North Georgia Forest Industry Outlook

The Upper French Broad watershed in western North Carolina is heavily forested and well populated by a wide variety of forest industries. Products range from lumber and dimension to veneer, particleboard, furniture and paper. In terms of commercial forest area, product values ran about $85 per acre as compared to $5 for the U.S. as a whole. This report suggests that prospects for additional growth and increased use of wood and wood products by the right kinds of industries can expand employment, payrolls, and improve the economy of the region.