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forest products industry and forestry have always played prominent roles
in shaping the landscape and image of North Carolina.In colonial times, North Carolina was the world leader in the production of naval stores such as tar and turpentine and that distinction led to the state’s eventual nickname, the Tar Heel State. While North Carolina is renowned for its forest products, it also can lay claim to being the birthplace of forest conservation. The first American forestry school, the Biltmore Forest School, was opened on September 1, 1898 in the mountains around Asheville, North Carolina. The state’s effective and balanced multiple-use approach to its only renewable natural resource over the past 100 years has produced positive results for both the environment and economy. Currently, the forest products industry employs over 120,000 people and ranks as the state’s second largest manufacturing industry. Meanwhile, forests cover 58% of North Carolina, and the state ranks as the fourth most forested state in the nation. |
