This graph shows total harvest from U.S. forests, as well as the uses to which that wood was put. The use of wood for lumber, plywood and veneer, pulpwood, and other industrial products depends on consumer demands for end uses, such as new home construction and packaging.
Demand rises and falls as the economy goes through cycles.
Wood use is closely related to population and gross domestic product, and both these quantities are expected to grow in the future. The relative importance of different wood products has changed over time, in significant part because of technological developments. Annual timber harvest data are not collected uniformly across the United States. Many public agencies publish estimates of harvest from their lands, and some states publish information for total harvest. This graph is based on harvest estimates derived from data on production of wood products.