA crew 

determinations and to refine logging residue estimates based 

Logging residue following a mixed-species harvest in Georgia. (photo by Tony G. Johnson)
8

on timber utilization studies conducted in the South. Data 

presented here will enable NFS managers Southwide to: 

(1) better evaluate the effects of forest land being converted 

to other land uses, (2) quantify the volume of wood being 

left on-the-ground in the form of logging residue, and (3) 

assess the volume of wood leaving the forest as merchantable material. In a time when available post-harvest biomass 

is raising interest throughout the United States, this data is 

particularly relevant and important.

Acknowledgments

The authors gratefully acknowledge Carolyn Steppleton for 

her hard work within the Resource Use Section of FIA, and 

Helen Beresford for her hard work developing the Timber 

Product Output tablemaker. Additionally, we thank the 

reviewers of this bulletin for their careful attention. Your 

reviews have greatly improved the bulletin.

Literature Cited

Bentley, J.W.; Johnson, T.G. 2006. North Carolina harvest and utilization 

study, 2002. Resour. Bull. SRS–109. Asheville, NC: U.S. Department of 

Agriculture Forest Service, Southern Research Station. 23 p.

Bergoffen, W.W. 1976. 100 years of federal forestry. Agric. Info. Bull. No. 

402. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service. 

[Not paged].

Bosworth, D.; Brown, H. 2007. After the timber wars: community-based 

stewardship. Journal of Forestry. 105(5): 271–273.

Joyce, L.A.; Blate, G.M.; Littell, J.S. [and others]. 2008. National forests. 

In: Julius, S.H.; West, J.M., eds. Preliminary review of adaptation 

options for climate-sensitive ecosystems and resources. Final report, synthesis and assessment product 4.4. Washington, DC: U.S. Environmental 

Protection Agency, Climate Change Science Program: 3–1 to 3–127.

Robertson, F.D. 1992. Statement of F. Dale Robertson, Chief, Forest 

Service U.S. Department of Agriculture before the Subcommittee on 

Forests, Family Farms, and Energy, committee on Agriculture, United 

States House of Representatives. http://fs.jorge.com/archives/History_

National/ClearcuttingRoberston1992.htm. [Date accessed: September 

30, 2008].

U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service. 2007. Forest inventory 

and analysis national core field guide. Version 4.0. http://srsfia2.fs.fed.

us/data_acquisition/field_guide.shtml. [Date accessed: September 30, 

2008].

Residual biomass after a hardwood removal in Georgia. (photo by Tony G. Johnson)
9

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.

Domestic fuelwood. The volume of roundwood harvested to 

produce heat for residential settings.

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 such as gum, yellowpoplar, cottonwood, red maple, basswood, or willow, that 

have an average specific gravity of <0.50.

Hard hardwoods. Hardwood species such as oak, hard 

maple, hickory, or beech, that have an average specific 

gravity >0.50.

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 (saw-blade width). In the form 

used by FIA, 1⁄4-inch of kerf is assumed. This rule is used 

as the USDA 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 portion(s) of live trees cut or 

destroyed during logging operations.

Merchantable portion (bole length). That portion of 

live trees >5.0 inches d.b.h. 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 or 

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 annually producing 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.)
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.

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

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

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 

hardwoods >11.0 inches d.b.h.

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.
11

Timber product 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 

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).

Appendix

15

Index of Tables

Table A.1—Forest land area in the Southern United States 

by State and ownership, 2007

Table A.2—Timberland area in the Southern United States 

by State and ownership group, 2007

Table A.3—Net volume of live trees on timberland in the 

Southern United States by State and ownership group, 2007

Table A.4—Net volume of growing stock on timberland in 

the Southern United States by State and ownership group, 

2007

Table A.5—Timber cut and sold on southern national 

forests, 1990 to 2006

Table A.6—Timber cut and sold on southern national forests 

by product and species group, 1990 to 2006

Table A.7—Timber cut and sold on southern national forests 

by product and species group, 1990 to 2006

Table A.8—Timber cut and sold on Alabama national 

forests, 1990 to 2006

Table A.9—Timber cut and sold on Arkansas national 

forests, 1990 to 2006

Table A.10—Timber cut and sold on Florida national 

forests, 1990 to 2006

Table A.11—Timber cut and sold on Georgia national 

forests, 1990 to 2006

Table A.12—Timber cut and sold on Kentucky national 

forests, 1990 to 2006

Table A.13—Timber cut and sold on Louisiana national 

forests, 1990 to 2006

Table A.14—Timber cut and sold on Mississippi national 

forests, 1990 to 2006

Table A.15—Timber cut and sold on North Carolina 

national forests, 1990 to 2006

Table A.16—Timber cut and sold on Oklahoma national 

forests, 1990 to 2006

Table A.17—Timber cut and sold on South Carolina 

national forests, 1990 to 2006

Table A.18—Timber cut and sold on Tennessee national 

forests, 1990 to 2006

Table A.19—Timber cut and sold on Texas national forests, 

1990 to 2006

Table A.20—Timber cut and sold on Virginia national 

forests, 1990 to 2006

Table A.21—All-live removals by State, utilization, and 

species group, all owners, 1995 to 2006

Table A.22—All-live removals by State, utilization, and 

species group, national forests, 1995 to 2006 

Table A.23—All-live removals by State, utilization, and 

species group, other public, 1995 to 2006 

Table A.24—All-live removals by State, utilization, and 

species group, forest industry, 1995 to 2006 

Table A.25—All-live removals by State, utilization, and 

species group, nonindustrial private forest, 1995 to 2006

17

Table A.1—Forest land area in the Southern United States by State and ownership, 2007

