How much of the U.S. is Timberland?

Timberland, or forested land, serves as a renewable resource, providing raw materials for the timber industry while simultaneously supporting diverse ecosystems. Playing a crucial role in ecological, economic, and social aspects timberland is mostly forested land with its primary purpose of harvesting wood and other forest products.

Timberlands are often managed to balance ecological sustainability with the demand for wood and other forest-derived products. Conservation is becoming a much more discussed topic as the current state of our environment places forests as a critical part of the carbon cycle as their presence helps lessen the impact of climate change. What cannot be overlooked is also the impact timberland has on countless species, the protection of watersheds, and the pivotal role it plays in the economy.

Timberland Area

The entire U.S. consists of some 765.5 million acres of timberland. Due to the overall size of our country, the U.S is rich in forest resources. 514 million have an estimated market value of $460 billion and are considered to be commercial timberlands. Between 1998 and 2003, the U.S. was the most productive country with 17%-28% of global wood production.

Based on the 2021 data provided by Statista 155.3 million acres are considered public timberland.  359.2 million acres are what would be considered private timberland.  251 million acres are classified as other forest land.  This brings the grand total for timberland to 765.5 million acres.

It is important to mention that timberland’s impact on the economy is not only derived from the product itself but also from the number of jobs the industry creates.  In 2016 it was estimated that about 2.5 million jobs we related to America’s private timberlands.

What classifies a forest as a timberland? 

How a forest becomes classified as a timberland is simple. Forests are classified to be land that is 10% forested by trees of any size, while timberlands are forests that are available to harvest and are capable of productivity over a long period of time. For a forest to be classified as timberland, it must produce commercial wood products and not be categorized as reserved. Reserved forests, such as National Park Service forests, do not allow for timber harvesting. 

Southern Timberlands 

Large production of wood can be accredited to the southern states where the majority of timberland is privately owned. The most common product from these timberlands is pine wood (softwood). Pine wood is used to build cabinetry, furniture, window frames, roofing, floors, and much more. Timber production in the 13 southern states accounts for around 60% of the US total or 10% of the world's total.

How is harvested timber being used?

Based on the data provided by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations in 2018, about 439 million cubic meters of roundwood was harvested from American timberlands and used to manufacture a number of products like paper, lumber, furniture, biochemicals, and other products.

The overall roundwood harvest is divided into the following categories:

The Economic Contribution of Timberland

Timberland plays an important role in the US economy with the end product from timber accounting for 6.68% of all manufacturing in 2010 and nearly $100 billion annually. The South’s privately owned timberland (13 states) represents the bulk of forest products manufacturing in the US.

The impact of timberlands extends beyond the immediate revenue generated from the sale of timber, encompassing employment, trade, manufacturing, and environmental conservation.