Forest Service | December 2017

e-S c i e n c e U p d a t e S RS-135

Florida’s

Timber Industry—Timber Product Output and Use, 2015

1

Introduction

This science update contains the findings of a 2015 canvass of all 

primary wood-using plants in Florida, and presents changes in 

product output and residue use since 2013. It complements the 

Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) annual inventory of volume 

and removals from the State’s timberland. The canvass was 

conducted to determine the amount and source of wood receipts and 

annual timber product drain, by county, in 2015 and to determine 

interstate and cross-regional movement of industrial roundwood. 

Only primary wood-using mills were canvassed. Primary mills are 

those that process roundwood in log or bolt form or as chipped 

roundwood. Examples of industrial roundwood products are saw 

logs, pulpwood, veneer logs, poles, and logs used for composite 

board products. Mills producing products from residues generated at 

primary and secondary processors were not canvassed. Trees 

chipped in the woods were included in the estimate of timber drain 

only if they were delivered to a primary domestic manufacturer. 

A 100-percent canvass of all wood processors in Florida was 

conducted in 2016 to obtain information for 2015. In addition, 

roundwood from out-of-State mills known to be using logs or bolts 

harvested from Florida timberland was incorporated into Florida 

production estimates. Each mill was canvassed by mail or through 

personal contact at plant locations. Telephone contacts followed 

mailed questionnaire responses when additional information or 

clarification of a response was necessary. In the event of a 

nonresponse, data collected in previous surveys were used to update 

the current survey. Surveys for all timber products other than 

pulpwood began in 1958, and are currently conducted every 2 years.

Pulpwood production data were taken from an annual canvass of all 

southern pulpmills. Medium density fiberboard, insulating board, 

and hardboard plants were included in this survey.

The Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) Research Work Unit of the 

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

Timber Product Output (TPO) Database Retrieval System to help 

customers answer questions about timber harvesting and use in the 

Southern region. This system acts as an interface to a standard set of 

consistently coded TPO data for each State and county in the region 

and Nation. The database is well documented and easy to use. The 

retrieval system allows the user to select the TPO variables of 

interest and generate a standard set of timber products, removals, 

and mill residue tables for the specified resource area, State, or 

region. The Excel® core tables and figures that complement this 

science update are available on the TPO database. The system is 

available through the FIA Web site: https://www.fs.usda.gov/srsfia/. 

The SRS gratefully acknowledges the tremendous cooperation and 

assistance provided by the Florida Forest Service in collecting mill 

data. Appreciation is also extended to forest industry and mill 

managers for providing timber products information. 

Product and

species group 2013 2015 Change Change

percent

 Softwood 122,713 135,324 12,611 10.3

 Hardwood 2,038 1,650 -388 -19.0

 Total 124,751 136,974 12,223 9.8

 Softwood 284,374 270,059 -14,315 -5.0

 Hardwood 15,015 14,259 -756 -5.0

 Total 299,389 284,318 -15,071 -5.0

 Softwood 3,660 3,896 236 6.4

 Hardwood 0 0 0 0.0

 Total 3,660 3,896 236 6.4

Bioenergy

 Softwood 31,383 38,674 7,291 23.2

 Hardwood 5,283 15,453 10,170 192.5

Total 36,666 54,127 17,461 47.6

 Softwood 78,405 41,200 -37,205 -47.5

 Hardwood 7,194 2,667 -4,527 -62.9

 Total 85,599 43,867 -41,732 -48.8

 Softwood 526,535 489,153 -37,382 -7.1

 Hardwood 29,530 34,029 4,499 15.2

 Total 556,065 523,182 -32,883 -5.9

Pulpwood

Post, poles, and pilings

Other industrial

All industrial

Table 1—Output of industrial products by product 

and species group, Florida, 2013 and 2015

Year

 - - - - thousand cubic feet - - - - 

Saw logs
e-S c i e n c e U p d a t e S RS-135

2

All Products

Industrial timber product output from roundwood decreased 32.9 

million cubic feet, or 6 percent, to 523.2 million cubic feet.

Output of industrial softwood roundwood products decreased 7 

percent, to 489.2 million cubic feet, while output of industrial 

hardwood roundwood products increased 15 percent to 34 million 

cubic feet (fig. 1).