State

All 

ownerships

Public Private

Total 

public

Federal

State

County 

and 

municipal

Total 

private

Private 

corporate

Private 

noncorporateTotal 

Federal 

National 

forest Other

thousand acres

Alabama 22,693 1,429 986 746 240 330 113 21,264 6,311 14,953

Arkansas 18,830 3,674 3,155 2,546 609 448 71 15,156 5,454 9,703

Florida 16,147 4,720 2,068 1,067 1,000 2,221 431 11,427 6,441 4,986

Georgia 24,784 2,343 1,758 736 1,022 356 230 22,440 7,965 14,475

Kentucky 11,970 1,324 1,059 744 315 212 53 10,647 1,491 9,156

Louisiana 14,222 1,709 975 695 279 538 197 12,512 6,499 6,014

Mississippi 19,622 2,303 1,834 1,326 508 236 233 17,320 4,714 12,605

North Carolina 18,447 2,950 2,090 1,169 921 601 258 15,497 3,882 11,615

Oklahoma 7,665 665 499 245 255 139 27 7,000 1,283 5,716

South Carolina 12,746 1,557 1,071 641 430 325 160 11,189 3,574 7,615

Tennessee 14,480 2,171 1,473 741 732 599 99 12,310 2,209 10,101

Texas 17,273 1,069 905 682 224 109 54 16,204 4,418 11,786

Virginia 15,766 2,766 2,250 1,692 558 302 213 13,000 2,912 10,088

Total 214,644 28,679 20,124 13,031 7,093 6,417 2,139 185,965 57,153 128,812

Source: 2007 Resources Planning Act.

Table A.2—Timberland area in the Southern United States by State and 

ownership group, 2007

State

All 

owners

Ownership group

National 

forest

Other 

public

Private 

corporate

Private 

noncorporate

thousand acres

Alabama 22,581 687 637 6,311 14,946

Arkansas 18,479 2,440 985 5,447 9,607

Florida 15,552 1,029 3,136 6,409 4,978

Georgia 24,247 612 1,208 7,959 14,468

Kentucky 11,648 590 440 1,472 9,146

Louisiana 14,116 672 953 6,477 6,014

Mississippi 19,535 1,316 936 4,713 12,570

North Carolina 17,917 1,093 1,388 3,866 11,570

Oklahoma 6,233 223 359 1,257 4,394

South Carolina 12,641 619 838 3,569 7,615

Tennessee 13,913 666 937 2,209 10,101

Texas 11,859 662 293 4,404 6,500

Virginia 15,309 1,616 709 2,908 10,076

Total 204,030 12,225 12,819 57,001 121,985

Source: 2007 Resources Planning Act.
18

Table A.3—Net volume of live trees on timberland in the 

Southern United States by State and ownership group, 2007

State

All 

owners

Ownership group

National 

forest

Other 

public

Total 

private

million cubic feet

Alabama 32,264 1,440 1,339 29,485

Arkansas 27,103 4,360 2,335 20,408

Florida 18,936 1,227 4,695 13,013

Georgia 38,290 1,761 2,576 33,953

Kentucky 21,286 1,403 984 18,899

Louisiana 22,262 1,866 2,105 18,291

Mississippi 29,510 3,336 1,767 24,408

North Carolina 35,392 3,168 2,771 29,453

Oklahoma 3,914 328 300 3,286

South Carolina 21,481 1,347 1,965 18,169

Tennessee 26,573 1,810 2,211 22,552

Texas 17,228 2,127 533 14,569

Virginia 31,699 3,621 1,769 26,309

Total 325,936 27,793 25,350 272,794

Table A.4—Net volume of growing stock on timberland in the 

Southern United States by State and ownership group, 2007

State

All 

owners

Ownership group

National 

forest

Other 

public

Total 

private

million cubic feet

Alabama 28,569 1,332 1,210 26,027

Arkansas 24,658 4,009 2,144 18,504

Florida 16,603 1,110 4,935 10,558

Georgia 34,390 1,557 2,325 30,507

Kentucky 18,301 1,302 852 16,148

Louisiana 20,500 1,795 1,887 16,818

Mississippi 26,049 3,120 1,548 21,381

North Carolina 32,777 2,931 2,573 27,274

Oklahoma 3,001 294 225 2,482

South Carolina 19,163 1,240 1,768 16,155

Tennessee 22,910 1,622 1,976 19,313

Texas 16,000 2,093 487 13,421

Virginia 26,881 2,854 1,536 22,492

Total 289,803 25,258 23,465 241,080
19

Table A.5—Timber cut and sold on southern national forests, 

1990 to 2006

Year Volume Value 

 thousand 

board feet

thousand 

cubic feet

dollars dollars per 

thousand 

board feet

1990 1,418,166 257,848 91,601,985.29 64.59

1991 1,025,236 186,407 71,486,191.23 69.73

1992 1,061,478 192,996 85,683,527.47 80.72

1993 977,043 177,644 84,066,132.33 86.04

1994 860,219 156,404 87,401,722.53 101.60

1995 804,128 146,205 89,842,295.16 111.73

1996 846,041 153,826 108,317,341.72 128.03

1997 571,124 103,841 85,689,748.84 150.04

1998 635,583 115,561 92,522,181.62 145.57

1999 592,988 107,816 96,512,798.55 162.76

2000 467,827 85,059 78,956,974.37 168.77

2001 285,780 52,191 37,531,471.04 131.33

2002 294,427 53,534 36,021,529.39 122.34

2003 278,758 50,707 35,259,585.34 126.49

2004 323,573 59,365 39,835,634.25 123.11

2005 347,535 66,123 39,889,343.08 114.78

2006 655,544 129,043 57,996,402.94 88.47

Totala 6,103,308 1,123,270 798,375,306.30 

Averagea 508,609 93,606 66,531,275.53 131.12

a The years 1995 to 2006 were used for total and average volume harvested.
20

Table A.6—Timber cut and sold on southern national forests by product and species group, 1990 to 2006

