Market Assessments and What it Means for Forests

Published Date

Research Issue

The vital importance of the hardwood products industry to the Appalachian region shapes our research program. We evaluate local, national, and international hardwood markets and the impact of timber removals have on our residual forests. This research assesses how markets affect the sustainability of Appalachian region forests. We aim is to promote sustainable forest management and the economic viability of Appalachian forest-based communities.

Our Research

Our research is focused on understanding the linkage between forest products harvesting, changes in land use, ownership patterns and objectives, and the corresponding demands being placed on forest ecosystems and related economic communities in the Appalachians. We seek to develop basic knowledge about the links between landowners, proximity of markets, timber harvesting and forest products use, and forest ecosystems. As forest management changes in response to the various influences described above, forest products markets will change, and local communities also will be affected. This will result in information for forest managers, landowners, interest parties, and business operators for forest management and utilization.  

Expected Outcomes

This information helps U.S. manufacturers sustain and enhance their competitive position in the global economy, and provide tools and systems that advance efficiency in wood products manufacturing. Without information on resource demand and use that is both timely and regionally applicable, forest managers would lack the knowledge needed to implement management strategies that maximize resource values, policy makers would lack knowledge of resource supplies, demands, and economic contributions, and the forest industry would lack information as to the forest resource and its availability. This information is distributed directly to the forest products industry, state forestry agencies, utilization foresters, consultants, and others involved in planning production and making decisions about future directions and markets.  

Research Results 

Bowe, Scott and Matthew Bumgardner. 2006. Small-diameter timber utilization in Wisconsin: A case study of four counties. Northern Journal of Applied Forestry, 23(4):250-256.

Luppold, Bill and Matthew Bumgardner. 2006. Influence of markets and forest composition on lumber production in Pennsylvania. Northern Journal of Applied Forestry, 23(2):87-93.

Alderman, Delton, Matthew Bumgardner, and John Baumgras. 2005. An assessment of the red maple resource in the Northeastern United States. Northern Journal of Applied Forestry, Vol. 22(3): September 2005.

Alderman, Delton and Bill Luppold. 2005. Examination of regional hardwood roundwood markets in West Virginia. Forest Products Journal., Vol. 55(12):153-158 

Luppold, Bill and Delton Alderman. 2005. Influence of species on site selection and timber removal: A case study for West Virginia. Field Note: Northern Journal of Applied Forestry, 24(2):146-148

Research Participants

Principal Investigator

• Delton Alderman, USDA Forest Service-Northern Research Station, Research Forest Products Technologist
• Matthew Bumgardner, USDA Forest Service-Northern Research Station, Research Forest Products Technologist

Research Partners

• Bill Luppold, USDA Forest Service-Northern Research Station, Research Economist

Last Modified: 11/10/2009

For further details log on website :
http://www.nrs.fs.fed.us/sustaining_forests/monitoring_assessment/appalachian_globalization/