THE NCFA ISSUES ANALYSIS OF THE FOREST INVENTORY DATA FOR THE PIEDMONT AND MOUNTAINS REGIONS

RALEIGH, NC (DECEMBER 18, 2003) – The North Carolina Forestry Association (NCFA), the state’s oldest forest conservation group, today released its analysis of the U.S. Forest Service’s surveys of the forest inventory for Piedmont and Mountain regions in North Carolina. The U.S. Forest Service and the North Carolina Department of Forest Resources presented the survey this morning in Statesville. 

The Forest Service’s Southern Research Station in Asheville conducted the survey, and it marks the seventh time since 1938 that a forest inventory has been conducted in North Carolina.  With the completion of the Piedmont and Mountain regions, North Carolina has its full forest resource data since 1990.  The state and federal field crews completed the Northern Coastal Plain in March of 2003 and the Southern Coastal Plain in July of 2001.

THE NCFA’s PERSPECTIVE ON THE REPORT

“Perhaps the most striking point in the forest inventory data for the Piedmont and Mountain regions is the conversion of over 700,000 acres of forestland in the Piedmont to some non-forest use.  While this was buffered by some 320,000 acres of agricultural land that was reforested, the net loss of almost 400,000 acres is dramatic.  The good news is that forestland is still the dominate land use in both regions and private landowners still control the vast majority of these lands.

Hardwood forests dominate both regions and have increased their net annual growth from the last survey.  As a result, hardwood inventories increased significantly in both regions, despite a significant increase in timber removals in the piedmont.  This is good news for the forest industry and private landowners and shows a timber supply that is adequate to meet consumer demands for wood and wood products, at least for the short term.

Overall, the data shows a forest resource that is more productive than in 1990.  We are concerned about the loss of forestland in the Piedmont and the low acreage of young forest stands in the Mountain region.  Both are of concern due to potential impacts on wood supply, wildlife habitat and water quality."

KEY FINDINGS CONTAINED IN THE REPORT

PIEDMONT

The Piedmont region includes a total of 35 counties that constitute the middle portion of North Carolina.  This region includes several of North Carolina’s largest cities including Raleigh and Charlotte.  The 2002 forest inventory for this region showed 5.4 million acres were in forestland, which was 52% of the region.  In comparison to 1990 data, the region lost 390,000 acres or roughly 3% of the forestland. 

• Forest land area declined approximately 390,000 acres between 1990 and 2002:

- 707,000 acres converted to non-forest use (182,000
                acres between 1984 and 1990)
            - 320,000 of agricultural land reforested
            - Net loss of forestland of 390,000

• 93% (about 5 million acres) of the forestland is owned by private, non-industrial landowners (forest industry ownership declined by 48% to only 115,000 acres in 2002).
• Hardwood forest types dominate the region (74% of the timberland).  Total hardwood acreage increased 2% since 1990 to nearly 4 million acres.
• Softwood forest types account for about 25% of the timberland area (1.4 million acres).  Total softwood acreage declined by 25% (466,000 acres) since 1990.
• 68,000 acres/year received a final harvest and were retained in timberland – a decline of 4,000 acres/year from the previous survey.
• 93,000 acres/year were reforested – 71% by natural regeneration.
• Annual softwood growth declined by 7% to 137 million cubic feet/year while annual hardwood growth increased by 23% to 254 million cubic feet/year.
• Annual softwood removals increased 42% to 200 million cubic feet/year while hardwood removals increased 26% to 174 million cubic feet.
• Annual softwood mortality increased 24% and hardwood mortality was up 18%.
• Softwood inventory (live tree volume) declined by 15% to 3.3 billion cubic feet. 
• Hardwood inventory increased by 7% to 7.2 billion cubic feet.
• 46% of the timber in the region is of sawtimber size.

MOUNTAIN REGION

The Mountain region includes 21 counties in the western part of North Carolina.  The forest cover totaled 74% of the region, approximately 4.2 million acres of forestland.  This area lost a total of 179,000 acres of forestland since the 1990 survey.

• 71% of the timberland (2.7 million acres) is owned by private non-industrial landowners.
• Public ownership increased by 69,000 acres to 1.1 million acres – National Forests account for 89% of the public ownership since the 1990 survey.
• Hardwood forest types account for 90% of the timberland area (3.4 million acres).  The hardwood forest type area declined by 1% since 1990.
• Softwood forest types account for 10% of the timberland area (375,000 acres).  Softwood forest type area declined by 3% since 1990.
• A total of 9,400 acres/year received a final harvest and were retained in timberland – a reduction of 18,600 acres/year from the previous survey.
• A total of 18,000 acres/year were reforested – 88% by natural regeneration
• Annual hardwood growth increased 17% to 156 million cubic feet/year while annual softwood growth declined by 16% to 37 million cubic feet/year.
• Annual hardwood removals declined by 20% to 62 million cubic feet/year while annual softwood removals increased 10% to 38 million cubic feet.
• Annual hardwood mortality decreased by 8% from the last survey.  Annual softwood mortality increased 62%.
• Hardwood inventory (live tree volume) increased 7% to 7.8 billion cubic feet.
• Softwood inventory (live tree volume) declined 6% to 1.6 billion cubic feet.
• Sawtimber stands dominate the region (65% of all timberland).  The seedling/sapling stands account for only 15%.

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