New data is now available in
the form of one-page ‘Fact Sheets’ that give a quick snapshot of each of the 50
states’ forest resources, based on the most recent available Forest Inventory
Analysis (FIA) data. Not only does the Alabama sheet share a large amount of
information in a small amount of space, but because all states were published
together, you can quickly compare Alabama to our neighbors.
This report reinforces most of the same
facts that you have been hearing for many years. Alabama has approximately 23
million acres of forest, which is about 69 percent of the state’s area, and
more than 93 percent is privately owned. Our state is growing 2.581 billion
cubic feet of wood annually and harvesting 1.224 billion cubic feet. While
there are areas of the state that experience forest loss due to conversion to
other uses, over the past five years we have averaged over 80,000 acres each
year reverting into forest, an amount slightly greater than the forest acreage
being lost.
Although we might be accustomed to these
numbers, they stand out when compared to other states, even our nearest
neighbors. For example, Tennessee is only 52 percent forested, and Alabama grows
2.5 times as much wood as they do. Also, their ratio of tree mortality to
harvest is nearly equal in volume, whereas we harvest and process three times
the volume of wood that we lose to all causes of tree death. Mississippi grows
almost as much wood as Alabama but sees a lot less of it processed by industry.
For that reason, they are gaining forest volume at a faster rate than we are.
Georgia is noticing areas of rapid change.
Looking at the past five years, they are losing forest cover at a rate of about
50,000 acres per year. Alabama forest growth has now surpassed that of Georgia,
despite Georgia still containing about 1.5 million more acres of forest than
Alabama. On average, an Alabama acre is about 10 percent more productive at
growing tree volume than a Georgia acre.
To view the national
map and access the various state fact sheets,
visit: https://tabsoft.co/2N9MLdC