Year

All products Sawtimber Pulpwood Fuelwood 

Miscellaneous 

products

Total

SoftwoodHardwood TotalSoftwoodHardwood TotalSoftwoodHardwood TotalSoftwoodHardwood TotalSoftwoodHardwood

thousand cubic feet

1990 257,848 214,243 43,605 145,039 127,718 17,321 108,001 86,473 21,528 4,758 38 4,720 50 14 36

1991 186,407 145,910 40,497 94,570 78,410 16,161 87,408 67,369 20,039 4,080 58 4,022 348 72 275

1992 192,996 152,580 40,416 100,687 84,717 15,970 88,020 67,735 20,285 4,178 51 4,127 112 76 35

1993 177,644 139,729 37,915 85,695 71,047 14,647 86,996 68,004 18,992 4,277 28 4,249 676 649 27

1994 156,404 126,396 30,008 75,445 64,242 11,203 77,064 61,709 15,354 3,506 65 3,440 390 379 11

1995 146,205 122,247 23,958 72,591 63,281 9,309 70,450 58,591 11,859 2,829 56 2,773 335 319 16

1996 153,826 130,202 23,624 86,476 75,484 10,993 64,692 53,974 10,718 1,946 39 1,906 711 705 7

1997 103,841 84,151 19,689 61,991 52,037 9,954 39,980 31,914 8,067 1,678 15 1,663 191 185 6

1998 115,561 97,578 17,983 68,461 59,395 9,066 45,261 37,786 7,475 1,439 12 1,427 399 384 15

1999 107,816 91,762 16,054 63,683 56,262 7,421 42,869 35,201 7,668 954 5 949 309 295 15

2000 85,059 71,097 13,963 48,676 42,246 6,430 34,778 28,373 6,405 1,037 1 1,036 569 477 93

2001 52,191 44,375 7,816 29,561 26,124 3,437 21,500 18,052 3,448 917 2 915 213 198 15

2002 53,534 47,099 6,435 30,451 27,824 2,627 21,982 19,165 2,817 870 11 860 231 100 131

2003 50,707 42,106 8,600 28,773 23,900 4,874 20,566 18,125 2,441 1,278 3 1,275 89 79 11

2004 59,366 48,908 10,457 35,339 30,154 5,185 22,676 18,687 3,989 1,239 1 1,237 112 66 46

2005 66,123 55,382 10,741 37,344 31,784 5,561 27,444 23,496 3,948 1,217 1 1,216 117 101 16

2006 129,043 117,731 11,312 91,474 86,098 5,376 34,068 29,639 4,430 1,463 3 1,460 2,038 1,991 47

Totala 1,123,270 952,639 170,631 654,820 574,588 80,232 446,268 373,002 73,266 16,868 151 16,717 5,314 4,898 416

Averagea 93,606 79,387 14,219 54,568 47,882 6,686 37,189 31,084 6,106 1,406 13 1,393 443 408 35

aThe years 1995 to 2006 were used for total and average volume harvested.
21

Table A.7—Timber cut and sold on southern national forests by product and species group, 1990 to 2006

Year

All products Sawtimber Pulpwood Fuelwood 

Miscellaneous 

products

Total

SoftwoodHardwood TotalSoftwoodHardwood TotalSoftwoodHardwood TotalSoftwoodHardwood TotalSoftwoodHardwood

thousand board feet

1990 1,418,166 1,178,339 239,827 797,716 702,450 95,266 594,005 475,602 118,403 26,169 208 25,961 276 79 196

1991 1,025,236 802,502 222,734 520,138 431,254 88,884 480,746 370,531 110,215 22,440 319 22,120 1,913 399 1,515

1992 1,061,478 839,188 222,290 553,778 465,945 87,833 484,110 372,542 111,568 22,976 280 22,696 614 420 193

1993 977,043 768,509 208,534 471,320 390,760 80,559 478,480 374,021 104,458 23,526 156 23,370 3,717 3,571 146

1994 860,219 695,176 165,043 414,946 353,331 61,615 423,850 339,402 84,448 19,281 359 18,922 2,143 2,084 59

1995 804,128 672,360 131,769 399,248 348,047 51,201 387,476 322,249 65,227 15,561 309 15,252 1,843 1,754 89

1996 846,041 716,109 129,932 475,621 415,159 60,461 355,807 296,856 58,951 10,701 217 10,484 3,912 3,876 36

1997 571,124 462,832 108,292 340,950 286,204 54,746 219,893 175,526 44,367 9,231 84 9,147 1,050 1,018 32

1998 635,583 536,679 98,904 376,537 326,675 49,862 248,937 207,824 41,112 7,916 67 7,849 2,194 2,113 81

1999 592,988 504,693 88,294 350,258 309,442 40,815 235,780 193,604 42,177 5,249 27 5,222 1,700 1,620 80

2000 467,827 391,031 76,796 267,716 232,352 35,364 191,277 156,051 35,226 5,704 7 5,696 3,130 2,621 509

2001 285,780 242,830 42,950 161,520 142,632 18,888 118,057 99,101 18,956 5,032 11 5,022 1,171 1,086 85

2002 294,427 259,069 35,358 167,485 153,037 14,448 120,897 105,402 15,495 4,755 59 4,696 1,290 571 719

2003 278,758 231,445 47,312 158,146 131,325 26,821 113,093 99,669 13,424 7,027 18 7,010 492 433 59

2004 323,573 266,524 57,049 192,764 164,305 28,459 123,625 101,849 21,777 6,770 8 6,763 413 362 51

2005 347,535 291,079 56,457 197,473 168,054 29,419 143,231 122,512 20,719 6,240 5 6,236 591 508 83

