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Michigan Forest Profile - 2001

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Michigan has 19 million acres of timberland, which:
bulleted item Covers 51 percent of the state area
bulleted item Ranks 5th out of 50 states
bulleted item Comprises 36 percent public ownership

Hardwoods account for 72 percent of the total growing stock volume.
Maple is the predominant hardwood species.

 Map of the State of Michigan. Shows the Distribution of Forested Land. Most of Michigan's Upper Peninsula is Forested, and the Northern-half of the Lower Peninsula
Graph of Michigan Timber Volume - The timber volume has been increasing over time The growing stock volume increased by 35 percent since 1980, rising to nearly 27 billion cubic feet..
The red pine forest type had the greatest average growing stock volume per acre.
Non-industrial private owners are the predominant Michigan timberland owners (46 percent).
Private timberland ownership is spread among 312.500 individuals.
State and National Forests comprise 36 percent of timberland and forest industry owns 9 percent.
Ownership by timber tract size
bulleted item 60 percent own 10 acres or more
bulleted item 7 percent own 100 acres or more

The forest products and tourism industry contribute $3.5 billion annually to Michigan's economy.
The state's forest products industry included

bulleted item 273 sawmills
bulleted item 4 veneer mills
bulleted item 8 pulp mills
bulleted item 4 particleboard mills
bulleted item 10 post, pole, and piling mills
bulleted item 19 other mills

 

Michigan has the greatest area of timberland and the greatest timber volume of any state in the North Central region.

Issues and Opportunities for Michigan Forests
The area of Michigan's aspen forests is declining. Disturbances, such as fire or harvesting, can encourage natural regeneration of aspen..

Michigan's oak forests are experiencing health problems. Oak decline in the northern Lower Peninsula, particularly northern pin oak, is of concern, as is gypsy moth defoliation.

Harvest of mature oak in southwestern Michigan has raised public concern about oak regeneration and harvesting.

Parcelization of timberland into smaller tracts (less than 10 acres) is restricting management options.

Michigan's forests are a maturing resource which provides many management options such as managing for old growth or improving structural diversity of forest types.

Michigans forests could be even more productive than they already are, thanks to surplus of growing stock (annual growth less removals). This surplus is one of the largest in the Nation.

Our Contributions
Every year, the North Central Research Station's field crews inventory sample plots on public and private lands in Michigan. That information feeds our annual report of forest conditions and timber product outputs. Additional information about Michigan's forests is available in the following North Central publications.

Michigan Forest Statistics, 1993 (Resource Bulletin NC-170)
Michigan's Forests 1993: An Analysis (Resource Bulletin NC-179)

North Central Partners in Michigan
In addition to forest inventory and analysis, we engage in research with an array of partners in Michigan. A sample of those partners is listed below.

bulleted item Michigan Department of Natural Resources
bulleted item Michigan State University, Institute of Water Research
bulleted item Northern Michigan University, Communications and Performance Studies
bulleted item University of Michigan
second level bulleted item School of Natural Resources and Environment
second level bulleted item Institute for Social Research
bulleted item Ottawa, Hiawatha, and Huron-Manistee National Forests
bulleted item Southeastern Michigan Council of Governments
bulleted item USDI National Park Service- Illinois & Michigan National Heritage Canal
bulleted item USEPA Lake Superior Binational Program
bulleted item Central Lake Superior Watershed Partnership
bulleted item Central Lake Superior Land Conservancy

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   USDA Forest Service at www.fs.fed.us


USDA Forest Service, National Headquarters

North Central Research Station
1992 Folwell Ave., St. Paul, MN 55108
(651) 649-5000  fax: (651) 649-5285

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Last modified on Wednesday, February 18, 2004
by  Sharon Hobrla