Over 5,000 different wood, paper, and pulp-based products are created from the trees harvested in private forests.
The Everyday Use of Our Working Forests
Timber harvested in Washington’s private forests generates virtually no solid waste. When a tree is harvested, every part is used. Logs become the building materials for our homes and the furniture that we rest in. Sawdust and woodchips are used in the pulp and paper making process and for the containers in which we buy our food. Bark and branches become fuel for energy and landscaping for our yards and communities. Wood residues are used in resins, glues, cosmetics, and plastic. There are over 5,000 different wood, paper, and pulp-based products that we use daily. Any part of the tree left over after harvest provides habitat and eventually degrades, enriching the soil for the next generation of forest.
Forest Products Industry Has National & Regional Impact
The forest products industry in Washington is the second largest in the nation behind Oregon, with about 10% of the nation’s total private establishments and employment. It accounts for over 13% of total U.S. softwood lumber production and about 7% of the total U.S. plywood production. In total, the U.S. produces about two-thirds of the lumber it consumes, with the remaining mainly imported from Canada.
The forest products industry is the second largest manufacturing sector in the state after transportation (primarily aircraft), representing more than 15% of total manufacturing in Washington. A recent study conducted by the University of Washington has projected private forestlands, which currently produce 76% of the timber harvest in the state, will be able to produce even more trees in the future. Based on predicted market conditions, industrial timber supplies should climb steadily and increase by more than 20% by 2090.