2006 655,544 597,495 58,049 463,774 435,857 27,918 174,102 151,459 22,644 7,468 17 7,451 10,199 10,163 37

Totala 6,103,308 5,172,146 931,162 3,551,491 3,113,090 438,402 2,432,176 2,032,102 400,073 91,656 829 90,827 27,985 26,125 1,860

Averagea 508,609 431,012 77,597 295,958 259,424 36,533 202,681 169,342 33,339 7,638 69 7,569 2,332 2,177 155

aThe years 1995 to 2006 were used for total and average volume harvested.
22

Table A.8—Timber cut and sold on Alabama national forests, 

1990 to 2006

Year Volume Value

thousand 

board feet

thousand 

cubic feet

dollars dollars per 

thousand 

board feet

1990 74,942 13,626 5,067,595.32 67.62

1991 79,638 14,480 4,824,142.85 60.58

1992 103,810 18,874 6,806,887.96 65.57

1993 70,987 12,907 5,189,259.98 73.10

1994 53,548 9,736 4,773,504.86 89.15

1995 60,223 10,950 5,498,316.87 91.30

1996 65,027 11,823 8,046,913.00 123.75

1997 31,364 5,703 3,843,132.31 122.53

1998 32,694 5,944 4,308,200.52 131.77

1999 19,419 3,531 2,398,262.73 123.50

2000 19,550 3,555 2,336,626.87 119.52

2001 20,298 3,691 1,679,475.03 82.74

2002 10,656 1,938 736,068.65 69.08

2003 3,956 719 320,471.16 81.02

2004 7,947 1,472 863,800.31 108.70

2005 13,138 2,627 897,945.79 68.35

2006 15,460 3,092 1,336,247.33 86.43

Totala 299,732 55,044 32,265,460.57

Averagea 24,978 4,587 2,688,788.38 100.72

a The years 1995 to 2006 were used for total and average volume 

harvested.

Table A.9—Timber cut and sold on Arkansas national forests, 

1990 to 2006

Year Volume Value

thousand 

board feet

thousand 

cubic feet

dollars dollars per 

thousand 

board feet

1990 189,033 34,370 16,041,737.38 84.86

1991 139,483 25,361 11,298,480.95 81.00

1992 95,812 17,420 9,439,024.52 98.52

1993 131,214 23,857 12,556,230.46 95.69

1994 146,108 26,565 16,145,428.13 110.50

1995 151,400 27,598 18,085,184.88 119.45

1996 176,959 32,257 23,867,251.03 134.87

1997 141,986 25,882 23,371,418.60 164.60

1998 152,439 27,787 26,310,544.44 172.60

1999 168,566 30,727 32,862,810.53 194.95

2000 150,687 27,468 29,933,810.13 198.65

2001 110,017 20,004 15,909,282.13 144.61

2002 104,144 18,937 14,218,125.06 136.52

2003 114,319 20,839 15,711,021.92 137.43

2004 112,005 20,417 11,623,133.56 103.77

2005 121,620 22,673 15,535,199.81 127.74

2006 122,022 23,293 14,678,471.50 120.29

Totala 1,626,163 297,882 242,106,253.59 

Averagea 135,514 24,824 20,175,521.13 146.29

a The years 1995 to 2006 were used for total and average volume 

harvested.
23

Table A.10—Timber cut and sold on Florida national forests, 

1990 to 2006

Year Volume Value

thousand 

board feet

thousand 

cubic feet

dollars dollars per 

thousand 

board feet

1990 86,559 15,738 6,328,970.83 73.12

1991 58,014 10,548 4,179,998.36 72.05

1992 75,747 13,772 4,902,592.64 64.72

1993 90,121 16,386 5,464,724.88 60.64

1994 58,448 10,627 3,372,184.09 57.70

1995 65,473 11,902 4,306,776.08 65.78

1996 35,830 6,513 3,329,575.59 92.93

1997 32,295 5,871 3,146,318.11 97.42

1998 51,229 9,313 4,801,931.60 93.73

1999 26,148 4,753 2,188,262.47 83.69

2000 33,243 6,043 3,491,450.54 105.03

2001 25,345 4,608 2,598,880.80 102.54

2002 27,065 4,921 1,880,848.34 69.49

2003 41,747 7,590 2,109,704.08 50.54

2004 13,308 2,526 1,217,680.50 91.50

2005 37,868 7,559 1,409,377.76 37.22

2006 38,009 7,553 2,728,315.59 71.78

Totala 427,561 79,152 33,209,121.46 

Averagea 35,630 6,596 2,767,426.79 80.14

a The years 1995 to 2006 were used for total and average volume 

harvested.

