Jobs Picture in America’s Woodlands: Serious Implications for Forest Health
Update: Since this article was published, new numbers on job losses were released; 322,805 full-time jobs have been lost in all wood sectors since 2005.
We all know well that the forest products industry in the United States has taken a hit in the past few years. The economic downturn has crushed many industries in America and around the world. But, exactly how big of a hit did the forest industry take? What does the closing of 1,009 sawmills and the loss of 294,000 full-time jobs mean for the future of the industry? And frankly, what does it mean for the future of America’s forests?
On the surface, it’s about the loss of business and jobs [PDF]. Looking at data from the USFS Forest Inventory Analysis (FIA) program, the USFS Forest Products Laboratory (FPL), the US Department of Commerce, and other sources, we were able to determine that since 2005, 19 percent of all mills in the forest sector closed. With the decline, 279,000 full-time mill and wood manufacturing jobs disappeared, along with 15,000 full-time jobs in the logging and forest management sector.
The South saw the most job losses at 113,000, and mill closures affected 50 percent of the forestry workforce in three western states, Montana, Wyoming, and Arizona. The north had the most mill closures of any region, and many of them were small hardwood mills. The economic downturn hit the forest products industry hard, striking firmly at small businesses and families in rural communities.
When we dig a little deeper, we see that the mill closures and jobs lost mean more than just a loss of income. We are also losing the valuable skills that the forestry workforce provided. If the wood products sector rebounds more slowly than other industries, many of the workers will (and some already have) move on to other careers. Not only will it cost time and money to train new mill workers, but it also means fewer boots on-the-ground in the forest management sector.
An estimated 11 million private forest owners own 423 million acres (56 percent) of America’s forestland. These owners, most of whom are families and individuals, rely on technical advice from those forest management professionals to improve on-the-ground management of their woodlands. With a smaller workforce, family forest owners will have less access to tools and guidance from foresters. And, with harvest acres down nearly 40 percent, the economic impact on private forest owners who supply 90 percent of the nation’s wood supply is significant.
Taking it a step further, the decline of the forest sector has serious implications for forest health and the future of America’s forests. With low demand for wood from the paper markets and the solid-wood markets, harvest levels are the lowest they’ve been since 1982, a recession year. As trees continue to grow, the health and vigor of our forests begins to decline. With overcrowding and old age, forests are more susceptible to wildfire and insect and disease infestations. With markets down, family forest owners also have fewer incentives to replant and continue to sustainably manage their land.
Is it all doom and gloom? If the forestry sector continues down the same path it has for the last five years, we can expect a bleak future for the industry and for America’s forests. However, downturns give us a chance to rethink how we do things—perhaps change policies, develop new strategies. Wood may find its place with new market opportunities like green building, which is growing despite the tough economic times.
This post is based on an article published in the Society of American Foresters’ Forestry Source. Read the full article [PDF].
Brad Smith and Rich Guldin are employees of the USDA Forest Service.
Photo credit: The Forestry Source [PDF]
