Urban sprawl, land use conversion and market changes have been identified by the U.S. Forest Service as the major challengers to the future of forestry in the South. Over the next 15 years, Florida is predicted to grow by 30 percent--4.5 million people--bringing the state population to over 18 million. Land use will grow by 40 percent during this same time.
Despite an increase in forest fragmentation, timber remains a major part of Florida’s economy. This is reflected in timber resource base and in the products harvested off Florida forests. In 2005, Florida timberlands totaled 15.6 million acres and supported more harvestable wood volume than anytime in the previous 18 years. Growing stock volume (trees > 5 inch DBH and of commercially valuable species) increased from 619 to 686 million green tons between 1987 and 2005. This is a result of increased net annual growth from 22.4 to 26.2 million green tons, and relatively constant annual removals of about 20 million green tons.
In the last inventory period--1995 to 2005--annual tree removals averaged 580 million cubic feet with softwoods accounting for 473 million cubic feet, or 81 percent, and hardwoods for 107 million cubic feet, or 19 percent, of removed volume. Harvests of both softwoods and hardwoods decreased by only about 1 percent, compared with the 1987 to 1994 inventory period.
Where does the wood come from?
- 70% from private non-industrial landowners
- 16% from forest industry
- 14% from public lands
In the last decade, more than two thirds (70 percent) of all harvests came from non-industrial private forests (NIPF), 16 percent came from forest industry lands and 14 percent came from public lands. Among the 13 southern states, Florida ranked 10th in total roundwood production, 5th in pulpwood, 9th in veneer logs and 11th in saw logs production in 2003 (Johnson et al. 2006). By 2005, Florida slipped to 9th in pulpwood production (Johnson and Steppleton 2007). Harvested wood volume varies from year to year, depending on many factors, including catastrophic events, such as hurricanes, which increase the harvested volume due to salvage operations.