Table A.11—Timber cut and sold on Georgia national forests, 

1990 to 2006

Year Volume Value

thousand 

board feet

thousand 

cubic feet

dollars dollars per 

thousand 

board feet

1990 53,650 9,754 3,128,877.59 58.32

1991 52,116 9,476 3,797,096.59 72.86

1992 57,755 10,501 4,369,671.75 75.66

1993 54,446 9,899 4,439,644.18 81.54

1994 40,535 7,370 3,204,390.37 79.05

1995 28,348 5,154 2,654,177.27 93.63

1996 40,006 7,274 3,100,884.44 77.51

1997 27,089 4,925 2,366,500.52 87.36

1998 13,750 2,749 1,012,180.02 73.61

1999 9,263 1,852 964,417.39 104.11

2000 748 150 87,138.13 116.47

2001 1,006 183 32,676.00 32.47

2002 638 116 12,847.94 20.15

2003 1,479 274 55,011.15 37.18

2004 1,434 286 114,906.97 80.12

2005 3,264 653 302,849.14 92.78

2006 4,280 856 383,821.39 89.68

Totala 131,306 24,472 11,087,410.36 

Averagea 10,942 2,039 923,950.86 75.42

a The years 1995 to 2006 were used for total and average volume 

harvested.
24

Table A.12—Timber cut and sold on Kentucky national 

forests, 1990 to 2006

Year Volume Value

 thousand 

board feet

thousand 

cubic feet

dollars dollars per 

thousand 

board feet

1990 29,705 5,401 1,167,038.30 39.29

1991 39,632 7,206 1,633,999.67 41.23

1992 38,293 6,962 1,655,733.77 43.24

1993 38,413 6,984 1,908,476.73 49.68

1994 20,813 3,784 1,370,326.78 65.84

1995 12,162 2,211 960,831.40 79.01

1996 19,754 3,592 1,500,314.84 75.95

1997 16,734 3,043 1,462,565.44 87.40

1998 9,431 1,715 770,235.71 81.67

1999 1,549 282 102,611.26 66.25

2000 1,998 363 111,023.40 55.58

2001 4,063 739 151,451.03 37.28

2002 2,005 369 74,833.40 37.31

2003 3,878 709 294,027.73 75.81

2004 2,646 479 185,160.01 69.99

2005 1,628 279 87,332.38 53.66

2006 1,047 186 29,035.23 27.73

Totala 76,894 13,965 5,729,421.83 

Averagea 6,408 1,164 477,451.82 62.30

a The years 1995 to 2006 were used for total and average volume 

harvested.

Table A.13—Timber cut and sold on Louisiana national 

forests, 1990 to 2006

Year Volume Value

thousand 

board feet

thousand 

cubic feet

dollars dollars per 

thousand 

board feet

1990 155,977 28,359 11,710,951.36 75.08

1991 122,035 22,188 9,993,670.29 81.89

1992 142,680 25,942 13,108,093.78 91.87

1993 81,688 14,852 8,821,436.51 107.99

1994 81,473 14,813 9,223,225.73 113.21

1995 64,283 11,278 7,497,680.81 116.64

1996 72,379 12,698 9,607,439.57 132.74

1997 56,609 9,931 10,642,780.21 188.00

1998 48,547 8,517 7,761,088.33 159.87

1999 46,720 8,197 8,403,109.39 179.86

2000 29,660 5,203 5,391,862.72 181.79

2001 17,246 3,136 2,150,962.48 124.73

2002 28,013 5,090 3,764,325.52 134.38

2003 8,695 1,581 1,591,028.51 182.98

2004 28,645 5,227 4,232,066.74 147.74

2005 24,114 4,523 2,693,843.98 111.71

2006 40,320 7,849 4,128,987.10 102.41

Totala 465,232 83,230 67,865,175.36

Averagea 38,769 6,936 5,655,431.28 146.90

a The years 1995 to 2006 were used for total and average volume 

harvested.
25

Table A.14—Timber cut and sold on Mississippi national 

forests, 1990 to 2006

Year Volume Value

thousand 

board feet

thousand 

cubic feet

dollars dollars per 

thousand 

board feet

1990 229,199 41,673 21,594,265.68 94.22

1991 222,821 40,513 18,844,046.22 84.57

1992 206,417 37,530 20,961,158.87 101.55

1993 204,459 37,174 21,653,066.64 105.90

1994 176,319 32,058 21,630,804.35 122.68

1995 193,461 37,712 27,144,509.31 140.31

1996 210,252 40,985 29,414,158.03 139.90

1997 101,193 19,726 18,307,616.31 180.92

1998 112,748 21,978 18,728,291.89 166.11

1999 154,777 30,171 27,706,292.29 179.01

2000 129,600 25,263 25,185,654.71 194.33

2001 40,471 7,359 7,331,252.50 181.15

2002 37,225 6,767 6,015,561.53 161.60

2003 33,293 6,173 6,118,859.38 183.79

2004 60,321 11,209 9,633,884.85 159.71

2005 61,465 11,908 8,225,527.65 133.82

2006 292,621 58,388 21,540,051.04 73.61

Totala 1,427,429 277,638 205,351,659.49 

Averagea 118,952 23,136 17,112,638.29 157.85

a The years 1995 to 2006 were used for total and average volume 

harvested.

