North Carolinas Timber Industry An Assessment Of Timber Product Output And Use2009

The Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) Research Work Unit of the USDA Forest Service 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. This regional and national set of TPO data consists of 11 variables that describe for each county the roundwood products harvested, logging residues left in the woods, other timber removals (i.e. land clearing and reserved timber removals), and wood and bark residues generated by the county's primary wood-using mills. The system is available through the FIA Web site: http: //srsfia2.fs.fed.us/

In 2009, industrial roundwood output from North Carolina's forests totaled 585.1 million cubic feet, 20 percent less than in 2007. Mill byproducts generated from primary manufacturers declined 30 percent to 206.2 million cubic feet. Almost all plant residues were used primarily for fuel and fiber products. Pulpwood was the leading roundwood product at 258.0 million cubic feet; saw logs ranked second at 254.2 million cubic feet; veneer logs were third at 39.0 million cubic feet. The number of primary processing plants declined from 163 in 2007 to 141 in 2009. Total receipts decreased by 153.4 million cubic feet to 560.7 million cubic feet.

In 1999, industrial roundwood output from North Carolina's forests totaled 793 million cubic feet, 9 percent less than in 1997. Mill byproducts generated from primary manufacturers increased 1 percent to 311 million cubic feet. Almost all plant residues were used primarily for fuel and fiber products. Saw logs were the leading roundwood product at 422 million cubic feet; pulpwood ranked second at 272 million cubic feet; veneer logs were third at 61 million cubic feet. The number of primary processing plants declined from 280 in 1997 to 278 in 1999. Total receipts declined 2 million cubic feet to 769 million cubic feet.

In 1994, volume of roundwood products removed from North Carolina's forests totaled 848 million cubic feet-8 percent more than in 1992. Mill byproducts generated from primary manufacturers increased 8 percent to 297 million cubic feet. Almost all of the plant residues were used, mostly for fuel and fiber products. Saw logs and pulpwood were the leading roundwood products at 384 and 359 million cubic feet, respectively; veneer logs were third with 83 million cubic feet. The number of primary processing plants declined from 357 in 1992 to 322 in 1994. Total receipts increased 5 percent to 773 million cubic feet.

The Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) Research Work Unit of the USDA Forest Service 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. This regional and national set of TPO data consists of 11 variables that describe for each county the roundwood products harvested, logging residues left in the woods, other timber removals (i.e. land clearing and reserved timber removals), and wood and bark residues generated by the county's primary wood-using mills. The system is available through the FIA Web site: http: //srsfia2.fs.fed.us/

This report contains the findings of a 2003 canvas of all primary wood-using plants in North Carolina, and presents changes in product output and residue use since 2001. It complements the Forest Inventory and Analysis periodic inventory of volume and removals from the State's timberland.