Tree farmers and other private citizens and concerns own nearly three-quarters of the U.S. hardwood forests. Many of the nation's foresters work directly with landowners to help them use their resources wisely. Forestry management techniques are constantly refined and improved to ensure a sustained supply of hardwoods for generations to come. Unlike the softwoods, hardwoods are rarely replanted because they do such a good job of regenerating themselves naturally. Hardwoods renew themselves in the forest through seeding, and sprouting from tree roots and even tree stumps.
Some species are relatively more plentiful than others because that is how they occur in nature.
Oak is far and away the most abundant and available U.S. hardwood. For more information on hardwood species, please visit the Hardwood Species Guide . Sustainable forestry refers to the careful forest management that ensures harvesting is done responsibly, balancing growth with removal. Each year the United States grows about twice as much hardwood as it harvests. Professional foresters typically choose individual or small groups of mature trees in an area, leaving a variety of others standing.