Pulpwood and saw logs were the principal roundwood products in 

2015. Combined output of these two products totaled 421.3 million 

cubic feet and accounted for 81 percent of the State's total industrial 

roundwood output (fig. 2).

Total receipts at Florida mills, which included roundwood harvested 

and retained in the State and roundwood imported from other States, 

was up 3 percent from 537.3 million cubic feet to 552.1 million 

cubic feet.

At the same time, the number of primary roundwood-using plants 

in Florida increased from 53 in 2013 to 56 in 2015.(fig. 3, see next 

page). 

Across all products, 84 percent of roundwood harvested was 

retained for processing at Florida mills. Exports of roundwood to 

other States amounted to 82.2 million cubic feet, while imports of 

roundwood amounted to 106.1 million cubic feet making the State 

a net importer of roundwood. 

Figure 1—Roundwood production for all products by species group and year, Florida, 2015. 

Figure 2—Roundwood production by type of product, Florida, 

2015. 

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

450

500

1987 1989 1991 1993 1995 1997 1999 2003 2005 2007 2009 2011 2013 2015

Production (million cubic feet)

Year

Softwood Hardwood

Saw 

logs

26%

Poles, Post 

and Pilings

1%

Pulpwood

54%

Other 

industrial

6%

Miscellaneous

3%

Bioenergy

10%

Total 523 million cubic feet
3

e-S c i e n c e U p d a t e S RS-135

Figure 3—Primary wood-using mills, Florida, 2015. 
e-S c i e n c e U p d a t e S RS-135

4

Saw Logs

Saw logs accounted for 26 percent of the State's total roundwood 

products. Output of softwood saw logs increased 10 percent to 135.3 

million cubic feet, while that of hardwood saw logs decreased 19 

percent to 1.7 million cubic feet (fig. 5).

Bioenergy

Total bioenergy production increased 48 percent to 54.1 million 

cubic feet and accounted for 10 percent of the State's total roundwood TPO compared to 7 percent of total TPO in 2013. Softwood 

output increased 23 percent to 38.7 million cubic feet; hardwood 

output increased 193 percent to 15.5 million cubic feet (fig. 6). 

Ninety-five percent of roundwood cut for bioenergy was retained 

for processing at Florida bioenergy mills. Imports exceeded exports 

by 3.6 million cubic feet. 

Figure 4—Roundwood pulpwood production by species group 

and year, Florida, 2015.

Figure 5—Roundwood saw-log production by species group 

and year, Florida, 2015.

In 2015, Florida had 24 sawmills, same as 2011. Total saw-log receipts increased 19.1 million cubic feet to 119.4 million cubic feet. 

Softwood saw-log receipts increased 20 percent to 117.8 million 

cubic feet, while those of hardwoods had no change at 1.6 million 

cubic feet. 

Florida retained 86 percent of its saw-log production for within 

State manufacture, with saw-log exports exceeding imports by 5 

million cubic feet in 2015.

Pulpwood

Total pulpwood production decreased 5 percent to 284.3 million 

cubic feet and accounted for 54 percent of the State's total roundwood TPO compared to 58 percent of total TPO in 2013. Softwood 

output decreased 5 percent to 270.1 million cubic feet; hardwood 

output decreased 5 percent to 14.3 million cubic feet (fig. 4). 

Six pulpmill facilities were operating and receiving roundwood in 

Florida in 2015, the same since 1999. Total pulpwood receipts for 

these mills decreased to 314.9 million cubic feet, accounting for 57 

percent of total receipts for all mills.

Eighty-two percent of roundwood cut for pulpwood was retained 

for processing at Florida pulpmills. Roundwood pulpwood accounted for 53 percent of total known exports and 75 percent of total 

imports. 

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

1987 1989 1991 1993 1995 1997 1999 2003 2005 2007 2009 2011 2013 2015

Production (million cubic feet)

Year

Softwood Hardwood

0

40

80

120

160

200

1987 1989 1991 1993 1995 1997 1999 2003 2005 2007 2009 2011 2013 2015

Production (million cubic feet)

Year

Softwood Hardwood
5

e-S c i e n c e U p d a t e S RS-135

Other Industrial Products

Roundwood harvested for other industrial uses such as mulch, residential firewood, industrial fuel, logs for log homes, composite 

panels, and all other industrial products totaled 43.9 million cubic 

feet. Softwood made up 94 percent of the other industrial products 

volume.

