As part of the development of the periodic RPA Assessments, basic
information on the U.S. forest resource is compiled at one point in time, as for this
report. Data are presented for forest land area and productivity, area of forest types,
timberland area and ownership, timber volume, ownership, species, and diameter, timber
mortality, net growth, and removals, and output of timber products. Many of these measures
are reported as series going back to 1952 for selected intervening years. A foldout
forest type map of the United States is included with the report.
Highlights include the following:
o Forest land area increased slightly (0.1%) between 1987 and 1992,
reversing a slight downward trend dating from 1963.
o Some 737 million acres of land is classed as forest land33% of the total land area.
This amounts to about two thirds of the area that was forested in 1600.
o About 47 million acres of forest land (6% of all U.S. forest land) is reserved from
commercial timber harvest, in wilderness, parks, and other classifications.
o Timber inventories on timberland increased 2.6% between 1987 and 1992.
o For the South, the volume of standing softwood inventory declined 2.5% between 1987 and
1992the first such decline since at least 1952.
o Timber mortality increased substantially between 1986 and 1991, in all regions, on all
ownerships, and for both hardwoods and softwoods.
o In 1991, growth exceeded harvest in all regions. For the United States, hardwood growth
exceeded removals by 80%, and for softwoods, by 9%.
o Timber harvest levels continue at their historically high levels. Average timber harvest
levels have risen each decade since the 1950's.
o Seventythree percent of timberland is privately owned; these lands accounted for 82%
of removals in 1991.
Powell, Douglas S.; Faulkner, Joanne L.; Darr David R.; Zhu, Zhiliang;
MacCleery, Douglas W. 1993. Forest resources of the United States, 1992. Gen. Tech. Rep.
RM234. Fort Collins, CO: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain
Forest and Range Experiment Station, 132 p. + map
Copies may be ordered from Richard Schneider. His telephone number
3034981719; FAX number3034981660; DG addressR.Schneider:S28a, or mailing
address3825 E. Mulberry St., Fort Collins, CO, 80524