Table A.15—Timber cut and sold on North Carolina national 

forests, 1990 to 2006

Year Volume Value

thousand 

board feet

thousand 

cubic feet

dollars dollars per 

thousand 

board feet

1990 71,055 12,919 1,463,305.53 20.59

1991 55,996 10,181 1,204,632.01 21.51

1992 69,717 12,676 1,854,165.80 26.60

1993 50,675 9,214 2,007,153.55 39.61

1994 36,803 6,691 1,430,761.50 38.88

1995 37,913 6,893 2,370,285.23 62.52

1996 30,550 5,555 1,824,041.26 59.71

1997 24,459 4,447 1,979,965.60 80.95

1998 26,141 4,753 1,895,139.10 72.50

1999 26,096 4,745 2,260,469.09 86.62

2000 18,574 3,377 1,257,016.86 67.68

2001 10,196 1,854 768,921.31 75.42

2002 13,471 2,449 544,674.56 40.43

2003 7,750 1,407 481,333.29 62.10

2004 14,621 2,652 1,255,583.51 85.88

2005 9,373 1,722 864,414.12 92.23

2006 14,155 2,662 1,326,829.87 93.74

Totala 233,298 42,516 16,828,673.80 

Averagea 19,441 3,543 1,402,389.48 73.31

a The years 1995 to 2006 were used for total and average volume 

harvested.
26

Table A.16—Timber cut and sold on Oklahoma national 

forests, 1990 to 2006

Year Volume Value

thousand 

board feet

thousand 

cubic feet

dollars dollars per 

thousand 

board feet

1990 25,109 4,565 1,653,805.68 65.87

1991 29,738 5,407 2,167,675.04 72.89

1992 13,490 2,453 846,502.22 62.75

1993 21,480 3,906 1,648,254.35 76.73

1994 19,096 3,472 2,309,219.10 120.92

1995 17,561 3,193 2,185,718.19 124.46

1996 21,208 3,856 3,633,683.56 171.33

1997 19,056 3,465 3,437,835.30 180.41

1998 11,170 2,031 1,973,199.70 176.66

1999 15,508 2,820 3,047,267.50 196.50

2000 7,593 1,381 1,333,955.33 175.68

2001 4,102 746 531,426.07 129.56

2002 10,838 1,971 1,394,485.86 128.67

2003 9,360 1,702 1,245,046.85 133.02

2004 16,100 2,927 2,623,671.40 162.96

2005 11,746 2,209 1,588,899.26 135.27

2006 14,420 2,810 1,548,433.77 107.38

Totala 158,662 29,109 24,543,622.79

Averagea 13,222 2,426 2,045,301.90 151.82

a The years 1995 to 2006 were used for total and average volume 

harvested.

Table A.17—Timber cut and sold on South Carolina national 

forests, 1990 to 2006

Year Volume Value 

thousand 

board feet

thousand 

cubic feet

dollars dollars per 

thousand 

board feet

1990 318,551 57,918 13,169,076.34 41.34

1991 74,418 13,530 4,112,392.30 55.26

1992 72,082 13,106 6,316,649.37 87.63

1993 65,952 11,991 5,650,337.58 85.67

1994 58,962 10,720 5,890,001.57 99.89

1995 40,422 7,349 4,337,908.67 107.32

1996 37,292 6,780 4,157,306.00 111.48

1997 38,930 7,078 5,310,660.11 136.41

1998 18,609 3,383 2,052,043.77 110.27

1999 53,205 9,674 6,215,632.90 116.82

2000 30,253 5,500 4,146,789.73 137.07

2001 22,527 4,096 3,005,038.30 133.40

2002 19,445 3,536 2,031,949.42 104.50

2003 15,243 2,772 2,480,159.03 162.71

2004 26,819 4,888 2,838,972.96 105.86

2005 15,438 2,902 1,828,343.85 118.43

2006 35,534 7,065 2,465,442.98 69.38

Totala 353,716 65,024 40,870,247.72

Averagea 29,476 5,419 3,405,853.98 117.80

a The years 1995 to 2006 were used for total and average volume 

harvested.
27

Table A.18—Timber cut and sold on Tennessee national 

forests, 1990 to 2006

Year Volume Value 

thousand 

board feet

thousand 

cubic feet

dollars dollars per 

thousand 

board feet

1990 30,459 5,538 1,402,529.84 46.05

1991 25,073 4,559 966,658.50 38.55

1992 31,535 5,734 1,320,164.42 41.86

1993 29,455 5,355 1,443,334.00 49.00

1994 21,120 3,840 1,070,699.34 50.70

1995 17,646 3,208 1,104,127.42 62.57

1996 11,552 2,100 792,069.72 68.57

1997 14,174 2,577 1,249,261.38 88.14

1998 12,368 2,249 1,089,671.98 88.11

1999 17,443 3,171 1,696,486.13 97.26

2000 12,190 2,216 1,184,651.43 97.19

2001 5,750 1,274 442,455.55 76.95

2002 2,760 502 90,110.46 32.65

2003 3,570 659 298,297.61 83.55

2004 1,826 342 119,244.37 65.30

2005 5,599 1,092 807,363.80 144.20

2006 4,101 767 667,591.61 162.80

Totala 108,978 20,159 9,541,331.46 

Averagea 9,081 1,680 795,110.96 88.94

a The years 1995 to 2006 were used for total and average volume 

harvested.

Table A.19—Timber cut and sold on Texas national forests, 

1990 to 2006

Year Volume Value 

thousand 

board feet

thousand 

cubic feet

dollars dollars per 

thousand 

board feet

1990 95,471 17,358 7,938,604.98 83.15

1991 61,536 11,188 7,103,757.43 115.44

1992 100,611 18,293 12,726,145.91 126.49

1993 81,917 14,894 11,284,732.71 137.76

1994 93,750 17,045 14,357,370.94 153.15

1995 65,313 11,875 10,571,472.26 161.86

1996 88,959 16,174 16,045,258.54 180.37

1997 39,168 7,122 7,794,231.35 198.99

1998 118,164 21,484 19,261,740.90 163.01

1999 28,385 5,161 6,053,135.78 213.25

2000 11,262 2,048 2,236,089.18 198.56

2001 6,754 1,228 1,240,533.57 183.68

2002 22,872 4,159 3,664,492.36 160.21

2003 21,046 3,827 3,190,809.06 151.61

2004 22,986 4,184 3,772,632.46 164.13

2005 24,722 4,615 4,135,221.26 167.27

2006 58,773 11,588 6,102,449.88 103.83

Totala 508,405 93,464 84,068,066.60 

Averagea 42,367 7,789 7,005,672.22 170.56

a The years 1995 to 2006 were used for total and average volume 

harvested.
28

Table A.20—Timber cut and sold on Virginia national forests, 

1990 to 2006

Year Volume Value 

thousand 

board feet

thousand 

cubic feet

dollars dollars per 

thousand 

board feet

1990 58,458 10,629 935,226.46 16.00

1991 64,736 11,770 1,359,641.02 21.00

1992 53,530 9,733 1,376,736.46 25.72

1993 56,244 10,226 1,999,480.76 35.55

1994 53,245 9,681 2,623,805.77 49.28

1995 49,924 9,077 3,125,306.77 62.60

1996 36,274 6,595 2,998,446.10 82.66

1997 28,067 5,103 2,777,463.60 98.96

1998 28,292 5,144 2,557,913.66 90.41

1999 25,907 4,710 2,614,041.09 100.90

2000 22,471 4,086 2,260,905.34 100.61

2001 18,006 3,274 1,689,116.27 93.81

2002 15,294 2,781 1,503,497.23 98.31

2003 13,791 2,508 1,363,815.58 98.90

2004 14,916 2,755 1,354,896.61 90.84

2005 17,561 3,361 1,513,024.28 86.16

2006 14,803 2,933 1,060,725.65 71.66

Totala 285,304 52,328 24,819,152.18 

Averagea 23,775 4,361 2,068,262.68 89.65

a The years 1995 to 2006 were used for total and average volume 

harvested.

