Missouri Forest Facts

Missouri has 14.5 million acres of forested land, nearly 32% of the total area of the state (44.1 million acres). Only about 17% of forested land is publically owned.

There are over 7 billion trees on timberland throughout Missouri (this does not include trees on pasture land, urban areas, and other areas not considered as forested) with a volume of about 14 billion cubic feet.

Red and white oaks, the hickories and elms make up nearly three- fourths of Missouri's total forests.

The biomass (above ground volume of all live trees, including bark and foliage) of Missouri's trees is over 850 million tons. Most of that volume is in the 7 to 12 inch diameter size classes.

Missouri is home to over 450 primary wood products producers; saw mills, charcoal mills, cooperage mills, and many others. Another 700 or so secondary mills produce furniture, bowls, and other consumer products.

Missouri's wood-using mills process about 140 million cubic feet of wood per year. Most of the wood came from Missouri's forests, with only 6% coming from other states.

Almost all of the harvest went as saw logs, with charcoal, bolts, pulpwood, and veneer logs making up only 10% of the total. The wood used by these producers is worth, conservatively, $133 million per year using stumpage prices (the amount paid to landowners for the right to harvest the logs).

Over 5,000 Missourians are directly employed by primary wood producers, and another 8,000 or more loggers, drivers, and so on, indirectly owe their jobs to Missouri's mills. Thousands more work in secondary mills and other related industries. Together, these industries contribute over $3 billion to Missouri's economy.

Missouri's forests are growing at a rate of greater than 267 million cubic feet per year, so the harvest of 140 million cubic feet is sustainable.

Missouri's mills produce over 2.1 million tons of "residues" a year. (Residues are the slabs, edging, sawdust, and bark left when all possible boards have been sawed out of a log). Over 40% of the residues are used to produce charcoal. Other uses include livestock bedding, mulch, and fuel. Only 13% of the residues go unused.

Source: Missouri Department of Conservation and Landsat Imagery TM.