A Framework for Tracking the State of the Forest Industry: Case Study of Georgia

Abstract

This research introduces a framework for tracking the state of the forest industry and relative competitiveness at the local level and applies it to the state of Georgia. Key insights highlight how localized forestry and forest industry profiles indicate where wood demand and suppliesare in and out of balance on an annual basis. Alternately, localized profiles that emphasize physiographic regions may not correspond well with traditional wood procurement areas. More importantly, ongoing tracking of wood supply viability and competitive analysis must distinguish between timber markets (stumpage, forest inventories and removals, and growth) and end product commodity markets (lumber, pulp, oriented strand board, and plywood). Mills, like forests, are not uniformly distributed throughout a state, whether measured by size, type, or end product. Tracking the forest industry in a localized, annual manner can support ongoing planning, investment, and policymaking activities in a targeted and efficient manner.