Table A.21—All-live removals by State, utilization, and species group, all owners, 1995 to 2006 

State

Utilization and species group

Utilized Nonutilized Total

Softwood Hardwood TotalSoftwood Hardwood TotalSoftwood Hardwood Total

thousand cubic feet

Alabama 879,452 380,046 1,259,498 27,510 47,651 75,161 906,962 427,697 1,334,659

Arkansas 516,174 228,743 744,917 47,154 111,578 158,732 563,328 340,321 903,649

Florida 413,018 68,305 481,323 44,886 54,288 99,174 457,904 122,593 580,497

Georgia 1,110,984 288,329 1,399,313 55,111 107,576 162,687 1,166,095 395,905 1,562,000

Kentucky 10,264 180,486 190,750 13,036 115,814 128,850 23,300 296,300 319,600

Louisiana 610,205 265,373 875,578 54,832 73,396 128,228 665,037 338,769 1,003,806

Mississippi 603,044 392,503 995,547 28,984 59,617 88,601 632,028 452,120 1,084,148

North Carolina 640,410 410,853 1,051,263 59,986 161,315 221,301 700,396 572,168 1,272,564

Oklahoma 80,041 35,526 115,567 14,685 36,390 51,075 94,726 71,916 166,642

South Carolina 559,562 188,907 748,469 36,547 28,786 65,333 596,109 217,693 813,802

Tennessee 130,887 275,694 406,581 15,962 136,622 152,584 146,849 412,316 559,165

Texas 525,248 115,785 641,033 23,766 65,907 89,673 549,014 181,692 730,706

Virginia 313,339 364,039 677,378 27,225 122,952 150,177 340,564 486,991 827,555

Total 6,392,628 3,194,589 9,587,217 449,684 1,121,892 1,571,576 6,842,312 4,316,481 11,158,793
29

Table A.22—All-live removals by State, utilization, and species group, national forests, 1995 to 2006 

State

Utilization and species group

Utilized Nonutilized

Nonutilized 

(logging residue)

Nonutilized 

(other residue) Total

Softwood Hardwood TotalSoftwood Hardwood TotalSoftwood Hardwood TotalSoftwood Hardwood TotalSoftwood Hardwood Total

thousand cubic feet

Alabama 3,849 500 4,349 5,974 3,528 9,502 139 200 339 5,835 3,328 9,163 9,823 4,028 13,851

Arkansas 19,095 4,517 23,612 8,936 8,669 17,605 4,501 3,111 7,612 4,435 5,558 9,993 28,031 13,186 41,217

Florida 8,689 0 8,689 1,968 646 2,614 111 0 111 1,857 646 2,503 10,657 646 11,303

Georgia 1,581 209 1,790 88 6,361 6,449 88 0 88 0 6,361 6,361 1,669 6,570 8,239

Kentucky 190 3,000 3,190 10 1,100 1,110 1 200 201 9 900 909 200 4,100 4,300

Louisiana 5,256 766 6,022 4,088 3,121 7,209 389 0 389 3,699 3,121 6,820 9,344 3,887 13,231

Mississippi 31,669 7,168 38,837 1,987 1,397 3,384 1,136 1,078 2,214 851 319 1,170 33,656 8,565 42,221

North Carolina 0 0 0 366 2,232 2,598 366 2,192 2,558 0 40 40 366 2,232 2,598

Oklahoma 2,000 0 2,000 100 0 100 10 0 10 90 0 90 2,100 0 2,100

South Carolina 2,788 0 2,788 13 0 13 13 0 13 0 0 0 2,801 0 2,801

Tennessee 4,785 0 4,785 890 9,230 10,120 0 155 155 890 9,075 9,965 5,675 9,230 14,905

Texas 534 0 534 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 534 0 534

Virginia 0 12,652 12,652 154 8,837 8,991 0 591 591 154 8,246 8,400 154 21,489 21,643

Total 80,436 28,812 109,248 24,574 45,121 69,695 6,754 7,527 14,281 17,820 37,594 55,414 105,010 73,933 178,943

Adjustment 

for under 

utilization 77,218 25,066 102,284 27,792 48,867 76,659 9,972 11,273 21,245 17,820 37,594 55,414 105,010 73,933 178,943

Table A.23—All-live removals by State, utilization, and species group, other public, 1995 to 2006 

