North Carolina Forestry Association and N.C. Forest Service to celebrate National Forest Products Week

Photo: NC Forestry Service Twitter

RALEIGH –The North Carolina Forestry Association (NCFA) and the N.C Forest Service will recognize the economic contributions of the state’s forest products industry during National Forest Products Week Oct. 16-22.

“In 2020, the forest sector in North Carolina contributed $32.8 billion in industry output to the North Carolina economy. There is no question the forestry industry in North Carolina is impactful,” said NCFA Executive Director John Hatcher. “We celebrate Forest Products Week nationally every year because of the economic impact, but also because forests are a sustainable, renewable, and recyclable resource.”

According to economic contribution data from Drs. Rajan Parajuli and Robert Bardon with N.C. State University, the forest products industry in North Carolina was the second largest employer among manufacturing sectors in the state, supporting more than 138,100 jobs in 2020. This included forestry and logging operations, sawmills, furniture mills, and pulp and paper industries.

The N.C. Forest Service protects, manages and promotes forest resources for the citizens of North Carolina.

“Agriculture is a nearly $93 billion industry for our state, and forestry accounts for one-third of that economic footprint,” said Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler. “On average, every dollar created in the forest sector contributed an additional sixty cents to the state’s economy, which is a testament to the strength and importance of our forest sector.”

For more information about the economic contribution of the forest sector in North Carolina, visit https://forestry.ces.ncsu.edu/economic-impact-data/. Media interested in learning more about National Forest Products Week and participation should contact Amanda Murphy at amurphy@ncforestry.org.