Page 11 - Tree Line - North Carolina Forestry Association - First Quarter 2021

FOREST PRODUCT FACILITIES BY TYPE
State
Sawmills
Plywood
Pulp
OSB
Pellets
GA
12
0
0
1
0
NC
4
1
1
2
1
SC
5
0
2
0
0
TN
3
0
2
1
0
VA
0
0
0
1
2
on these lands. Over the course of
this six-year process, NCFA members have represented the forest products industry well by engaging in stakeholder groups that have helped shape the
draft forest-management plan and draft environmental-impact statement for the Nantahala and Pisgah.
On June 29, 2020, the NCFA and over 7,000 other stakeholders filed comments on the draft plan and the environmental impact statement. For the U.S. Forest Service, this date marked the beginning of a review-and-response period that will shape the final plan and environmental- impact statement.
For the NCFA, the comment process provided an opportunity to advocate for sustainable forest management on the Nantahala and Pisgah National Forests. A robust timber sale program on the Nantahala and Pisgah extends beyond the multi-county area surrounding
the forest in western North Carolina. According to a recent wood basket analysis of the Nantahala and Pisgah, 34 wood-consuming mills — including sawmills, plywood, pulp, oriented strand board (OSB), and pellet mills — have procurement capacities that are aligned with procuring forest products from timber sales administered by the Nantahala and Pisgah National Forests.
These wood-consuming facilities
in the region have a combined annual consumption capacity ranging from 7.5 million to 7.9 million green short tons, over the time period from 2008 to 2020. Also notable in this analysis is that this market capacity has only varied from a mean capacity of 7.7 million tons, by 5%, across the 12-year time frame analyzed. This represents a highly stable demand for the wood products produced in our region, which may be subject to cyclical market conditions, but overall is robust and healthy.
While Table 1 provides an accurate count of the existing facilities, Figure 2 reveals that, collectively, the forest products industry has lost capacity over the last several decades. A technical report by Skog et al (2012) for the Forest Service determined that consumption
of wood products in the United States has risen in recent decades. U.S. lumber production is projected to increase through 2040. Competitive markets suggest the industry is capable of scaling up in the short-term to meet increased national demand as long as timber
TABLE 1
Forest Product Facilities in the Nantahala and Pisgah Wood Basket
Capacity of Forest Products Industry in the Nantahala Pisgah Wood Basket (tons)
FIGURE 2
Capacity of Wood Processing Facilities in the Nantahala and Pisgah Wood Basket
supply remains elastic. This increasing demand trend for forest products is important in that it shows that there is more demand for local products if made available, because they are produced from sustainable practices, using a renewable resource and resulting in recyclable products, many of which serve as a source of long-term carbon storage.
Conclusion
In North Carolina, we are blessed with a history of strong forest products markets supporting the sustainable management of our abundant forests of diverse ownership. Through the
support of NCFA membership and the guidance of its leadership, the NCFA
is heavily involved with educating the public and various government entities as to the importance of sound forest management through sustainable timber harvest that supports the vital forest products industry in our state. Whether it be through conducting educational advocacy, supporting regulatory reforms, or participating in collaborative community discussions, the NCFA will continue to make a positive contribution to the health of our state’s forests and the local economies that depend on sustainable forest management.
LITERATURE CITED
Skog, Kenneth E.; McKeever, David B.; Ince, Peter J.; Howard, James L.; Spelter, Henry N.; Schuler, Albert T. 2012. Status and trends for the U.S forest products sector: A technical document supporting the Forest Service 2010 RPA assessment. General Technical Report FPL-GTR-207. Madison, WI:
U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Forest Products Laboratory. 35 p.
ncforestry.org / FIRST QUARTER 2021 9