State

Utilization and species group

Utilized Nonutilized Total

Softwood Hardwood TotalSoftwood Hardwood TotalSoftwood Hardwood Total

thousand cubic feet

Alabama 13,269 5,074 18,343 1,773 6,302 8,075 15,042 11,376 26,418

Arkansas 4,067 7,409 11,476 1,824 20,421 22,245 5,891 27,830 33,721

Florida 47,767 1,265 49,032 15,200 17,522 32,722 62,967 18,787 81,754

Georgia 38,098 9,536 47,634 6,430 7,985 14,415 44,528 17,521 62,049

Kentucky 0 1,827 1,827 0 1,173 1,173 0 3,000 3,000

Louisiana 4,789 7,076 11,865 356 11,945 12,301 5,145 19,021 24,166

Mississippi 16,804 4,944 21,748 3,740 8,505 12,245 20,544 13,449 33,993

North Carolina 10,767 885 11,652 710 510 1,220 11,477 1,395 12,872

Oklahoma 701 326 1,027 500 174 674 1,201 500 1,701

South Carolina 30,791 2,999 33,790 1,625 1,186 2,811 32,416 4,185 36,601

Tennessee 5,821 2,855 8,676 7,102 62,301 69,403 12,923 65,156 78,079

Texas 561 0 561 0 0 0 561 0 561

Virginia 4,430 21,164 25,594 133 9,811 9,944 4,563 30,975 35,538

Total 177,865 65,360 243,225 39,393 147,835 187,228 217,258 213,195 430,453
30

Table A.24—All-live removals by State, utilization, and species group, forest industry, 1995 to 2006 

State

Utilization and species group

Utilized Nonutilized Total

Softwood Hardwood TotalSoftwood Hardwood TotalSoftwood Hardwood Total

thousand cubic feet

Alabama 226,611 59,598 286,209 2,339 4,425 6,764 228,950 64,023 292,973

Arkansas 286,669 50,267 336,936 13,891 17,138 31,029 300,560 67,405 367,965

Florida 85,340 7,621 92,961 2,382 1,341 3,723 87,722 8,962 96,684

Georgia 313,754 21,721 335,475 1,328 3,772 5,100 315,082 25,493 340,575

Kentucky 185 5,760 5,945 15 640 655 200 6,400 6,600

Louisiana 294,811 74,699 369,510 19,263 9,629 28,892 314,074 84,328 398,402

Mississippi 116,384 37,949 154,333 1,865 3,900 5,765 118,249 41,849 160,098

North Carolina 148,572 31,778 180,350 1,185 334 1,519 149,757 32,112 181,869

Oklahoma 60,766 11,013 71,779 4,720 11,288 16,008 65,486 22,301 87,787

South Carolina 144,572 21,524 166,096 8,162 674 8,836 152,734 22,198 174,932

Tennessee 37,470 19,216 56,686 467 3,054 3,521 37,937 22,270 60,207

Texas 210,417 17,919 228,336 6,153 6,134 12,287 216,570 24,053 240,623

Virginia 43,951 14,912 58,863 3,008 3,125 6,133 46,959 18,037 64,996

Total 1,969,502 373,977 2,343,479 64,778 65,454 130,232 2,034,280 439,431 2,473,711

Table A.25—All-live removals by State, utilization, and species group, nonindustrial private forest, 1995 to 2006 

State

Utilization and species group

Utilized Nonutilized Total

Softwood Hardwood TotalSoftwood Hardwood TotalSoftwood Hardwood Total

thousand cubic feet

Alabama 635,722 314,874 950,596 17,424 33,396 50,820 653,146 348,270 1,001,416

Arkansas 206,342 166,551 372,893 22,503 65,349 87,852 228,845 231,900 460,745

Florida 271,221 59,420 330,641 25,337 34,779 60,116 296,558 94,199 390,757

Georgia 757,551 256,862 1,014,413 47,265 89,459 136,724 804,816 346,321 1,151,137

Kentucky 9,889 169,899 179,788 13,011 112,901 125,912 22,900 282,800 305,700

Louisiana 305,349 182,832 488,181 31,124 48,701 79,825 336,473 231,533 568,006

Mississippi 438,187 342,442 780,629 21,393 45,815 67,208 459,580 388,257 847,837

North Carolina 481,070 378,190 859,260 57,725 158,239 215,964 538,795 536,429 1,075,224

Oklahoma 16,574 24,513 41,087 9,365 24,592 33,957 25,939 49,105 75,044

South Carolina 381,411 164,384 545,795 26,746 26,926 53,672 408,157 191,310 599,467

Tennessee 82,811 253,624 336,435 7,503 62,038 69,541 90,314 315,662 405,976

Texas 313,736 97,866 411,602 17,613 59,773 77,386 331,349 157,639 488,988

Virginia 264,957 315,311 580,268 23,930 101,179 125,109 288,887 416,490 705,377

Total 4,164,820 2,726,768 6,891,588 320,939 863,147 1,184,086 4,485,759 3,589,915 8,075,674


Oswalt, Sonja N.; Johnson, Tony G.; Howell, Mike; Bentley, James W. 

2009. Fluctuations in national forest timber harvest and removals: the southern 

regional perspective. Resour. Bull. SRS–148. Asheville, NC: U.S. Department of 

Agriculture Forest Service, Southern Research Station. 30 p. 

Here, we examine fluctuations in timber harvest and removals on National Forest System 

(NFS) lands of the Southern Region in light of changing societal values and administrative policies. We also present timber product utilization information based on multiple 

data sources, examine NFS removals in the context of standing volume, and compare 

NFS removals with removals on other ownerships. Additionally, we compare the estimates generated using the Forest Inventory and Analysis inventory with data collected 

and reported in the NFS Timber Cut and Sold reports. Data presented in this bulletin will 

enable NFS managers in the Southern Region to take a more indepth look at amounts of 

logging residue left on the ground versus merchantable material leaving the forest.

Keywords: FIA, logging residue, National Forest System, Region 8, removals, timber 

harvest, utilization.
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.

The USDA prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the 

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

sex, marital status, familial status, parental status, religion, sexual 

orientation, genetic information, political beliefs, reprisal, or because all or 

part of an individual’s income is derived from any public assistance program. 

(Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities 

who require alternative means for communication of program information 

(Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA’s TARGET Center 

at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD).

To file a complaint of discrimination, write to USDA, Director, Office of 

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

or call (800) 795-3272 (voice) or (202) 720-6382 (TDD). USDA is an equal 

opportunity provider and employer.