TimberGrowth


 * //Local Timber// //Production and Consumption//** :: Timber Growth :: Timber Sales

= = =Timber Growth=

Photo by Elina Inkiläinen

What is this?
The volume of timber growth refers to the average annual net growth of live trees with a diameter of five inches or more at breast height (4.5 feet) or root-collar height for seedlings, cubic feet per year. No data were available for year 2002.

Why does this matter?
 This measure provides information of timber growth in the region over three decades. It allows a comparison between the six counties with regard to the amount of timber produced for industry and local consumption.


 * Table 1. Volume of Timber Growth in the Triangle (cu ft/year). Source: U.S. Forest Service, Forest Inventory and Analysis Program (2010). **





**Figure 1. Volume of Timber Growth in the Triangle, 1974 - 1990 and 2007. Source: U.S Forest Service, Forest Inventory and Analysis Program (2010)**

Table 1 and Figure 1 show the volume of timber produced in the Triangle over the period of 1974-2007. The volume of timber growth has decreased 32.5 percent between the from 1974 to 2007. This trend is consistent with the change in woodland area seen in the Triangle.

Wake County has experienced the most significant decrease in growth volumes; it started as the biggest producer of timber in 1974 but the loss of woodland area has resulted in a decline in annual volumes to less than half of the original in 2007. Even though Johnston County has the most woodland acres, Chatham County produces the most timber in the Triangle. Possible reasons for this can be found e.g. in the average age of woodlands, forest type, soil productivity, and forest management practices. The state-wide importance of the region’s timber production has also decreased as the percentage of total growth volumes decreased from 10 to 5 percent over the period of time, as seen in Table 1.

Limitations and further research
Data for 2002 was not available.


 * Authors:** Kevin Bigsby, Elina Inkiläinen


 * Reviewers:** Tandy Jones, TLC; Dr. Nancy Creamer, NCSU

Technical notes
Source: US Forest Service, Forest Inventory and Analysis Program. The data presented here was taken from the Forest Investment Associates (FIA) [|DataMart database] (FIADB version 4.0, last updated Fri Apr 09 15:50:15 CDT 2010). Spreadsheet with data: [|**//Timber Growth.xlsx//**]