The number of plants producing other industrial products totaled 

13 in 2015. Combined receipts of other industrial products from 

softwood and hardwood totaled 45.6 million cubic feet. 

Poles, Post and Pilings 

Poles, post and pilings accounted for 1 percent of the State's total 

roundwood products. Output of poles, post and, piling logs increased 6 percent to 3.9 million cubic feet (fig. 7).

In 2015, Florida had 7 post, pole, and piling mills, same as 2013. 

Total post, poles, and piling receipts totaled 1.8 million cubic feet. 

Softwood accounted for all production. 

Figure 6—Roundwood bioenergy production by species group and 

year, Florida, 2015.

Florida retained 46 percent of its poles, post, and pilings production for within State manufacture. Florida imported no pole, post, 

or piling logs. 

Figure 7—Roundwood poles, post, and pilings production by species group and year, Florida, 2015.

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

2013 2015

Production (million cubic feet)

Year

Softwood Hardwood

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

2013 2015

Production (million cubic feet)

Year

Softwood Hardwood
e-S c i e n c e U p d a t e S RS-135

6

Plant Byproducts

In 2015, processing of primary products in Florida mills generated 

164.2 million cubic feet of wood and bark residues. Coarse residues 

from all primary products amounted to 41.8 million cubic feet, 

while bark volume totaled 41.8 million cubic feet. Collectively, 

sawdust and shavings made up 21 percent of total residues, or 33.8 

million cubic feet (fig. 8).

The processing of saw logs generated 87.4 million cubic feet of mill 

residues, accounting for 53 percent of the total residues produced 

(fig. 9).

Nearly 100 percent, or 164.2 million cubic feet, of the wood and 

bark residues were used for a product. While <1 percent of the 

residues were not used for a product, 61 percent of the residues were 

used for industrial fuel and 25 percent were used for fiber products 

(fig. 10). Ninety-three percent, or 38.9 million cubic feet, of the 

coarse residues were used for fiber products. Eighty-nine percent of 

the bark was used for industrial fuel, while 57 percent of the 

sawdust and shavings were used for industrial fuel.

How to Cite This Publication

Wall, David J., Bentley, James W., Cooper, Jason 

A., Gray, James A. 2017. Florida’s timber 

industry—timber product output and use, 2015. 

e-Science Update–135. Asheville, NC: 

U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service, 

Southern Research Station. 6 p.

Contact Information

David J Wall, Forester

Forest Inventory and Analysis

Southern Research Station, USDA Forest Service

4700 Old Kingston Pike

Knoxville, Tennessee 37919

Phone: 601-384-5876x160 / Fax: 865-862-0248

Email: djwall@fs.fed.us

Southern FIA: https://www.fs.usda.gov/srsfia/

National FIA: https://fia.fs.fed.us

James W Bentley, Forester

Forest Inventory and Analysis

Southern Research Station, USDA Forest Service

4700 Old Kingston Pike

Knoxville, Tennessee 37919

Phone: 865-862-2056 / Fax: 865-862-0248

Email: jamesbentley@fs.fed.us

Southern FIA: https://www.fs.usda.gov/srsfia/

National FIA: https://fia.fs.fed.us

The published report is available online at https://treesearch.fs.fed.us

USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer

Figure 8— Primary mill residue by type, Florida, 2015.

Figure 9— Primary mill residue produced by roundwood type, 

Florida, 2015.

Figure 10— Disposal of residue by product, Florida, 2015. 

Bark

54%

Coarse

25%

Sawdust

13%

Shavings

8%

Total 164 million cubic feet

Post,poles, 

pilings 

1%

Pulpwood

19%

Other 

industrial

2%

Bioenergy

25%

Saw logs

53%

Total 164 million cubic feet

Bioenergy

6%

Fiber 

products

25%

Mulch

6%

Animal 

Bedding

2%

Industrial 

fuel

61%

Total 164 million cubic feet